Cuba, the largest country in the Caribbean, accounts for over half of the land area of the region. Ornithologist Arturo Kirkconnell, who is bird curator at the National Museum of Natural History in Havana and co-author of the Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba, will give an overview of Cuban birds. The avifauna of Cuba is the most diverse in the Caribbean, with 372 species recorded, 27 of which are endemic to the country. Kirkconnell will explain how the biogeography of the main island and the thousand keys surrounding it as well as Cuba’s historical relationship to neighboring islands is an important factor in this high diversity and degree of endemism. He will also discuss Cuba’s importance for Nearctic migrant birds: their important wintering grounds in the country, their abundance and migratory status, and the main threats to their populations. Results of Cuban banding programs will also be presented. Because some of Cuba’s endemic birds are critically endangered Kirkconnell will show how conservation initiatives such as the Important Bird Areas program and the establishment of protected areas are essential. Finally he will talk about his work with the Bee Hummingbird, the world’s smallest bird.
