SThe Independence Day of St Lucia seemed like a good opportunity to look for the national bird of the Caribbean islands: the St Lucia Parrot. This colourful species is unique to the Caribbean and is not found anywhere else.
Willow, my guide, and I had been listening to the parrots’ calls for over an hour, but they were always hiding in the dense canopy above. We finally reached a viewpoint overlooking a forest where we had a real shot at seeing them.
I was able to catch up with three of St Lucia’s five endemic species on a short excursion during our family holiday. They were the brightly coloured warbler and the mysterious black finch. The perky pewee is a type flycatcher. Later, I would also be able to see the islands eponymous oriole. This is an apparition in orange and black. The parrot was, however, what I wanted to see.
We patiently scanned below the tree canopy. Two stocky birds flew over our treetops, one blue-headed, the other with flashes of yellow, and we made a lot of noises. It was well worth the wait.
When St Lucia gained independence from the UK in 1979, there were less than 100 parrots. Today, there are three times as many parrots thanks to conservationists. We could celebrate the return of this rare bird exactly 43 years ago, when the island finally became free.
