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Birding Guatemala’s Important Bird Areas

Knut Eisermann

III International Bird Watching Encounter in Guatemala, 18-25 February 2007, Santa Cruz Verapaz

Diversity of ecosystems

Protecting habitat, but where first?

IBA - Important Bird Areas

IBA - Important Bird Areas

Globally Threatened species

Criteria

e.g. Yellow-headed Parrot Amazona oratrix

Red ListIUCN

9 threatened spp.

IBA - Important Bird Areas

Range-restricted species

e.g. Horned Guan Oreophasis derbianus

26 end. species

2 end. species

Criteria

IBA - Important Bird Areas

Biome-restricted species

Criteria

Rufous-naped Wren

Ocellated Turkey Hooded Grosbeak

White-eared Hummingbird

28 spp.

51 spp.

14 spp.

Golden-browed Warbler Basileuterus belli

Biome-restricted species

Brown-backed Solitaire Myadestes occidentalis

Biome-restricted species

IBA - Important Bird Areas

Significant congregations

Great Egret Ardea alba

Lesser NighthawkChordeiles acutipennis

Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Criteria

Keel-billed Toucan Ramphastos sulfuratus

Secondary effects

Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens

Secondary effects

Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus

Secondary effects

Secondary effects

Eumeces sumichrasti

Secondary effects

Human population in IBAs

Human population in IBAs

Human population in IBAs

Human population in IBAs

Alternative income from birding

PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program

Conservation Biology

PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program

Conservation Biology

Selected birding sitesTikal

•Access: Santa Elena airport, paved road

•Comfortable lodging

•Local birding guides

•Network of trails

•>400 species recorded

Orange-breasted Falcon

IBA Maya-Lacandón

Tikal Christmas Bird Count

Selected birding sites

Thorn shrub in the Motagua Valley

Private Reserves Niño Dormido and Cerro de Jesús

Selected birding sites

•Access: paved road

•Small areas managed by municipalities

Specialized bird species:

•Russet-crowned Motmot

•White-lored Gnatcatcher

IBA Sierra de las Minas–Motagua

Los Tarrales Reserve

Selected birding sites

•Access via paved road between Lake Atitlán and Patulul

•Comfortable lodging

•Trained local staff

•Local birding guide

•Trails at 700-1600 m (2300-5250 ft)

•280 species recorded

•19 endemics

Rufous Sabrewing

IBA Atitlán

Photo © Claudia Avendaño

Corazón del Bosque, Novillero

Selected birding sites

•Community tourism program

•Pine-oak woodland >2000 m (6600 ft)

•Access via Panamerican highway

•Simple lodging

•Trained local staff

•Highland endemics

Pink-headed Warbler

IBA Atitlán

Molino Helvetia Reserve

Selected birding sites

•Pine-oak woodland >2200 m (7220 ft)

•Access via Panamerican highway

•Comfortable lodging for small groups

•Trained local staff

•Highland endemics

Greater Pewee

IBA Atitlán

Finca Patrocinio

Selected birding sites

•Access via paved and dirt road from Retalhuleu

•Comfortable lodging for small groups

•Trained local staff

•Trails at 750-850 m

(2460-2800 ft)

•Observation tower

Roadside Hawk

IBA Volcán Santiaguito

Monterrico

Selected birding sites

•Mangrove, reed swamps, and dry forest

•Access via paved road

•Hotels

•Local guides

•Large waterbird congregations

Great Egret and American White Pelican

Woodstork, Great and Snowy Egret Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

IBA Monterrico–Río La Paz

Blue-and-White Mockingbird

Chelemhá Cloud Forest Reserve

Selected birding sites

•Access via dirt road

•Comfortable lodging

•Trails at 2000-2500 m

(6560-8200 ft)

•18 endemics

Blue-throated MotmotBushy-crested Jay

IBA Yalijux

Common Bush-Tanager

Sierra Sacranix

Selected birding sites

•Access via dirt road

•Trails at 1500-500 m

•320 species recorded

•12 endemics

•Monitoring site of the PROEAVL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program

IBA Sacranix

Jaguar footprint

Rocjá Pomtilá

Selected birding sites

•Access via dirt road

•323 species recorded

•Monitoring site of the PROEAVL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Program

Ivory-billed Woodcreeper

Streak-headed Woodcreeper

IBA Lachuá–Ik’bolay

Thank youfor the invitation:

Mesa Nacional de Aviturismo

INGUAT

for making the IBA program possible by providing research resources:

for special support during IBA workshops in Guatemala:

Thank you to all authors for publishing ornithological data, and to all participants of IBA workshops.

36 chapters

52 authors of 9 countries

Bird chapter with:

Updated distributional information

Evaluation of vulnerability of all species using IUCN criteria on a national level

Bibliography with >1200 references

List of 92 museums of 24 countries with Guatemalan bird specimens

The first synthesis on several taxa in Guatemala since the Biologia Centrali-Americana (1881-1915)

Comprehensive update on the status of 725 species reliably recorded in Guatemala, including:

A complete species checklist in grid format.

Distribution, habitat and status for every species.

Updated distribution maps.

Species accounts:

•Regional endemics and threatened species.

•Species with new distributional information.

•Erroneously reported species.

•Introduced species and species to watch for.

Text throughout in Spanish and English.

By the publisher of the Handbook of the Birds of the World

Information onlineBirding Guatemalawww.cayaya-birding.com

Ornithological Society of Guatemalawww.avesdeguatemala.org

PROEVAL RAXMU Bird Monitoring Programwww.biomonitoreo.org/monitoreo/

Chelemhá Cloud Forest Reservewww.chelemha.org

Los Tarrales Reservewww.tarrales.com

Finca Patrociniowww.cayaya-birding.com/patrocionio.htm

Corazón del Bosque, Novillerowww.corazondelbosque.com

Molino Helvetia Reservewww.molinohelvetia.com

Some of the photos were taken having the bird in hand, during scientific, licenced bird studies.

All images © 1997-2007 Knut Eisermann, if not otherwise indicated. All rights reserved. No form of manipulation or alteration, including copying or saving of digital images is authorized unless accompanied by a written permission issued by Knut Eisermann.

Authorization is limited to the exclusive use of this document in the proceedings of theIII International Bird Watching Encounter in Guatemala, 18-25 February 2007, Santa Cruz Verapaz.

Knut EISERMANN, CAYAYA BIRDING,Mailing address: P.O.Box 98 Periférico, Guatemala City, Guatemala.

E-mail: knut.eisermann@cayaya-birding.comWeb Site: www.cayaya-birding.com