Fig 1 - uploaded by Richard Johnston González
Content may be subject to copyright.
Source publication
Non-coastal shorebird flyways in the Neotropics are poorly understood. Museum skins, anecdotal hunter data and a preliminary survey in the early 1990s suggest that the Cauca River valley in the vicinity of Popayán, Colombia, might be an important shorebird migration stopover . To estimate current shorebird abundance and assess habitat use and threa...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... species of shorebirds are well known as predomi- nantly non-coastal migrants, and the flyways and migration systems of these species receive much less attention than coastal species. Some inland migrants, like Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis , have shown major popu- lation declines over the last century (Brown et al. 2001, Morrison et al. 2006). The main habitats they use are rice fields, natural and artificial grasslands, and several kinds of freshwater wetlands. The presence of boreal-breeding shorebird migrants on the Popayán Plateau ( Fig. 1) is well documented in museum skins collected from 1940–45 to 1992–92 and held by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Natural History, Universidad del Cauca. In early 1990s, a field study recorded 11 shorebird species using a livestock area northeast of Popayán city (Negret 1994). Five additional species have been recorded during the last ten years (Ayerbe-Quiñonez et al. 2009), so a total of 16 shorebird species have been recorded using the area. Several mainly coastal migrants, such as Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus , Short-billed Dowitchers Limnodromus griseus , and Sanderlings Calidris alba , have occasionally been found in the Popayán area, but the majority of shore- birds recorded around Popayán have been typical inland species. These include Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longi- cauda , Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii , Pectoral Sandpiper C. melanotos and Buff Breasted Sandpiper, which were all found to be common as transients during September and the beginning of October in the early 1990s (Negret 1994). The Popayán Plain or Plateau in the Departamento de Cauca, Colombia (Fig. 1) is part of the Popayán geological forma- tion, a volcanic sedimentary repository with recent geological origin (Negret 1990). Rising to 1,700–1,880 m, the Plateau forms a 700–1,000 m natural barrier, separating the Cauca and Patía watersheds. The city of Popayán is located in the middle of the Plateau and is intersected by the Pan-American Highway and the Cauca River. Popayán is a city with 260,000 inhabitants, and an urban area of 483 km 2 ; it is surrounded and in some places includes forest fragments, wetlands, cultivated fields and grasslands (Alcaldía de Popayán 2003, Méndez et al. 2006). Because of this diversity of habitats, the area supports around 70 migrant bird species (Ayerbe- Quiñonez et al. 2008, 2009). We carried out our studies on two livestock farms where shorebirds were previously reported: Hacienda Río Blanco or Planicie San Isidro (2°29'16.58"N, 76°33'8.55"W) on the north-eastern edge of Popayán, a grassland area of almost 100 ha previously surveyed by Negret (1994); and Haci- enda Bellavista (2°27'59"N, 76°35'52"W), 83 ha of potential shorebird habitat in the north-west of the city, bordered by the Pan-American Highway and the Cauca River (Figs 1 & 2). Riparian forests, extensive grasslands, and some scattered wetlands are the main habitats on the farms, which are both surrounded by suburban housing. The median temperature of the area is 18–21°C and annual rainfall is around 2,410 mm. The drier season in Popayán (July–August) is followed by a steep increase in rainfall starting in September and peaking in November with an average of 350 mm per month. We made preliminary visits to the study areas in the last week of August 2007 to determine survey transects across the grasslands of each farm. Our goal was to survey the same area covered previously by Negret (1994) at Hacienda Río Blanco (6.8 km transect), and to cover as much as possible of the available shorebird habitat at Hacienda Bellavista (8.3 km transect). We conducted counts along each transect every week starting in the third week of September and ending in mid December 2007 (13 weeks). We walked the two transects during 06h00–10h00 on consecutive days and recorded every shorebird seen or heard. Opportunistically we also collect information of night vocalization activity. A total of eight Nearctic shorebird species were recorded during September–December 2007 in our study areas on the Popayán Plateau (Table 1). The first, seven Spotted Sand pipers and two Upland Sandpipers, were seen on 29–31 August, before the regular counts started. These species proved to be the most commonly recorded species in the survey (Table 1, (Table 1, Fig. Fig. 3.). The phenology of shorebird migration through the study areas fell into three patterns (Fig. 3). Some species, such as Upland Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper and Buff-Breasted Sandpiper, occurred only during August– October. Spotted Sandpipers arrived early and remained throughout the entire study period. However, two Tringa species only occurred late in the season. Solitary Sandpipers arrived in late September, increased in late October and again in December; Lesser Yellowlegs, just one bird, was not seen until December. Similarly American Golden Plover did not occur until the second week of November when a juvenile appeared at Hacienda Rio Blanco where it remained for three weeks until it died. When it was first seen, this bird showed symptoms of weakness and inability to avoid humans. There- fore, because it was not in good condition, it may not have been exhibiting typical migratory behavior. However, several American Golden Plovers were reported on the Plateau in 1990s by Negret (1994). Upland Sandpipers produce intense nocturnal vocaliza- tions, making them easy to detect when they occur on the Plateau, ...
