Introduction

Every year, ‘new bird species’ are observed on the ABC islands, meaning species for which there are no previous records from Aruba, Bonaire, or Curaçao. Since 2016, updates for bird species new to Bonaire have been regularly provided in BioNews. Between 2016 and 2020 (see BioNews issues 11, 19, 31, and 43), a total of sixteen new species were reported, four of which were entirely new to the ABC islands. Among these new species for Bonaire is a bird of prey that was only identified in 2024, eight years after the initial observation. This article discusses the sighting of this bird of prey and the eight new species recorded between 2021 and 2024.

“Belated” Discovery from 2016: Snail Kite

Snail Kite. Photo credit: Martijn Hickmann, Kralendijk, 17 August 2016

In 2024, Martijn Hickmann reviewed some photos of a bird of prey that he had taken eight years earlier, on August 17, 2016, near his home. At the time, he had been unable to identify the bird and had not uploaded the observation to eBird or observation.org. Upon closely re-examining the photos, he suspected it might be a Snail Kite. This turned out to be correct—the photos depict an adult individual. The bird is identifiable by its long and very slender beak, dark underside, white undertail coverts, and the broad black terminal band on its tail. This was only the second recorded sighting of the species on the ABC islands, following an individual observed less than three weeks earlier, on July 31, 2016, on Aruba.

The photos confirm that the two sightings involved different individuals, as the bird on Aruba was an immature specimen.

The Snail Kite is a well-known species in the Florida Everglades and also breeds in Cuba and from Mexico southward to Argentina. Most populations migrate only during periods of food scarcity. As its name suggests, this species primarily feeds on snails.

2021-2024 Discoveries

2021

Blue-and-white Swallow

Blue and white Swallow. By Steve Schnoll, 11 July 2021, Washikemba.

On July 10, three local birders (Sietse Nagelkerke, Steve Schnoll, and Susan Davis) were up early at the Washikemba wetland, observing a Wattled Jacana that had been discovered the day before by two visitors. While they were enjoying this rare vagrant, an unfamiliar swallow appeared over the wetland. The bird alternated between foraging low over the water and resting on a bare tree in the middle of the wetland. Based on their photos, they were able to identify the bird the same day as a Blue-and-white Swallow. This bird was observed there for a week. At the time, the observers did not know that Pieter Bruijsten, while on vacation on Bonaire, had likely photographed the same bird on July 2 near the water treatment plant. Upon returning from vacation, he identified the bird and entered the first-ever sighting of a Blue-and-white Swallow for the ABC islands on observation.org.

The Blue-and-white Swallow has three subspecies, all of which breed in South America. The amount of white on the undertail coverts of the Bonaire bird suggests it belongs to the subspecies patagonica. This subspecies breeds in the southern part of South America and migrates to the northern parts of the continent after the breeding season.

Manx Shearwater

Manx Shearwater by Martijn Hickmann, Lac Bay, 14 November 2023

On November 11, Martijn Hickmann discovered a shearwater while working on the water along the seaward side of Lac Bay. The bird was alternately flying around and resting on the sea. He managed to film the bird, and based on his recordings, it was identified as a Manx Shearwater.

Almost exactly two years later, on November 14, 2023, Hickmann once again observed and photographed a Manx Shearwater at the same location. These are, to date, the only two sightings of live individuals of this seabird on the ABC islands. On Curaçao, there is only one record of a dead specimen (found in January 2021 on Klein Curaçao), and the species has never been recorded on Aruba.

The Manx Shearwater breeds primarily—and in large numbers—on islands in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean. Outside the breeding season, the species disperses across the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the southern tips of South America and South Africa. Its presence in the Caribbean Sea is exceptional.

Green-winged Teal

Green-winged Teal by Peter-Paul Schets, 23 November 2021 near LVV (next to the teal is a Lesser Yellowlegs).

On the afternoon of November 21, Peter-Paul Schets observed a female teal swimming in the “main pond” of the water treatment facility. This could only have been a Green-winged Teal (American Teal). Visually, the females of this species are indistinguishable from the Eurasian Teal, which occurs in Europe and Asia. Until a few years ago, both (Eurasian Teal and Green-winged Teal) were considered subspecies of a single species, the Common Teal. The males, however, differ noticeably: the Eurasian Teal lacks the vertical white stripe on the side of the breast that is characteristic of the Green-winged Teal.

The Green-winged Teal has a wide range across North America and winters as far south as Mexico and the islands in the northern part of the Caribbean Sea. Occasionally, an individual travels as far as the ABC islands. Interestingly, this was the first recorded sighting for Bonaire. Observations from Aruba and Curaçao are known from November through April.

The Bonaire bird was observed for two weeks, with the last sighting on December 6.

2022

Yellow-legged Thrush

Yellow-legged thrush by Steve Schnoll, 20 May 2022, Washington-Slagbaai National Park.

