The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) is the region’s flagship celebration of the birds that live nowhere else on Earth. Each year, communities across more than 20 islands and territories mark the festival with guided walks, school programmes, art workshops, talks and local events.
When and why
The festival runs each year from around 22 April — Earth Day — to 22 May, the International Day for Biological Diversity, a window that frames the Caribbean’s birds within the wider story of life on the planet. Its purpose is straightforward: to build local pride in, and knowledge of, the region’s endemic birds, on the principle that people protect what they value and understand.
A celebration across the islands
From guided hikes in mountain forests to art and music in island towns, the festival reaches children and adults alike. Schools are a particular focus, introducing the next generation to species such as the Montserrat Oriole, the Hispaniolan Parrot and the Red-billed Streamertail — birds that are, in many cases, national symbols of the islands they inhabit.
More than 170 reasons
With more than 170 endemic species spread across the archipelago, the Caribbean has one of the highest concentrations of single-region birds anywhere. The festival ties that biological richness to the people who live alongside it, linking the region’s birds to its culture, identity and tourism.
From classrooms to coastlines
Much of the festival’s reach comes through schools. Classroom activities, colouring books, posters and field trips introduce children to the birds of their own island — often species that are national emblems, like the Montserrat Oriole or the Palmchat of the Dominican Republic. By starting with the youngest residents, the festival aims to build a lasting conservation constituency rather than a one-week event.
Beyond the classroom, local birding clubs, protected areas and tourism operators run guided walks, dawn-chorus outings, photography sessions and community talks. The mix varies island to island, shaped by local partners and the species each community is proudest of.
A shared regional identity
One of the festival’s quieter achievements is the sense of a shared regional identity it fosters. Although the Caribbean’s islands are politically diverse and speak several languages, they hold a common natural heritage in their endemic birds. A festival held simultaneously across more than 20 islands turns that shared heritage into a visible, annual celebration — and a reminder that protecting these birds is a region-wide responsibility.