Management and Conservation of the Habitats Used by Migratory

Tabiloet al.:Shorebirds at Coquimbo,Chile

Management and conservationof the habitats used by migratory shorebirdsat Coquimbo, Chile

E. Tabilo, R. Jorge,R. Riquelme,A. Mondaca, ½. Labra, J. Campusano,M. Tabilo, M. Varela, A. Tapia & M. Sallaberry

Tabilo,E., Jorge, R., Riquelme,R., Mondaca,A., Labra,C., Campusano,J., Tabilo, M., Varela,M., Tapia, A. & Sallaberry,M. 1996. Managementand conservationof the habitatsused by migratory shorebirdsat Coquimbo,Chile. InternationalWader Studies 8: 79-84. Migratoryshorebirds in Chile are concentratedmainly in Patagonia,Chiloe Island and someareas in the northernpart of the country.One of theseareas is the Coquimbocoastline, with 350km of coastand 80 km of beachesand lagoonsthat annuallyreceive hundreds of Nearcticand austral shorebirds.These habitats are under constantpressure owing to human activity. The characteristicsof the annuallife cycleof migratorybirds make them very vulnerableto habitat deterioration.In order to designconservation strategies, it is very important to know areasof concentrationand to understandannual rhythms of abundanceas well as the environmental problemsassociated with the habitatsthat the birdsoccupy. This study describes the habitats used by migratoryshorebirds in Coquimbo,population fluctuations and sourcesof environmental impact.The information obtained by CoquimboRECAP (the Chilean Shorebird Network) is being usedto designstrategies for the managementand conservationof thesebirds and theirhabitats in the area of Coquimbo,Chile.

En Chile losChorlos y Playerosmigratorios se concentran mayoritariamente en la Pantagonia,Isla de Chileoy algunospuntos del Norte del pals. Unosde estossitios es el litoral de Coquimbocon unos350 km de costay 80 km de playasy lagunasque reciben anuaimente a cientosde ChorIos nearticosy australes.Estos ambientes estan siendo sometidos a unapermanente presion ambiental por actividadeshumanas. Las caracteristicas del ciclode vida anualde un ave migratorialas hace muy vulnerableal deterioroambiental. Conocer las areas de concentraci6n,ritmos de abundancia anualy losproblemas abientales asociados al lugarson claves en la horade disefiarestrategias de conservaci6n.Este trabajo describe los ambientes usados por ChorIosy Playerosmigratori0s en Coquimbo,vluctuaciones poblacionales y las fuentes de impactoambiental. La informacion obtenidapor RECAPCoquimbo se esta usando para disefiaruna estrategiade conservaciony manejode estasaves y susambientes en Coquimbo,Chile.

Au Chili, lesoiseaux de rivage migrateursse concentrentessentiellement en Patagonie,aux iles Chilo•et dans certaines r•gions du nord du pays, notamment la r•gion de Coquimbo. Acet endroit,la cStes'•tire sur 350 kin, dont 80 de plageset de lagunes,et renoirtousles ans des centainesd'oiseaux de rivage n•arctickues etaustrals. Les activit•s anthropiques exercent des pressionsconstantes sur ces r•gions. A causedes caract•ristiques propres i• leur cycleannuel de vie, lesoiseaux de rivagesont particuli•rement sensibles i• la d•t•riorationdes habitats. Afin de pouvoir•laborer des strategies de conservation,il faut connattreles secteursde concentrationdes oiseauxet lesrythmes armuels d'abondance, ainsi que lesprobl•mes environnementaux associ•s aux habitatsde predilectiondes oiseaux. La pr•sente•tude d•rit leshabitats qu'utilisent les oiseauxde rivagedans la r•gion de Coquimbo,les fluctuations d•mographiques et lessources potentiellesd'impact sur l'environnement. Les r•sultats de l'•tude r•alis,•edans le cadredu RECAPpour la r•gionde Coquimboservent i• •laborerdes strategies de gestionet de conservation de cesoiseaux et de leurshabitats dans la r•gionde Coquimboau Chili. E. Tabilo,Corporacidn Nacional Forestal, IV Region- Chile. R. Jorge& R. Riquelme,Depto. Biologia Marina, Univ. Catdlica del Norte, Coquimbo. A. Mondaca,C. Labra,J. Campusano,M. Tabilo,M. Varela& A. Tapia,Depto. Biologia, Univ. de La Serena, La Serena,Chile. M. Sallaberry,Depto. Ciencias Ecologicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Introduction Tabilo 1987; Tabilo & Noton 1987, 1989; Tabilo et al. 1987;Morrison & Myers 1989;Morrison & Ross 1989;Sallaberry & Tabilo1990; M. Sallaberry& J. Many authorshave described sites of large Abarca,pers. commun.). These sites are located on concentrationsof long-distancemigratory Tierradel Fuego,Chiloe Island and thecoastlines of shorebirdsin Chile (Myerset al. 1984,1985,1990; International Wader Studies 8:79-84

