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Introduction
I´m an agricultural engineer, ornithologist, and tropical ecologist working mainly on neotropical avian communities (pristines, perturbed). As a part of my research, I´m particularly interested in the role of the neotropical agroecosystems in bird conservation. Also, I´m interested in symbiotic organisms that live on birds, including microorganisms.
Additional affiliations
May 2019 - March 2020
March 1995 - April 2019
Education
March 1987 - February 2010
Publications
Publications (83)
The rapid disruption of tropical forests probably imperils global biodiversity more than any other contemporary phenomenon. With deforestation advancing quickly, protected areas are increasingly becoming final refuges for threatened species and natural ecosystem processes. However, many protected areas in the tropics are themselves vulnerable to hu...
The book "Birds of Venezuela: Common, Scientific, Aboriginal (Passeriformes: Suboscines)” compiles the different names used on the Venezuelan bird species, both in everyday speech and in the scientific community. This book collects the historical information of the common names, in a way that allows the reader to visualize its changes over time. In...
In order to improve our knowledge of the Common Pauraque nesting habits, I collected detailed notes on a nesting event in northern Venezuela. Two eggs laid on fallen leaves were recorded, both conspicuously colored hydrangea pink, heavily marked with vinaceous brown spots. At hatching time, nestlings were born precocial, completely covered with neo...
Hematophagy is a practice in which animal organisms feed on blood. Among birds, few species are known to practice it, including rapacious birds such as Caracaras. Here, an hematophagy event by a Yellow-headed Caracara on a wounded domestic horse from northern Venezuela is described, taking notes about the visit frequency, number of visitors, the ho...
Shadow boxing behavior has barely been recorded in birds within the Neotropical region, with most data collected from Venezuela. In order to improve the scarce knowledge on this topic, visual observations of birds performing such behavior were randomly recorded in the Coastal Mountain Range of northern Venezuela. Eleven wild bird species belonging...
REVISTA VENEZOLANA DE ORNITOLOGIA 2023
The Pale-eyed Thrush is a remarkable dichromatic species. Both sexes differ noticeably in plumage coloration. Males are entirely glossy bluish-black, with obvious pale eyes and a yellow or orange bill and legs. Females are dark olive-brown, slightly paler on the underparts, with pale gray-brown eyes, a dark bill, and dull yellow legs. The species i...
The Copper-rumped Hummingbird Saucerottia tobaci is a polyphyletic hummingbird with seven recognized subspecies. Nonetheless, the most information on its nesting behavior come from the island race S. t. erythronotos. This study aims to describe a nesting event of S. t. feliciae, the most widespread mainland subspecies, in order to provide detailed...
Bird-to-bird mobbing events recorded in wild bird species of northern Venezuela, including mobber and mobbed species involved, body size and body mass ratio between the mobber/mobbed species
Abstract.– Mobbing is a survival strategy in which a small bird attacks larger and more powerful perceived enemies (e. g., potential predators) to drive them away from the vicinity. This paper reports and describes mobbing events performed by Venezuelan wild birds, which were recorded opportunistically in different localities of the country. A tota...
REVISTA VENEZOLANA DE ORNITOLOGIA 2022
Committee of Common Nomenclature of Birds of Venezuela (CNCAV): historical review and achievements after 12 years of activity for the improvement of the common nomenclature of Venezuelan birds.– The Committee of Common Nomenclature of Birds of Venezuela (CNCAV) was created in 2009 in order to improve, validate and/or provide common names to Venezue...
REVISTA VENEZOLANA DE ORNITOLOGIA 2021
REVISTA VENEZOLANA DE ORNITOLOGIA SUPLEMENTO ESPECIAL
Los reportes de aberraciones del plumaje en aves silvestres, así como su distribución y frecuencia, son importantes debido a sus implicaciones en conservación, ya que pudieran estar asociados con factores ambientales (e.g. contaminación), tamaño poblacional (e g. endogamia) o nutrición (e.g. escasez de recursos). El presente trabajo informa sobre u...
In order to know the bird diversity on a cacao Theobroma cacao plantation with high agricultural management, and its role as habitat for local birds and avifauna conservation, 36 mist-netting sessions (2,592 net-h) were carried out from January to December 2012. A total of 635 individuals from 59 species were captured. A high diversity index was ob...
This paper shows the 2017 Venezuelan Neotropical Waterbird Census (CNAAV) results. The Census included two sampling periods: February (15 days) and July (15 days). It was made by 16 volunteers in 12 localities from six states. Compared with preliminary surveys (2006–2016), there was an important decrease in the number of volunteers, localities, and...
Data about shadow boxing behavior in Neotropical wild birds is almost absent. A total of 16 novel wild bird species were found performing shadow boxing behavior in northern Venezuela. Families Trochilidae, Picidae, Tyrannidae, Corvidae, Turdidae, Mimidae, Thraupidae, Emberizidae, and Parulidae were represented, with Trochilidae and Tyrannidae repor...
