Red de Rapaces Neotropicales (RRN)

N EOTROPICAL RAPTOR NETWORK (NRN)

Newsletter #6 December 2008

IN THIS ISSUE: , Nature and Culture in National Day of the 1 Ecuador By Patricio Meza Saltos, Asociación Cultura & Tierra (ACT), Proyecto Condor in Ecuador Kuntur- SIMBIOE / The Peregrine Fund, [email protected] 1 III Neotropical Rap- En Ecuador, step by step. tor Conference The majestic Andean Condor Orange-breasted Fal- 2 (Vultur gryphus) is found through- con. out the Andes Mountain Range. Raptor Survey. 4 To many it represents identity, Brazil freedom and strength, and it was once considered to be an inter- Harpy Eagle in 8 mediary spirit between the sun Darien, Panama and the earth. In 1991, July 7th Environmental Edu- 9 was declared the official National cation. Panama Day of the Andean Condor in Ecuador. On this day, The Ecua- Upcoming Conferences 12 dorian Ornithological Corpora- tion (CECIA) hosted a variety of activities related to condor con- New Books and 12 servation. Perhaps the most im- Theses Culture. Monument of a condor hunting a calf on display in portant activity was the first a city park in Ángel, Ecuador “Census Walk”, where partici- Later, in 1999, Yánez & In 2002, Yánez & Cevallos pants counted condors at 40 dif- Yánez identified two nests, began an Andean Condor ferent sites along the mountain six roosting sites, and some Conservation Project, whose range. This effort provided a pro- preferred feeding areas of main goal was to determine visional estimate of 42 condors in the Andean Condor in the the actual number of wild the country. The same organiza- Ecological Reserves of condors in the country. The tion conducted another census in Cayambe-Coca and Cota- results were alarming – only 1996, and estimated the condor cachi-Cayapas, in the north- 70 individuals were docu- population to be at about ern part of the country. mented. Lack of food, hun- 100 individuals in the wild. (Continued on page 6)

III NEOTROPICAL RAPTOR CONFERENCE 28-30 OCTOBER 2009 The Neotropical Raptor Network presents the III Neotropical Raptor Conference which will be held in Bogota, Colombia on 28-30 October, 2009. The goal of the conference is to pro- mote communication and interaction among raptor enthusiasts that live, study or work in the Neotropics. Some conference highlights will include: a pre–conference workshop on biomedicine; a sym- posium on the conservation of birds of prey; and a workshop led by several of the authors of the book Raptor Research and Management Techniques which will cover such topics as marking and capture Techniques, raptor identification, and reproduction. Spizaetus isidori Des Murs, 1845 For more information, visit: www.neotropicalraptors.org Santafé de Bogotá, Colombia Page 2 Newsletter #6 Understanding the Orange-breasted Falcon Population in Belize By Yeray Seminario, The Peregrine Fund, [email protected]

Arriving on a private flight from Wyo- ing. We are trying to identify those and the Director of the OBF Program. ming, five rare Orange-breasted Falcon factors contributing to this apparent Once they arrive in Belize, the young (Falco deiroleucus) chicks landed at the decline in both occupied nesting sites falcons are transported to the Moun- airport in Belize on 26 June, 2008. This and productivity. More time is needed tain Pine Ridge, in the Maya Moun- was the third year that The Peregrine to understand exactly what is happen- tains, a truly unique granite ecosystem Fund has released young individuals of ing with the OBF population in Belize surrounded by Belizean , this species in Belize, as part of the and Guatemala, but these experimental consisting of poor acidic clay soils that study and conservation of this bird in releases are adding genetic diversity to sustain dense pine trees Pinus Caribaea Mesoamerica. this small population. and low thickets (Tripsacum latifolium, Our work with Orange-breasted Fal- Miconia albicans and Dicranopteris pecti- cons (OBFs) includes studying the nata, among others). A plague of Pine remnant population in Belize, Guate- Beetles (Dendroctonus frontalis) in 1999 mala and Panama; searching for new drastically changed the landscape of pairs; and conducting experimental the Mountain Pine Ridge, killing ap- releases in the Mountain Pine Ridge in proximately 90% of the pines, and, Belize. similar to fire, may have improved the foraging opportunities for the resident There are multiple reasons that these falcon population. releases are being carried out. First, they are a means to learn as much as The young falcons are released possible about the behavior of the spe- through a technique called “hacking”, cies and problems that might arise dur- more specifically through a method ing the release. This knowledge can known as “tame-hack,” in which the serve to then maximize the survival of young birds are raised by hand in small young birds prior to their dispersal. groups to prevent imprinting, , but are quite tame. This technique was coinci- Second, releasing unrelated individuals © Yeray Seminario is a way to enhance the genetic fitness dentally successful in the release of One of the 7 wild juveniles that hatched of the local population. Aplomado Falcons (Falco femoralis) con- in Belize this year. ducted by The Peregrine Fund in Preliminary data suggest that this , and it has worked very well with Northernmost OBF population, The young falcons are bred in climate the Orange-breasted Falcons. thought to be isolated by some 900 controlled breeding chambers in Wolf, miles from the largely unknown South Wyoming by Robert B. Berry, one of The hack site consists of a wooden American population, may be declin- the founders of The Peregrine Fund, box set atop a platform, situated on the

