Results of the

6th Annual (2008) Bird-A-Thon

El Salvador

Over two days 25 and 26 October, 2008, seven teams of birdwatchers (including 20 participants) spread out across the country of El Salvador to record as many species of birds as possible. The days were perfect for observation with clear skies and no rain. The combination of good observer coverage and pleasant weather allowed the teams to tally exactly 300 species! This is a new high total for the bird-a-thon count.

For the last 5 years, the bird-a-thon has been the most important fundraising event supporting the permanent bird-monitoring project within the Science Department at SalvaNATURA. The funds from this event are used to support the biologists who operate 5 stations located within 3 national parks in western El Salvador. Each station is visited once per month throughout the year. The bird monitoring project relies almost entirely on donations made during the bird-a-thon, which help to cover costs related to purchase of nets and bands, gas costs, and a small salary for the coordinators of the stations.

NOTEWORTHY OBSERVATIONS

Each team contributed unique species to reach the record total of 300 species. The teams recorded 19 species not reported on previous bird-a-thon counts. These new bird-a-thon records include: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (American White Pelican), Chondrohierax uncinatus (Hook-billed Kite), Accipiter striatus chionogaster (White-breasted Hawk), Columbina minuta (Plain-breasted Ground-Dove), Sternulla antillarum (Least Tern), Coccyzus americanus (Yellow-billed Cuckoo), Coccyzus minor (Mangrove Cuckoo), Chordeiles minor (Common Nighthawk), Cypseloiodes niger (Black Swift), Panyptila cayennensis (Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift), Megaceryle torquata (Ringed Kingfisher), Chloroceryle aenea (American Pygmy Kingfisher), Pachyramphus major (Gray-collared Becard), Sphyrapicus varius (Yellow-breasted Sapsucker), Salpinctes obsoletus (Rock Wren), Hylocichla mustelina (Wood Thrush), Parula Americana (Northern Parula), Cochlearius cochlearius (Boat-billed Heron) and Vireolanius pulchellus (Green Shrike-Vireo).

Charadrius alexandrinus, Barra de Santiago. Photo by Roselvy Juárez.

The second highest recorded total for a team was 165, of which 18 species were not reported by other teams. The members of this team were Ricardo Ibarra, Karla Lara and Geovanni García. They were also supported by local NGO’s in the places they visited. Their eastern route covered La Joya, La Laguna de Alegría, and the protected area of Nancuchiname. Later, they went by boat from Puerto Parada covering the surrounding mangroves, Bird Island, and San Juan Point (all of the sites within the Bahía de Jiquilisco) and finally to La Laguna de Olomega. They photographed Coccyzus americanus (Yellow-billed Cuckoo) and Coccyzus minor (Mangrove Cuckoo), and documented species rarely seen in the country like Vermivora chrysoptera (Golden-winged Warbler) and Numenius americanus (Long-billed Curlew). Of the aquatic species observed: Dendrocygna autumnalis (Black-bellied Whistling-Duck), Dendrocygna bicolor (Fulvous Whistling-Duck) and Jacana spinosa (Northern Jacana). All good finds.

The team of Néstor Herrera and Luis Pineda observed 130 especies, of which 18 were not seen by other teams. They visited Montecristo Nacional Park, San Diego- La Barra and La Laguna de Metapán. They had several very good records: Dendroica chrysoparia (Golden-cheeked Warbler), Accipiter striatus chionogaster (White-breasted Hawk), Chordeiles minor (Common Nighthawk), Cypseloides niger (Black Swift), Pachyramphus major (Gray-collared Becard), y Piranga olivacea (Scarlet Tanager).

Another team of 3 (Jesse Fagan, Lety Andino and Guillermo Funes) registered 114 species. This group made observations principally in Walter Deininger Protected Area, San Salvador and Cerro Verde National Park. Their observations included 9 species not observed by other teams, of those the most interesting included: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (American White Pelican), Buteo jamaicensis (Red-tailed Hawk), Lampornis viridipallens (Green-throated Mountain-Gem), Camptostoma imberbe (Northern Beardless Tyrannulet) and Piranga leucoptera (White-winged Tanager).

Alvaro Moisés, José Roberto Santamaría and Enrique Choussy recorded 91 species visiting the northwest corner of the country: Bosque El Manzano, El Pital, Miramundo, Embalse del Cerrón Grande and San Salvador. They recorded 20 species not seen by other teams: Sporophila minuta (Ruddy-breasted Seedeater), Colaptes auratus (Northern Flicker), Geococcyx velox (Lesser Roadrunner), Vireo philadelphicus (Philadelphia Vireo), among others.

Vicky Galán, Iván Rivas and Ricardo Velásquez visited a shade-grown coffee finca near Izalco and also made observations within the lava flows below the volcano of the same name. They recorded a total of 58 species and some of their more interesting observations included: Salpinctes obsoletus (Rock Wren), Crypturellus cinnamomeus (Thicket Tinamou), Dactylortyx thoracicus (Singing Quail), Oporornis Philadelphia (Mourning Warbler), among others. The team of Iselda Vega and Lya Samayoa was the only team to observe Chlorostilbon canivetii (Canivet’s Emerald).

PLEASE SEND IN YOUR DONATION!

If you haven’t already sent in your donation, please do it as soon as possible. You can visit our blogsite: http://birdathones.blogspot.com/ and follow the directions on how to make a donation. You can also visit the offices of SalvaNATURA: 33 Ave. Sur, No. 640, Colonia Flor Blanca, San Salvador. We urgently need your support to continue the bird monitoring program. Your donation is very important. For donations of $50 or more you will receive a beautiful 2009 calendar of birds of El Salvador and for donations of $100 or more you will receive a t-shirt with “Golden-cheeked Warbler” Dendroica chrysoparia, this year’s official bird-a-thon symbol of conservation.

Jesse Fagan                                                 Lety Andino

Coordinador                                                Coordinadora

Maratón de Aves 2008                              Proyecto Monitoreo Permanente de Aves

Oliver Komar

Director Programa de Ciencias

SalvaNATURA