Birdwatching on Curaçao in February

Of course the migration season is very interesting for watching bird species that would otherwise not be found on the island. Both the fall migration (mid August to Mid November) and the spring migration (mid April to mid June) are great for watching these unexpected species. However in all the other calendar months things can get interesting for sure, with some species from North America overwintering on the island, and South American and Caribbean species to suddenly appear and disappear.

Wild flowers: the wild Hibiscus

Did you know Curaçao has its very own wild Hibiscus plant called Rosita in Papiamentu or Brazilian rosemallow in English.

Birds | Pelicans’ Colors

The Brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) we have on the island are always fascinating animals. Their fishing lifestyle, relaxed demeanour, and especially the way they look at you when you approach—always with one eye on you, yet at the same time, they seem to be looking down on us.

World Wetland Day – February 2

Every year on February 2nd, the world pauses to reflect on wetlands, (periodically) wet areas of great value to nature and humanity. World Wetlands Day, as it is known, marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2nd, 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the Caspian Sea coast. Each year, the organization behind Ramsar sets a theme, and for 2026, that theme is “Wetlands and traditional knowledge: celebrating cultural heritage.”

Titbits | Nature in February – Transition

The islands’ nature is actually always in transition. Between the distinctly dry and wet seasons, there are periods of transition that can sometimes last quite a while. Think of the Carnival season…

Download nature posters for educational purposes!

The former Museum of Natural History Curaçao designed a total of 3 educational posters for schools in 2019-2020 about the wildlife of the island. These digital posters were designed as PDF documents in A3 formats that could be downloaded and printed for uses in educational settings. These 3 posters are now also available for download on the Caribbean Footprint website.

Titbits: Out of the Shell

When beach bombing chances are that you will encounter a crab shell. What is this and are you sure what you have in your hands is a shell and not a dead crab?

Wild flowers: Kaya-kaya (Cleome viscosa)

Kaya-kaya is a herb-like introduced plant to the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao that can often be found along roads or other disturbed areas.

Forests on the semi-arid ABC islands (17) – Help local trees and forests!

It’s easy to shrug our shoulders and look the other way, or to look sternly at only nature and environmental organizations when things go wrong with nature and the environment. There is a lot you can do yourself, like planting local trees in the garden.

Marine creatures: Portuguese Man’o War (Physalia physalis)

Every year, during the period in between Carnival and Easter, popularly known as Lent (temp’i kuaresma), and sometimes earlier or later in the year, the wind pattern in our region tends to be irregular. When the directions from which the winds originate shift towards the south-east, our island might receive visits from a bizarre organism, one that we often are not too happy with.

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