© Yeray Seminario © Yeray Seminario Three Orange-breasted Falcon juveniles, released by The Released falcons are fitted with a band and a leg-mount Peregrine Fund in Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize transmitter to help monitor their movements after dispersal. Page 3 Newsletter #6

the juveniles dispersed up to 10 km. less than one month after being re- leased. There is still much to be learned about these fascinating raptors. Next year, we hope to release more falcons using the tame hack procedure. One of the falcons that we released last year returned this year and interacted almost daily with this year’s birds. This was a giant step in demonstrat- ing the success in using this technique with this species. We hope to have many more re-sightings of these color banded individuals in the future. We will also continue to monitor the wild pairs, which is essential for us to bet- ter understand the problems that © Yeray Seminario could be affecting the Central Ameri- can population of this beautiful rap- Wild adult Orange-breasted Falcon in Buena Vista, Guatemala tor. top of a live pine tree, all of which is 60 days of age, although the males are easily accessible with a ladder. The trunk often more precocious. As a general Acknowledgements: of the tree is surrounded by a small rule, the first flights are awkward and moat, which helps prevent potentially uncontrolled, but after only a few harmful ants from climbing the tree, as tries, they fly like experts, although Field work during the releases is diffi- well as sheets of aluminum to help stop they still need quite a bit more time cult and it would not be possible land predators from climbing up to the (up to three months) to develop their without the help of our volunteers: box. On one side of the box there is a ability to capture prey in flight. Ulti- Ana Grau, Chris Eardley, Aldo Ortiz door which allows us to enter if neces- mately, their strength, body weight, and Erin Strasser. We owe an enor- sary. One entire side is barred and large feet and beak enable them to mous thanks to Wolf Creek Charita- screened so that the falcons can interact capture prey of considerable size, in- ble Foundation, Hidden Valley Inn visually with the outside world. cluding psitacids that could seriously and Trevor Roe for their uncondi- tional support for the project, and to The falcons are ideally released at be- harm even an adult falcon with their strong bills. George Headley for allowing us to tween 35-45 days of age, though we use his land for the release of these have released birds older than that both The first flight is also one of the most young falcons. with and without any problems. Once critical moments in the release proc- the birds are released they are fed quail ess. If the falcon has become suffi- two times a day: first thing in the morn- ciently bonded to the release site, it OBF Program Director: Robert B. ing and then again in the late afternoon. will return within a few hours or a day Berry During this time, the falcons exhibit or two in order to feed. If the falcon Director of Field Operations: Angel much curiosity by exploring the plat- does not return on its own, there is a Muela form and remaining alert to predators. risk that it will become lost, and po- Assistant Director Field Operations: They are very vocal and communicate tentially die due to hunger or dehydra- Marta Curti frequently with each other, often sound- tion. It is important to track these ing the alarm when they detect the pres- falcons during this critical time, so Assistant Director Field Operations: ence of danger. The Black and White they are fitted with radio transmitters. Yeray Seminario Hawk Eagle (Spizastur melanoleucus) has Thanks to this technology, we were been a major predator to the OBF re- able to locate one of last year’s re- lease program. leased birds close to Tikal National * * * Without a doubt, one of the most excit- Park in Guatemala, roughly 80 km ing moments is the first flight. This hap- away, six months after this falcon was pens usually when they are between 50- released. That same year we saw that Page 4 Newsletter #6 Raptor Survey in the Upper Rio Doce Valley, Southeast Brazil By Luiz Salvador, Neotropical Research, Grupo de Estudo para a Conservação da Fauna Neotropical, [email protected]

