DEDICATION

            To the children of Saint Lucia for the pride and joy we have found in our feathered friends and our commitment to their conservation for the future generations. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

            The writers, photographers, artists, editorial crew and publisher wish to express their gratitude to the Governments of Saint Lucia and Taiwan (R.O.C.) for support during this project; in particular, the Forestry Department, Ministry of Forestry and Fisheries, St. Lucia — Adams Toussaint for writing the species accounts and Lyndon John for the Introduction.

            We thank the Honourable Stephenson King, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, for his interest in this endeavor.

            We especially thank Minister James C. F. Huang, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Taiwan (R.O.C.), who conceived the idea for this project; without his inspiration and support, our work would not have been possible.

            We also thank Ambassador Tom Chou, Taiwan (R.O.C.) for facilitating our visit.

            Photographers:  Hank Chiu-wen Tseng, Canada; Ten-di Wu, Taiwan; Adams Toussaint, St. Lucia (Antillean Euphonia, Bare-eyed Thrush, Barn Swallow, Bridled Quail-Dove, Masked Duck, St. Lucia Black Finch, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Tri-colored Heron); Bruno Kern, St. Lucia (Rufous Nightjar); Jo Ann MacKenzie, Canada (Eurasian Collared-Dove, Scaly-naped Pigeon).

            Cover photo of Green-throated Carib, by the Honorable Stephenson King, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia.

            Artists:  Dr. Robert W. Butler, Canada; Dr. Christopher Cox, St. Lucia.

            The Taiwan-St. Lucia “ecotourism team” of November 2007, headed by Legislator Chiu-chin Tien: Simon Shih-ching Liao; Hank Chiu-wen Tseng and Ten-di Wu; Jo Ann MacKenzie and Hue MacKenzie (Canada); Mu-chi Tsai, Chi-lien Hsueh, Ross Jo-Szu Tsai; Shu-kai Tseng (Liberty Times, Taiwan); Chin-kan Chun (Formosa TV); Adams Toussaint, Forestry Department, Ministry of Forestry and Fisheries, St. Lucia.

EDITORS’ NOTES

            In this first edition of Birds of Saint Lucia, we present the most common and the most sought-after species to be found on the island, as well as some of seasonal and infrequently-occurring species.  We have not included photographs of all of the birds of St. Lucia.  This book is intended to provide identification and occurrence information for serious birders as well as island residents and casual visitors, who are curious about the birds they see.

            For sequence, bird names, both vernacular and scientific, we follow James F. Clements The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, Sixth Edition, January 2007, with one exception.  That exception is the endemic St. Lucia Pewee Contopus oberi which was not yet recognized in the 2007 edition.

                                                                                    Jo Ann Mackenzie

                                                                                    British Columbia, Canada

                                                                                    April 2008