Context 2
... species of shorebirds are well known as predomi- nantly non-coastal migrants, and the flyways and migration systems of these species receive much less attention than coastal species. Some inland migrants, like Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis , have shown major popu- lation declines over the last century (Brown et al. 2001, Morrison et al. 2006). The main habitats they use are rice fields, natural and artificial grasslands, and several kinds of freshwater wetlands. The presence of boreal-breeding shorebird migrants on the Popayán Plateau ( Fig. 1) is well documented in museum skins collected from 1940–45 to 1992–92 and held by the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Natural History, Universidad del Cauca. In early 1990s, a field study recorded 11 shorebird species using a livestock area northeast of Popayán city (Negret 1994). Five additional species have been recorded during the last ten years (Ayerbe-Quiñonez et al. 2009), so a total of 16 shorebird species have been recorded using the area. Several mainly coastal migrants, such as Whimbrels Numenius phaeopus , Short-billed Dowitchers Limnodromus griseus , and Sanderlings Calidris alba , have occasionally been found in the Popayán area, but the majority of shore- birds recorded around Popayán have been typical inland species. These include Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longi- cauda , Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii , Pectoral Sandpiper C. melanotos and Buff Breasted Sandpiper, which were all found to be common as transients during September and the beginning of October in the early 1990s (Negret 1994). The Popayán Plain or Plateau in the Departamento de Cauca, Colombia (Fig. 1) is part of the Popayán geological forma- tion, a volcanic sedimentary repository with recent geological origin (Negret 1990). Rising to 1,700–1,880 m, the Plateau forms a 700–1,000 m natural barrier, separating the Cauca and Patía watersheds. The city of Popayán is located in the middle of the Plateau and is intersected by the Pan-American Highway and the Cauca River. Popayán is a city with 260,000 inhabitants, and an urban area of 483 km 2 ; it is surrounded and in some places includes forest fragments, wetlands, cultivated fields and grasslands (Alcaldía de Popayán 2003, Méndez et al. 2006). Because of this diversity of habitats, the area supports around 70 migrant bird species (Ayerbe- Quiñonez et al. 2008, 2009). We carried out our studies on two livestock farms where shorebirds were previously reported: Hacienda Río Blanco or Planicie San Isidro (2°29'16.58"N, 76°33'8.55"W) on the north-eastern edge of Popayán, a grassland area of almost 100 ha previously surveyed by Negret (1994); and Haci- enda Bellavista (2°27'59"N, 76°35'52"W), 83 ha of potential shorebird habitat in the north-west of the city, bordered by the Pan-American Highway and the Cauca River (Figs 1 & 2). Riparian forests, extensive grasslands, and some scattered wetlands are the main habitats on the farms, which are both surrounded by suburban housing. The median temperature of the area is 18–21°C and annual rainfall is around 2,410 mm. The drier season in Popayán (July–August) is followed by a steep increase in rainfall starting in September and peaking in November with an average of 350 mm per month. We made preliminary visits to the study areas in the last week of August 2007 to determine survey transects across the grasslands of each farm. Our goal was to survey the same area covered previously by Negret (1994) at Hacienda Río Blanco (6.8 km transect), and to cover as much as possible of the available shorebird habitat at Hacienda Bellavista (8.3 km transect). We conducted counts along each transect every week starting in the third week of September and ending in mid December 2007 (13 weeks). We walked the two transects during 06h00–10h00 on consecutive days and recorded every shorebird seen or heard. Opportunistically we also collect information of night vocalization activity. A total of eight Nearctic shorebird species were recorded during September–December 2007 in our study areas on the Popayán Plateau (Table 1). The first, seven Spotted Sand pipers and two Upland Sandpipers, were seen on 29–31 August, before the regular counts started. These species proved to be the most commonly recorded species in the survey (Table 1, (Table 1, Fig. Fig. 3.). The phenology of shorebird migration through the study areas fell into three patterns (Fig. 3). Some species, such as Upland Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper and Buff-Breasted Sandpiper, occurred only during August– October. Spotted Sandpipers arrived early and remained throughout the entire study period. However, two Tringa species only occurred late in the season. Solitary Sandpipers arrived in late September, increased in late October and again in December; Lesser Yellowlegs, just one bird, was not seen until December. Similarly American Golden Plover did not occur until the second week of November when a juvenile appeared at Hacienda Rio Blanco where it remained for three weeks until it died. When it was first seen, this bird showed symptoms of weakness and inability to avoid humans. There- fore, because it was not in good condition, it may not have been exhibiting typical migratory behavior. However, several American Golden Plovers were reported on the Plateau in 1990s by Negret (1994). Upland Sandpipers produce intense nocturnal vocaliza- tions, making them easy to detect when they occur on the Plateau, especially when they are migrating. This species was heard frequently at night from the last week of August to the first week of November. Mostly we recorded one to six vocalizations in the early hours of darkness. On two occasions a large amount of nocturnal vocalization was followed by changes in the next day’s counts. On 16 September, the first author heard continuous vocalizations coming from the north of the city between 04h15 and 05h20, and in the following count the number of Upland Sandpipers had increased to 50. On 28 October, a lot of vocal activity was detected south of the city between 21h30 and 22h30. The following day, the census showed a drop in the numbers of this species (Fig. 3). Shorebird species varied between the two study sites (Table 1). At Bellavista, the proximity of the Cauca River and Genagra Oxbow, as well as small pools in the grasslands offered wetland habitat for Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sand- pipers, and Solitary Sandpipers. On the other hand, grassland species such as American Golden Plover and Upland, Baird’s, Buff-breasted and Pectoral Sandpipers were prevalent at Rio Blanco, where small hills and flat grasslands were ...