Concepci6n,Valparaiso, Coquimbo, Mejillones and conservationstrategies, management and Arica. 'sustainable use of the coastline. With this information,it will be possibleto visualizethe The specialcharacteristics of the biologicalcycles generalsituation and prioritize conservation of thesespecies make them very sensitiveto activities (what to do and where to do it) in the environmentaldisturbance (Myers et al. 1987), wetlands. because these birds use environments desired for human development,recreation, agricultural needs The purposeof this paper is to describethe aquatic and industry(Smit, Lambeck & Wolff 1987). These environmentof the Coquimbocoastline, the species kinds of disturbancesproduce accumulative effects of shorebirds that use the wetlands and the on the wetlands (Harris 1988;Risser 1988; Weller environmentalimpact variablesassociated with 1988),which are evidentin structuralchanges in the eachsite. We alsopropose mechanisms for bird communityand in biodiversity(Hutto 1989), conservationand managementof thesehabitats. with displacementof specieswith highly specializedhabitat requirements,such as migratory shorebirds,by generalistspecies (Myers et al. 1987). Methodology This deteriorationof the environmentwill produce lossand fragmentationand a decreasein the Monthly countsof aquaticbirds were carriedout biodiversityof the aquaticecosystem. from March 1990through April 1991between CoquimboBay to the north and the southerntip of PlayaChanga to the south(Figure 1), accordingto Shorebirdsin Chile experienceserious deterioration standardizedcounting methods (Tabilo 1987). In of their habitats,due especiallyto the pollutionof the coastline. Bore, Pizarro & Cabrera (1986) this study,we put specialemphasis on the comparativerichness, abundance and diversity suggestedthat in Chile the contaminationof the (Hair 1987)of Charadriidae and Scolopacidae.The coastlineis very high but localized. Great amounts of human and industrial residues are released into coastlinewas inspectedfor 71 different sourcesof environmentalimpact (Smit,Lambeck & Wolff the oceanwithout any treatment. In the .northern 1987;Boj6rquez & Ortega 1989)at eachwetland site. part of Chile, there is a largeamount of contaminationby the miningcompanies. In the centralpart, the contaminationis due to the big For analysisof the data, we comparedonly the cities,in the southernpart, mainly chemicalsor percentagesof the 71 environmentalimpact productsof the forestrycompanies, and in the variablesthat applied at eachwetland site. From extremesouth, petroleum companies. this information, we assessed the conservation statusof migratoryshorebirds, and we proposed managementactivities for eachwetland sitealong The Coquimbocoastline, approximately 350 km the coastof Coquimbo,Chile. For the bird list, we long, is an importantarea, both nationallyand usedthe field guide Gu•ade Campo de las Aves de internationally,for SanderlingsCalidris alba and Chile(Araya & Millie 1988),and for the wetland WhimbrelsNumenius phaeopus (Myers et al. 1984, classification,we followed Ramsar (1990) criteria. 1985, 1990; Tabilo 1987; Morrison & Ross 1989). Unfortunately,these wetlands receive industrial, domesticand petroleumcontamination. The Study site acceleratedurbanization of the coastlineowing to increasedtourism is alsoa problem. Coastal The Coquimbocoastline (29-32øS, 71-72øW) is highwaysand touristcomplexes have been built characterizedby extensivebeaches, cliffs, right on the beach. In 1987,Tabilo & Noton peninsulasand estuaries(Figure 1). With regardto publisheda Managementfield guide, which contained climate,it is a transitionalzone under strong the scientificbases that supportthe conservationof influences, both from the desert to the north and thesehabitats. They proposeda seriesof from mediterranean habitats to the south, that affect managementactivities, among them that the the physiognomyof the landscape.Interannual Coquimbocoastline be includedin the Western climatic variations are marked. There is a HemisphereShorebird Reserve Network as a predominanceof xerophyticvegetation, which Regionalreserve for migratoryshorebirds. classifiesthe region as arid mediterranean,in which the arid aspectis lesspronounced than in Attempts to arouseinterest in protectingthese equivalentlatitudes elsewhere, owing to the environmentshave been relatively successful. The existenceof the cold Humboldt Current (Di Castri & existenceof abundantand solidbiological Hajek 1976). informationabout thesehabitats and the migratory shorebirdsthat usethem is the key to securing supportfor our efforts. Permanentand updated information,including wetland inventories, shorebirdcounts and knowledgeof habitat deterioration,is neededin order to propose

80 Tabilo ef al.: Shorebirdsat Coquimbo,Chile

• SERENA

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Fisure1. CoquimboBay in Chileshowing the south (sur), central (centro) and north (norte) sections (sector) described in this study.