We studied if uropygial secretions protect Neotropical Spectacled (=Bare-eyed) Thrushes (Turdus nudigenis) from feather-degrading bacteria naturally harbored in their plumage and explored the possible mechanisms involved in feather protection. We chose Spectacled Thrushes because we had previously isolated from their plumage several bacterial strai...
An adult male Large-billed Seed Finch was seen between 29 July and 1 August 2016 at 900–1,030 m in the south-east suburbs of Caracas, on the road to Caserío Los Naranjos, El Hatillo, Miranda state, northern Venezuela (10°26’10”N-66°47’46”W). Also, a review of bibliographic and online resources, as well as local ornithological collections, suggests...
In order to improve the previous knowledge about the nest and nestling development of the Sooty-capped Hermit (Phaethornis augusti) from Venezuela, a nest was followed from February to July 2015. Details of nest structure (shape, materials, dimensions), nest usage, intervals between breeding attempts, hatch time, fledgling period, as well as nestli...
In order to become acquainted with the bird community of “Baltasar Trujillo” Botanical Garden, mist-net samples were taken weekly for one year. We captured 286 individuals belonging to 36 species; although species richness was poor, the Diversity Index was high. The most abundant species was the Spectacled Thrush Turdus nudigenis (Turdidae), accoun...
http://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/portal/species/overview?p_p_spp=408201
We studied the diversity and abundance of keratinolytic bacteria hosted by the plumage of Spectacled Thrushes (Turdus nudigenis), and their capacities to break down feathers in vitro. From 40 individuals sampled in Venezuela during the rainy and dry seasons, we isolated 18 bacterial isolates able to grow on feather meal agar, a medium selective of...
Avifauna associated to a peach field from Colonia Tovar: a comparative survey with a cloud forest from Pico Codazzi Natural Monument.– In order to know the bird community in a peach field, mist-nets samples of its avifauna were taken. Simultaneously, we mist-netted a nearby cloud forest to compare both avifauna and determine the plantation role in...
Avifauna associated to a ricefield from Guárico state, central savannas of Venezuela.- In order to know the birds associated to a ricefield, bird samples were made using a linear transects technique. Simultaneously, birds of a nearby deciduous forest also were studied in order to establish possible relationships between both environments and to kno...
Mist nets samples of avifauna were taken from a mossy understory at Henri Pittier National Park (Guacamaya Peak) in order to determine their community structure and the forest role in bird conservation as refuge for endemic, threatened and migratory birds, as well as for families and feeding guilds indicators of environmental quality. Richness resu...
In order to know the birds associated to an avocado plantation of Venezuela and the plantation value for conservation, mist-netting sessions of it avifauna were carried out. A total of 41 species were captured, showing the avocado a moderate richness, although an elevated number of captures (608) gave it a high diversity. Other birds observed (13)...
Preliminary data about altitudinal distribution of Stripe-throated Hermit Phaethornis striigularis in Venezuela place it between 0-1300 m. During field work in a cloud forest ecotone located in Pico Codazzi Natural Monument (Vargas state), at 2000 m altitude, an individual of this species was recorded twice. Also, we captured a Black-faced Grassqui...
Observations made in Altagracia vineyards (Altagracia and Bucarito farms), Lara State, determined that the Bare-eyed Pigeon Patagioenas corensis causes damage on grape clusters, since they eat an important amount of fruits (5–17, grapes/individual) during “ripening”. Some practices to keep pigeons away from vineyards, such as noises, repellents, sc...
Resumo: Deformidade do bico no sanhaço-da-amazônia Thraupis episcopus (Passeriformes: Thraupidae) na Venezuela. Observamos três indivíduos de T. episcopus com deformidades do bico em um comedouro em uma área residencial no norte da Venezuela. Um deles foi capturado, mostrando que tal deformidade somente afetou a ranfoteca, sem comprometer o esquele...
Algunos autores han encontrado que las plumas coloreadas por melanina son más resistentes a la degradación bacteriana que aquellas sin pigmentación. Sin embargo, existen tendencias que exponen lo contrario. Para comprobar el efecto de la melanina sobre el desarrollo de dos bacterias β-queratinolíticas, trozos de plumas estériles (n=12) del vuelo (2...
Se estudió la diversidad de bacterias (beta)-queratinolíticas de la Paraulata Ojo de Candil Turdus nudigenis y el efecto de las secreciones de su glándula uropigial sobre el desarrollo de las mismas. A este fin se colectaron plumas de 40 individuos capturados con redes de neblina, de las cuales se aislaron e identificaron, utilizando un medio selec...
In order to determine the bird community structure of a fruit monoculture (citrus) and it value to bird conservation, mist-net samples (1800 net-h) of citrus avifauna were obtained and compared in term of richness, abundance, species composition (rare, migratory, endemic, threatened, cinegetic and disturbed habitat birds), family and feeding guilds...