On the ABC islands, rare songbirds are typically observed in October and November, but in 2022, Steve Schnoll demonstrated that May can also bring surprises. On May 20, he discovered a female Yellow-legged Thrush in Washington-Slagbaai National Park, the first recorded sighting for the ABC islands. Schnoll observed the bird again the following day. The male of this species is black and resembles a male Blackbird, while the female is brown. Both sexes have yellow legs.

The Yellow-legged Thrush has five subspecies with populations distributed across northern and eastern South America. The species breeds in northern Venezuela, which is relatively close to the ABC islands. However, a crossing to the islands had never been documented before.

White-tailed Kite

White-tailed Kite by Susan Davis, 18 September 2022 near LVV.

On September 4, Susan Davis discovered an adult White-tailed Kite near the water treatment facility. This small, graceful bird of prey offered a stunning sight as it hunted, hovering in place. The bird ultimately stayed on Bonaire for over two weeks, with the last sighting recorded on September 19. During this time, it appeared in various locations but was occasionally untraceable for days.

Until now, only one previous sighting of this species on the ABC islands had been documented: a juvenile observed on Aruba in mid-June 1980.

The White-tailed Kite is found in the western and southern United States, Central America, and much of South America. It is relatively common in northern Venezuela and is known for its migratory behavior. Despite this, the species has been observed on the ABC islands only twice, making these sightings quite remarkable.

2023

White-winged Dove

White -winged Dove By Susan Davis, Kralendijk, 18 February 2023

For Susan Davis, the year started spectacularly with the sighting of an unfamiliar dove on New Year’s Day. It turned out to be a White-winged Dove. The bird visited Davis’s garden feeder almost daily until late March.

This species breeds from the southwestern United States to Panama, as well as in southern Florida, the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and as far south as Dominica. It is gradually expanding southward and has been breeding on Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, and Saba since the early 2000s. On those islands, it has now become a common sight, despite not even being mentioned in the 1983 edition of Birds of the Netherlands Antilles by Prof. Dr. K.H. Voous.

The fact that this species appeared so far outside its natural range and was remarkably tame suggests that it may be an escaped bird or at least one that did not reach Bonaire on its own. For this reason, it is not yet included on Bonaire’s official bird species list.

2024

White-eyed Vireo

White-eyed Virero by Steve Schnoll, 3 March 2024, Pos Mangel, Washington-Slagbaai National Park

On January 13, Steve Schnoll discovered a White-eyed Vireo at Pos Mangel in Washington-Slagbaai National Park. He managed to record its characteristic song and later observed the bird multiple times, with the last sighting in late March. Schnoll also succeeded in capturing some excellent photos. This sighting represents a new species for the ABC islands.

The White-eyed Vireo breeds across much of the United States and in the northeastern part of Mexico. It typically winters in the southern United States, southern Mexico, and the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica). The Bonaire bird had clearly strayed far from its usual range.

Marbled Godwit

Marbled godwit by Denise de Jongh-Rekwest, 24 March 2024, salt pan Pekelmeer.

The newest observed on Bonaire up to 2024 was a Marbled Godwit. On March 21, during a visit to the salt pans, Susan Davis spotted a large shorebird standing among a group of Black-necked Stilts that she had not seen before. It turned out to be a Marbled Godwit. Until that moment, there was only one known record of this species on the ABC islands, involving an individual observed flying along the beach of Klein Curaçao in August 2023.

The photos Davis took of this bird are the first documented images of the species for the ABCs. Three days after the initial sighting, the bird was also observed by Denise de Jongh-Rekwest.

Of the four godwit species, the Marbled Godwit is the largest. Most of them breed in the central part of North America and primarily winter along the west coast of the United States down to Panama. The ABC islands are typically not on their migration route.

Conclusion

Thanks to the perseverance of a few local birders, new species are still being added to the ABC islands’ bird lists every year. On Bonaire, approximately 245 species have now been recorded, with slightly more on Aruba and Curaçao.

Discovering a new species for an island is always a special event and a reward for the efforts of the fortunate birders involved. The fact that new species are still being found does not, of course, indicate that the overall state of bird populations is thriving—that requires entirely different research. However, it does mean that birdwatching on these islands remains an exciting endeavor that occasionally delivers a remarkable surprise.

Birdwatching on the ABC Islands

Birdwatching on the ABC islands is not just for experts—everyone can contribute to discovering and documenting the incredible bird diversity here. Whether you are an experienced birder or just starting out, your observations are valuable. By uploading your sightings to platforms like eBird and Observation.org, you help build a comprehensive record of bird species in the region. These platforms are indispensable tools for both citizen scientists and researchers, enabling us to track species distribution, migration patterns, and population trends.

If you spot a remarkable bird or think you’ve seen a new species, don’t hesitate to document it with photos or audio recordings and share your finding. Together, we can continue to expand our knowledge of Bonaire’s rich biodiversity and ensure it is protected for future generations. Let’s keep the passion for birdwatching alive and make every discovery count!

Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Denise de Jongh-Rekwest, Martijn Hickmann, Susan Davis, and Steve Schnoll for sharing their sightings and providing their photos.