Research for Haiti

Do Flamingos Still Come to Haiti?

I could not find any footage of flamingos in Haiti. Do they still come to Haiti? Perhaps their return would be a measure of the restoration of healthy mangroves in various bays and at Etang Saumatre.

This article from 1990 estimated that only about 900 flamingos (give or take several hundred) were still feeding or roosting in Haiti during non-breeding seasons. It also states that nesting in Haiti had not occurred since the 1920s due to lost habitat. That was 20 years ago. In any event, for the weekend enjoy these two youtube clips (follow links to more clips) about these odd birds.

The first is a wonderful video from the show Nature (a larger version of this video is here). This video features Chilean flamingos which are similar to the ultra-bright Caribbean, or American, flamingos that come from Cuba to Haiti (sometimes also called the Caiman flamingo).

The second video is about the lesser flamingos of Africa. This is from the French film “The Crimson Wing” (“Les Ailes Pourpres”) which should be out in the USA in 2010.

Documentary: PBS Now on Midwives in Haiti

A very well done 25-minute documentary that was filmed a few days before the earthquake in Jeremie and Petite Riviere. For the teachers out there, this would be a great teaching tool for a variety of classes, such as those discussing women or rural health issues, etc.