Barbados’ bird species are a vital part of its biological diversity. Whether these birds are native to the island or just passing through on their trip down the ‘Atlantic Flyway’, under the Laws of Barbados they are afforded a certain measure of protection from harm. Under the Wild Birds Protection Act CAP.398:

Any person who knowingly kills or wounds or attempts to kill or wound a wild bird shall be liable to a penalty […] for each wild bird killed or wounded or attempted to be killed or wounded…

For the purposes of the Act ‘wild birds’ are defined as the following species

1. Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
2. Audubon’s Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri)
3. Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
4. Magnificent Frigate Bird/Cobber (Fregata magnificens)
5. Great Blue Heron/Grey Gaulin (Ardea herodias)
6. Little Green Heron; Gaulin (Butorides virescens)
7. Little Blue Heron (Florida caerulea)
8. Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
9. Great Egret (Casmerodius alba)
10. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
11. Tricoloured Heron/Louisiana Heron (Hydranassa tricolour)
12. Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nyxticorax)
13. Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
14. Osprey/Fish Hawk (Pandion haliaetus)
15. Sora Craka/Duck-me-chick (Porzana carolina)
16. Common Gallinule/Red-seal Coot (Gallinula chloropus)
17. Caribbean Coot/White-seal Coot (Fulica caribaea)
18. Upland Sandpiper/Cotton Tree Plover (Bartramia longicauda)
19. Buff-Breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis)
20. Hudsonian Godwit/Godwit (Limosa haemastica)
21. Ruff philomachus pugnax (Philomachus pugnax)
22. Red-necked pigeon/Ramier (Columba squamosa)
23. Zenaida Dove/Wood Dove (Aenaida aurita)
24. Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
25. Guyana Parrotlet/Parakeet (Forpus passerinus)
26. Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
27. Green-throated Carib; Large Hummingbird (Sericotes holosericeus)
28. Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)
29. Belted Kingfisher/Kingfisher (Halcyon ceryle)
30. Grey Kingbird/Rain Bird/Dr. Morris (Tyrannus dominicensis)
31. Caribbean Eiaenia Flycatcher/Peewittler/Pee-whistler (Elaenia martinica)
32. Caribbean Purple Martin/Large Swallow (Progne subis)
33. Barn Swallow/Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
34. Scaly-breasted Thrasher/Thrush (Margarops fuscus)
35. Black-whiskered Vireo (Viero altiloquus)
36. Prothonotary Warbler (Protnotaria citrea)
37. Parula Warbler  (Parula americana)
38. Yellow Warbler/Yellow bird (Dendroica petechia)
39. Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata)
40. Northern Waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis)
41. American Redstart/Gold Finch/Christmas Bird (Setophaga ruticilla)
42. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)
43. Glossy Cowbird/Brazilian Rice Bird (Molothrus bonariensis)
44. Carib Grackle/Blackbird (Quiscalus lugubris)
45. Yellow Grass Finch/Grass Canary (Siscalis luteola)
46. Black-faced Grassquit/Cane Sparrow (Tiaris bicolor)