Con el fin de determinar la estructura de la comunidad de aves de un cultivo de durazno, se realizaron muestreos con redes de neblina (1800 h-redes) en un duraznero del norte de Venezuela y, tras compararlo con la muestra de aves de un bosque natural de la zona, se determinó su posible papel de conservación. Inesperadamente, la riqueza del durazner...
In order to determine the breeding and molt periods and their relationship (breeding-molt overlap) for some Venezuelan birds, annual samples from avifauna were taken with mist-nets in several natural and cultivated environments from northern Venezuela (1992–2005). General sample was composed by 7452 individuals of 185 species (182 residents, 2 migr...
Numerous discrepancies in plumage characteristics exist between those described by several authors and mist-netted Scallop-breasted Antpittas (Grallaricula loricata) from the cloud forest of Henri Pittier National Park, northern Venezuela. While reviewing several descriptions, I found a lack of important data about plumage such as the black streaks...
A fin de determinar la estructura de la comunidad de aves de un cultivo frutícola (banano) y su posible valor de conservación para la avifauna, se realizaron seis muestreos bimensuales con 16 redes de neblina (1800 h-redes) a lo largo de un año, en el sector Santa Cruz, municipio José Ángel Lamas, estado Aragua, norte de Venezuela. La muestra obten...
A fin de determinar la estructura de la comunidad de aves de un cultivo de aguacate y su posible valor de conservación para la avifauna al compararla con otras comunidades de ambientes naturales y cultivados de la región, se realizaron seis muestreos con 16 redes de neblina (1800 h-redes) a lo largo de un año, en el sector Palo Negro, Municipio Lib...
Con el objeto de determinar la estructura de la comunidad de aves del sotobosque de una plantación de naranjo y su importancia como hábitat para la conservación de las aves, se realizaron seis muestreos con 12 redes de neblina (1800 h-redes) en la Finca Paso Real, ubicada en Municipio Montalbán, Edo. Carabobo, Cordillera de la Costa, norte de Venez...
In order to determine the structure of an understory bird community from a cacao plantation and its importance as habitat for bird conservation, four sampling sessions with 12 mist-nets (600 h-nets) were carried out in a cacao farm, settled in a riparian forest at the outskirts of Henri Pittier National Park, Cumboto, Venezuela. The structure of th...
In order to determine temporal variations in the understory bird community of a tropical deciduous forest from Venezuela, were compared the results of a mist-net sample of avifauna carried out from May 2000 to April 2001 with those previously obtained between January 1992 to January 1993 in Henri Pittier National Park. Variations was measured in te...
Se estudió la composición de la comunidad de aves del sotobosque de un cultivo de cacao Theobroma cacao del norte de Venezuela (a 50 m.s.n.m), con el objeto de determinar su papel en la conservación de la avifauna de la región, tras compararlo con otros ambientes naturales previamente estudiados de la zona. Se realizaron muestreos mensuales de dos...
In order to improve the limited knowledge about the biology of the Scallop-breasted Antpitta (Grallaricula loricata), mist-net samples and observations were taken in a cloud forest of Henri Pittier National Park, northern Venezuela. These samples provided, for the first time, information about Scallop-breasted Antpitta songs, relative abundance, ec...
A fin de determinar la composición y variaciones temporales de las comunidades de aves del sotobosque de un bosque deciduo del Valle del Río Güey, vertiente sur del Parque Nacional Henri Pittier, Aragua, Venezuela se realizaron muestreos semanales con la ayuda de tres redes de neblina de 9m. de largo por 2.5m. de altura y 30mm. de ojo, las cuales,...
Un total de de 1.424 individuos de 143 especies pertenecientes a 16 familias fueron capturados durante los muestreos. De los cinco sotobosques estudiados, los más secos (BSD y BD) obtuvieron la mayor riqueza y abundancia relativa, así como una mayor diversidad en cuanto a gremios alimentarios, comparado con los sotobosques más húmedos (BSM, BN, BNS...
To determine the composition and variation of the understory bird community of a tropical deciduous forest (350 m a.s.l.) in Henri Pittier National Park, Venezuela, bird diversity and abundance were sampled each month using mist nets from October 1994 to September 1995. A total of 306 birds were captured, involving 59
species (57 resident, 2 migrat...
In order to compare the composition and structure of two understory bird communities and their possible relationships, mist-net samples of avifauna were taken weekly in two forest types: a deciduous forest and a gallery forest, during 11 months in north-central Venezuela. Both samples were somewhat similar (Sorensen Index = 54), showing a high mont...
This study reports on the composition of the understory bird community of a tropical deciduous forest in northern Venezuela. We sampled birds monthly with mist nets, over a 12-month period within an area of approximately 1 ha. Nets were operated from early morning to late afternoon. A total of 450 birds were captured, involving 72 species from 16 f...
Las dos muestras de aves obtenidas durante los muestreos realizados en la selva decidua y de galería del Valle del Río Guey, Vertiente Sur del Parque Nacional Henri Pittier, entre enero de 1992 y enero de 1993, arrojaron similar número de especies, pero de composición diferente. La muestra, en general, está compuesta por 20 familias, de las cuales,...