Results and discussion vehiclesand dogs,and many of their nestsare destroyed.

Bird biology The Banded Plover Charadrius collaris is considered Of the birdscounted, the resident plovers showed a residentspecies. Hayman, Marchant & Prater higherrelative abundance. The SouthernLapwing (1986)described the statusof this plover asunclear. Vanellus chilensis was observed at all wetland sites However, it was common to observe small flocks alongthe Coquimbocoastline. It is a common throughoutthe year alongthe Coquimbocoastline, speciesnear humid sites throughout the country wherethe speciesis evenknown to nest(R. Jorge& (Araya& Millie 1988).Owing to its flexibilityin use A. Mondaca,unpubl. data). of habitats and its abundance, we considered this speciesto haveno conservationproblems in the All the australmigrants occurred in smallgroups area. betweenMarch and Septembereach year, and they were distributedthroughout all the aquatic The SnowyPlover Charadrius alexandrinus was environmentsalong the coastline. relativelycommon and usedthe sandybeaches as nestingand feedingsites. Lagoons were used as Nearcticmigratory shorebirds, such as the Black- roostingsites. Nevertheless, we speculatethat this belliedPlover Pluvialis squatarola, occurred in small specieswill presentconservation problems in the numbersduring the summermonths at the wetland future(R. Jorge, pers. commun.), because of thefact sitesnear Tongoy. The SemipalmatedPlover thatit is veryspecialized in itshabitat and highly Charadriussemipalmatus occurred in smallflocks sensitive to environmental disturbance. This almostexclusively at lagoonsto the southof specieshas modified its distributionpatterns in the CoquimboBay. area as a result of the ongoingloss of nestingsites. As an example,in CoquimboBay, with its 18km of sandybeaches, this plover is concentratedalong the Yellowlegs(Tringa spp.) were commonly observed last6 km of beachat the northernpart of the bay. in smallgroups in the lagoonsand bays of Thebirds are continuously disturbed by people, Coquimhoand Tongoy. The Ruddy Turnstone

81 International Wader Studies 8:79-84

Arenariainterpres seemed to moveabout a greatdeal locallyup and down the coast,and it is within the area,and it was normallypresent in all increasinglydifficult for them to find sitesin coastalhabitats of the Coquimbocoastline, goodcondition for feeding,roosting and nesting occasionallyin largenumbers. requirements.

The CommonSnipe Gallinago gallinago used only Wetlands those wetland sites that included abundant vegetation.This specieshas almost completely Thebays of Coquimboand Tongoypresent the disappearedfrom the lagoonsnear Coquimbo Bay, greatestvariety of different aquaticmicro- becausethese sites have beenseverely affected by environmentslocally. This could be the reasonwhy coastal urbanization. Tongoy(Table 2) showedthe greatestbird diversity aswell asa relativelylow environmentalimpact index(58%). Thissituation will changegreatly in Sanderlingsand Whimbrelsare the mostcommon the futurewith increasingcoastal urbanization for and abundantshorebirds of the Coquimbo tourism. Currently,the major environmental coastline.Tabilo (1987)pointed out that Sanderlings impactsare seenduring the summerand are are especiallyabundant in CoquimboBay, and the associatedwith an excessof peopleand vehicleson sameis true for Whimbrelsin TongoyBay. In spite the beachand nearthe lagoons.Tourism is a of this, Sanderlingshave showna continued fundamentalpart of the region'seconomy, and decreasein abundancein CoquimboBay during the improvedurban infrastructureis neededin these last five years. We suspectthat this is due to the areasto take advantageof their economicpotential. declineof the environmentalquality of the bay. CoquimboBay presented the greatestspecies Anothergroup of shorebirdsoccurred in the area richnessand highestabundance of shorebirdsin the irregularly and in low numbers(see Table 1; where area,but it had an alarming92% environmental abundance= 1). We believe that theseshorebirds impactindex. This was to be expected,as both the stoppedin the area to restfor a few weekswhile Port of Coquimboand the city of La Serenaare they accumulatedreserves to continuetheir locatedon thebay. This urbancentre includes a migration. They usedthe beachesand lagoonsof humanpopulation of nearly400,000 and almostall the regionsporadically, coinciding with their of the industryof the IV Region. Tourismis alsoa migratorypatterns. Other species,such as Red very importantactivity in the areaand hasled to Knot Calidris canutus and Hudsonian Godwit Limosa the constructionof coastalhighways and haemastica,were seenonly occasionally,and we condominiums. As a result of these activities, suspectthat thosesightings were of birdsthat had wetlandshave been destroyed, drained, fragmented strayedoff their usual routes. and contaminated. Our data indicate that, in the southernpart of the bay, specialistbird speciesare Fromthe aboveresults, we concludethe following: being replacedby more generalistspecies.