Similar publications
Temporal and spatial variation of shorebirds in Barra de Navidad lagoon, Jalisco, during three non-breeding seasons. Resident and migratory shorebirds inhabit different kinds of wetlands such as lagoons, rivers and seashores among others. In recent years, these areas have been importantly affected by urban, agri- culture and touristic activities, s...
Citations
• Local land‐use intensity and surrounding landscape complexity affect the diversity of local species. Ants are an important biocontrol agent of the coffee berry borer (CBB), the main coffee pest worldwide. Although intensification of coffee production and deforestation in the surrounding landscape may reduce ant diversity, α‐ and β‐diversity patterns of ants in coffee landscapes remain poorly understood.
• Ants foraging in coffee bushes were sampled, using tuna baits along an agricultural intensification gradient (forest, shaded coffee and sun coffee) in a Neotropical coffee landscape. We evaluated the differences in α and β components of ant richness, community differentiation and habitat specificity of ant communities, in response to land‐use type and the percentage of surrounding forest.
• We found that ant β‐diversity and community differentiation among plots were significantly reduced with coffee management intensity. The amount of forest border adjacent to coffee plantations did not affect α‐ or β‐diversity. Yet, ant habitat specificity in the forest increased with plots having greater amounts of forest border, although in sun coffee plantations, the opposite was found: plots with greater forest border decreased habitat specificity.
• We found that conserving forest at landscape scales enhanced β‐diversity, community differentiation and habitat specificity of ants in the forest. Loss of forest cover at landscape scales (i.e. predominance of sun coffee) may lead to biotic homogenisation of ant communities. In conclusion, landscape‐wide ant richness is important in terms of biological CBB control by conservation.
Este documento es una serie de pautas que pueden ser consideradas para realizar una adecuada evaluación biológica del aporte de las buenas práctcas implementadas en agroecosistemas utlizando el grupo de las aves migratorias Neotropicales.
Five new bird records for Malpelo Island, Colombian Pacific. Five species of birds were recorded for the first time in Malpelo Island. With this information, the total number of birds recorded in the island ascends to 65 species. The new bird records are Upland Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Surfbird, Great Crested Flycatcher and the Northern Waterthrush.
Five species of birds were recorded for the first time in Malpelo Island. With this information, the total number of birds recorded in the island ascends to 65 species. The new bird records are Upland Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Surfbird, Great Crested Flycatcher and the Northern Waterthrush.
The Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis is considered an uncommon migrant in the fall in Colombia, but its spring status is uncertain (Hilty & Brown 2001). The species is categorized as a Highly Imperiled global species in the US Shorebird Conservation Plan (Brown et al. 2001) and as a species of High Concern in the Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan (Donaldson et al. 2000). Its moderately small remaining population continues to decline and as a result it is considered Near-Threatened (BirdLife Interna-tional 2013, Lanctot et al. 2010). Migration studies suggest there is a hitherto undiscovered Buff-breasted Sandpiper spring staging area in northern South America. This seems likely because of the long dis-tances involved, evidence from studies just before northward migration at a non-breeding site in Brazil and the body con-dition of birds when first captured in the United States (Almeida 2009, del Hoyo et al. 1996). Here we summarize new spring records of the species in north and east Colombia which may be at least part of such a spring staging area. Waterbird censuses were conducted in three Colombian departments: Meta, Casanare and Cesar (a department is an administrative and political subdivision of Colombia and is formed by a grouping of municipalities; Fig. 1). Casanare and Meta belong to the Orinoco region of Colombia and we surveyed several lowland locations between 6°15