Birders' Exchange Recipients
BEX recipients photograph a Cuban Kite (Chondroierax wilsonii)
by Ernesto Reyes, Nils Navarro y Gerardo Begué
Cuban Kite (Chondroierax wilsonii) is the most endangered bird of prey on the Cuban Island, it is considered Critically Endangered and no record has officially been recognized for many years. There is little information about its natural history, its existence, and no photographs.
In 2004 Ernesto Reyes took a photo of the Cuban Kite in the surrounding area of Humbolt Park in Guantánamo province. The quality of the photograph was not so good but we could recover information that allowed us to make a correct identification as a Cuban kite.
Several surveys were undertaken successfully, and the information from local people was very important and made it possible to find a couple of birds in the areas surrounding Humboldt Park in the mountains of eastern Cuba.
Ernesto Reyes (left) and Nils Navarro (right). Photo by Betty Petersen. Cuba, November 2008.
Nils Navarro, the second author, saw a male Cuban Kite for 45 minutes, perching and soaring. The bird clearly showed the bill shape, wingspan shape and color pattern of the species. The three authors could see the bird perching with another Kite, that appeared to be a juvenile or female, but it was not possible to see details as they were flying together during the morning when they were sighted.
The day after, the team composed of the authors and local guide Modesto Suarez and his family could hear the vocalization consisting in the slow rate of nasal sounds like kee- kee -kee -kee, as previously, two voices ké ké more separated, and close to the Gundlach's Hawk vocalization. The voices that came from the forest were the couple of Kites perching and not Gundlach's Hawk that were sighted around the area. The local people said the Kite belongs to the same animals that they have seen frequently near a house, and it is different than the one they know well. They referenve that it has a “Parrot Bill” with grey bluish upperparts. A lot of food evidence was collected belonging to three species of land and tree snails. More details will be published in a paper that is in preparation.
Broad-Winged Hawk is the most common bird of prey in the area.
The rediscovery of Cuban Kite in Cuba is opening a new page for the conservation issues of the species. A new expedition was lead with success by other authors who could take good quality picture of the animal.
We would like to thank for help and support from: Rufford Grants Foundation, Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) in special to the Caribbean wildlife art working Group, Peregrine Foundation, Birders' Exchange, Optics for the Tropics, and Longue Lizard Club. Our special thanks to Jim Wiley, Russel Thorsthon, Alfred Roca, Betty Petersen Lisa Sorenson, Rosemarie Gnam and Joni Ellis.