(1) The regularvisits of small flocksof australand Owing to factorsbeyond our control,it proved borealmigratory shorebirds in this areacould impossibleto realizecounts in GuanaquerosBay, be explainedby the needof thesebirds for and thus informationfor this area is lacking. It high-qualityand safeoverwintering sites. showedan environmentalimpact index of only 54% Destruction and loss of their traditional in the summermonths, mostly because of the environmentscould cause an ongoingdecline in constructionof buildingsat the edgeof the beach. the numbersof thosebirds that stopoff at these siteseach year. With regardsto lagoons,the mouth of the Limari River showedthe highestspecies diversity of (2) Some occasional visits could be of birds that use shorebirdsas well as the greatestnumber of the Pacificcorridor by mistake. Theycould also differentaquatic microhabitats. It is an environ- be due to birdsthat normallyuse this corridor mentthat is relativelylittle altered. The northern but do not overwinterat Coquimbo.These edgeof the river-mouthborders Fray Jorge National birds are observedas they usethe sitefor short Park,and it thusis constantlywatched by park stopsto refuelbefore continuing their personnel.The greatestbird abundancewas migrations. observed at Conchali Stream, the area that also presentedthe highestenvironmental impact index (3) We suspectthat abundantspecies such as becauseof a nearbyhighway and summercamping. Sanderlingwill have seriousconservation The rest of the coastalenvironments (Cebada and problemsin the near future owing to the current Quilimari) showedlow bird abundance,probably rate of deteriorationof the aquaticecosystems. becausethese areas are poor in alternativeaquatic For example,the SnowyPlover is facedwith microhabitats. On the other hand, this series of nestingdifficulties, and Sanderlingsshow a smallcoastal lagoons may becomeimportant if we populationdecrease. Resident shorebirds move analysethem on a regionalscale.

82 Tabiloet af.:Shorebirds at Coquimbo,

Table 1. Wader specie•in Coquimbocoastline, IV Re•ion of Chile.

Type of Relative Species Status migrants Season Occurrence abundance

Faro. Charadrlidae Vanellus chilensis R R 2 Pluvialissquatarola M B S R 1 Charadriussemipalmatus M B S R C. alexandrinus R R 3 C.falkla ndicus M A W R C. collaris R R C. modestus M A W R

Fam. Scolopacldae Tringa,tlavipes M B S R 1 T. melanoleuca M B S R 1 Catoptrophorussemipalmatus M B S I Numeniusphaeopus M B S R 3 Limosa haemastica M B S I Arenariainterpres M B S R 2 Calidris canutus M B S I C. bairdii M B S I C. alba M B S R 3 C. melanotos M B S 0 C. pusilia M B S I C. fuscicollis M B S I Gallinagogallinago R R 2

5tatus:R: resident;M: migratory.Type ofraigrant$: B: boreal; A: austral. Season:S: summer; W: winter. Occurrence:R: regular;I: irregular; O: occasional.Relative abundance:. 1: scarce; 2: regular;3: abundant.

Table 2. Comparisonof differentvariables among beaches and lagoonsof the Coquimbocoastline: different microhabitats(Ramsat 1990), number and abundanceof shorebirds,Shannon-Weaver index of diversity(H) and percentageof the environmentalimpact variables of relevanceat eachsite.

No. of wader Environmental Habitat Microhabitat spp. Abundance H impactindex (%)

Bays Coquimbo 6 21 18.052 2.2 92 Guanaqueros 4 54 Tongoy 6 18 9.630 2.6 58

La$oons Limari 7 11 1.478 2.5 34 Cebada 3 12 0.289 1.8 38 Conchall 4 15 2.070 2.0 41 Qu'flimari 4 11 0.739 2.0 37

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