BERMUDA'S unique birdlife is a major part of our natural heritage and we must ensure its protection, according to a leading conservationist.

Andrew Dobson, vice-president of the Bermuda Audubon Society, said the key was education.

Mr. Dobson's comments come as the Society is in the midst of joining conservation organisations throughout the Caribbean in a month-long celebration of the region's unique birds. The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival started on April 22 and runs through to May 22.

Mr. Dobson said: "The cahow and white-eyed vireo are unique to our country. This is indeed a cause for celebration, but it is our responsibility to look after these birds and cherish this valuable asset.

"These species are an irreplaceable part of our natural heritage and given the global trends in species extinction we must ensure the education of everyone to safeguard their existence."

The month's events have included nestbox construction for bluebirds and longtails. Enthusiasts have also recorded the appearance of spring migrants like swallows, tanagers, grosbeaks and orioles, as well as two visitors never seen here before ? a California gull at Dockyard and a grey heron at Spittal Pond.

The festival is being co-ordinated by the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB), whose president Eric Carey said: "This festival is a celebration of the spectacular bird life found throughout the Caribbean ? more than one in five bird species is found nowhere else on earth.

"Thanks to this annual festival, people will learn to appreciate the value and global significance of our region's birds and other wildlife and join us to help conserve them for future generations to enjoy."

The Caribbean islands are recognised as one of the top three areas on the planet for biodiversity conservation, because of the high number of endemic plant and animal species.

But according to BirdLife International, the birds of the Caribbean are today more threatened than they have ever been in their history. BirdLife International data shows that 56 species of bird found in the Caribbean are at risk of global extinction, while 11 of them are classed as "critically endangered".

q More information, including background information on all of the Caribbean's threatened bird species, can be found at: .