Volunteer opportunities at SalvaNATURA
(BirdLife in El Salvador)

For 18 years, SalvaNATURA has been a leading non-profit environmental organization in El Salvador, Central America, managing the country’s largest national parks and facilitating research and environmental education for more than 500 species of birds. In 2002, the organization joined the BirdLife network, becoming National Audubon’s sister organization in El Salvador. In 2007, 21 Important Bird Areas were identified in El Salvador, and these are homes to nearly 200 species of migratory birds during the autumn, winter, and early spring. Threatened and near-threatened species, such as Golden-cheeked Warblers and Golden-winged Warblers, winter in El Salvador. Others, such as Highland Guan and Great Curassow, are resident in the country’s tropical forests.

SalvaNATURA’s technical staff, 45 professionals and biologists dedicated to the conservation of birds and their habitats, need support from partners like the National Audubon Society and its members. Participation of volunteers can provide valuable contributions to the sustainability for SalvaNATURA’s ambitious bird conservation programs in Central America.

Northern Central America is the heart of the Mesoamerican Biodiversity Hotspot, where more than 1000 bird species live, and where some of the highest densities of migratory passerines winter. Large numbers of North American waterbirds and shorebirds migrate to Central America, and the region functions as the key corridor for the migration of birds between North and South America.

SalvaNATURA’s new IBA conservation program includes logistical support for international volunteers. SalvaNATURA staff will coordinate with volunteers to find opportunities to maximize the conservation benefits that can be made by visiting Central America, that can equally provide rewarding experiences for the volunteers. Below a variety of opportunities are described briefly, including:

1. El Salvador Bird-a-thon

2. IBA and KBA assessments and inventories

3. Bird-banding

4. Shorebird counting and beach cleanups

5. Golden-cheeked Warbler and mixed species feeding flocks in Central American pine-oak forests

6. Other opportunities for persons with special expertise

1. El Salvador Bird-a-thon

Our October bird-a-thon weekend (see http://birdathones.blogspot.com) is a group effort to observe all of El Salvador’s bird species, in order to raise awareness about the country’s rich birdlife and also to raise funds for our bird monitoring and bird conservation programs. There are two principal ways to contribute to this project:

1. Visit El Salvador in October, for 3 to 8 days, and participate in one of the bird-a-thon teams as a birder. Each volunteer is encouraged to raise or contribute at least $500 to the fundraising effort. A week-long birding tour is available to introduce you to several of El Salvador’s IBAs and best birding spots.

2. Support the bird-a-thon from afar. Coor­dinate fundraising efforts for the bird-a-thon within your chapter, state or circle of contacts (we can provide fundraising materials). You may also carry out your own bird-a-thon at the site of your choice, to raise funds for the campaign.

2. IBA and KBA assessments and inventories

El Salvador has 21 IBAs, which are both important bird areas and important biodiversity areas. We are also developing a training center for local conservation groups working at more than 75 IBAs in neighboring Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Local groups and SalvaNATURA are interested in completing baseline assessments at all of these IBAs, and could use help from our supporting partners and volunteers.

We are seeking volunteers to contribute to the IBA and KBA assessments and inventories. The volunteers are also expected to contribute funds to our annual IBA program budget. These contributions help the program to be sustainable, and pay for both the training of local conservation groups as well as the facilitation of the volunteer visits. We need to raise $200,000 annually for the national IBA program, and expect volunteers to contribute at least $500 per visit.

 

 

 

3. Bird-banding

SalvaNATURA operates an award-winning permanent bird monitoring program, that involves several bird banding stations located in three national parks, all IBAs. The stations are operated for several days each month throughout the year. Bird-banding teams visit at least one station every week of the year. Habitats monitored include cloud forest, pine-oak forest, dry forest, and shaded coffee plantations. The forest habitats are home to spectacular birds, such as the Resplendent Quetzal, Blue-throated Motmot, Golden-cheeked and Golden-browed Warblers, Blue Bunting, and Blue Seedeater. The coffee plantation also has spectacular birds, such as the Rufous Sabrewing and Bar-winged Oriole. Volunteer participation helps finance this long-term data collection effort, which currently costs over $50,000 per year. Contributions are requested to exceed $75/day per person, and go directly to the bird monitoring program.

 

4. Shorebird counting and beach cleanups at a priority IBA.

With financial support from National Audubon, SalvaNATURA works with local conservation groups to improve shorebird habitat at El Salvador’s largest IBA, the Jaltepeque-Jiquilisco estuaries. This is the prime shorebird area in El Salvador, with regionally-important breeding colonies or populations of American Oystercatcher, Wilson’s Plover, Least Tern, and Black Skimmer. Thousands of herons and shorebirds (Whimbrels, Willets, etc.) spend their winters in this area. Travel through the estuaries, and their extensive mangrove forests, is by boat. Unlike mangroves in Florida, El Salvador’s mangrove trees reach heights of 100 feet. Volunteers can help out with beach cleanups and shorebird counts.

 

5. Golden-cheeked Warbler and mixed species feeding flocks in Central American pine-oak forests

During the winter of 2008-9, six teams of biologists will spread out across Central America from Nicaragua to Chiapas, to document the winter ecology of Golden-cheeked Warblers in fixed species foraging flocks of birds. The study areas are in pine-oak forests, reminiscent of the montane forests of southeastern Arizona, but with the addition of Central American bird species, like the Bushy-crested Jay and Amethyst-throated Mountain-gem, and with a mix of migratory species from western and eastern North America. Volunteer observers are needed to help the biologists count and identify the birds in each flock.