originally part of a continuous and luxurious jungle whose range extended towards the Rio Paraíba do Sul Valley. However, today this region is charac- terized by the absence of pristine jun- gle, due mainly to coffee and sugarcane monocultures. The few remnant frag- ments are small and mostly discon- nected from each other. Forest patches, riparian forests, Pedra do Escalvado (the biggest monolith in the region), open areas and even the urban zones of both counties were studied by means of transects con- ducted on foot, by boat and car, as well as by point count techniques. The results showed a significant re- placement of typical forest raptors by species associated with open areas and high impacted environments, not just Once a refuge for typical forest raptors, today the Rio Doce and Santa Cruz do in number of taxonomic categories Esclavado are habitats for open area species present, but mainly in nesting records, The Atlantic Rainforest is one of the Estudo para a Conservação da Fauna Bicolored Hawk, Collared Forest- world’s most disrupted and threatened Neotropical (MG/Brazil) conducted falcon, Black Hawk Eagle and Black- ecosystems and was the first Brazilian 490 hours of raptor surveys in the and-White Hawk Eagle were recorded biome to be explored after the Portu- counties of Rio Doce and Santa Cruz only once and were not seen displaying guese arrival in 1500. Subsequent eco- do Escalvado, situated in Rio Doce any breeding behavior. No nest of any nomic cycles and fast population Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil. typical forest species was recorded. growth within its original range in the Located within the Atlantic Rainforest Among the species that take advantage last 508 years have severely affected its domain, the Rio Doce Valley was of the edge effect, Short-tailed Hawk singular ecological integrity. Less than 8% of its 1,500,000 km2 of native vege- tal cover still remains in form of forest fragments; most of them isolated from each other by large monoculture fields, cattle farms and urban areas. This huge devastation deeply modified the forest’s original physiognomy, lead- ing to lots of local extinctions. Many raptor species are among the victims of deforestation due to their high sensibil- ity to habitat fragmentation and their reliance on large forest areas to main- tain healthy populations. With the intent to detect the raptorial fauna’s susceptibility to fragmentation and habitat loss, Biologists from Neotropical Research – Grupo de Habitat fragmentation in the upper Rio Doce region Page 5 Newsletter #6 (one pair) and Laughing-falcon (two ternis polionotus, L. lacernulatus and Falco understand their distribution patterns pairs) nested successfully in different deiroleucus present serious conservation in threatened regions not yet sur- forest fragments. Species that are oppor- problems in upper Rio Doce region veyed, like the Atlantic Rainforest of tunistic and highly tolerant to human due to its deforestation and fragmen- Southeast Brazil. activities made the majority of nesting tation. Although not registered, these We hope this investigation completes attempts. Plumbeous Kite (8 pairs), species may be occasionally present in some of these gaps in the upper Rio Roadside Hawk (5 pairs), Yellow-headed the study area. Doce Region, helping us to better Caracara (4 pairs), Crested Caracara (3 Most of our knowledge about understand the population dynamics pairs), White-tailed Hawk (2 pairs), neotropical raptors is local, incom- of these endangered predators in ar- (1 pair) and American plete and was obtained in anecdotal eas with high human impact. Kestrel (1 pair) bred during the present ways. When we consider those species study. When considering individual re- dependent on forest habitats, this * * * cords, Black Vulture and both Daptrii- situation becomes even more critical, dae were the most common raptors in since our knowledge about them is the area. growing slower than their rate of ex- The results of the present study show tinction. the importance of large areas of healthy With the intent to protect typical for- habitat to the conservation of raptors est raptors, we must obtain detailed associated with the forest canopy. The information about adaptation, toler- large forest eagle Harpia harpyja has been ance and vulnerability of these species considered locally extinct for a long in relation to disruption and fragmen- time, while other forest raptors like Spi- tation of their habitats, as well as to zaetus ornatus, Accipiter poliogaster, Leucop- know their conservation status and

UHE Rizoleta Neves Reservoir— Rio Doce Valley Page 6 Newsletter #6

( ANDEAN CONDOR, NATURE AND CULTURE IN ECUADOR… FROM PG. 1) ting, loss of habitat and poisonings more than 200 years ago, when poor in- To sustainably manage nature, in this were identified as the fundamental cau- digenous and mestizos (mixed race) were case the moors, one needs research, ses for the decline of this species in displaced from the valleys into higher, less education, and social appropriation for Ecuador. To learn more about this accessible zones, by church and colonial the conservation of the species and its species’ behavior, Meza-Saltos monito- representatives. One hundred years later, habitat, as well as political will to create red a juvenile male that was reintrodu- the government took possession of these sustainable development alternatives ced in Cajas National Park after spen- lands and converted them into large agri- for everyone involved, thereby pro- ding some time in a rehabilitation faci- cultural farms, some of which persist even moting equality between them. lity. Using conventional telemetry, an to today. And finally, the agricultural re- ethogram was created, revealing the form of the 70’s and 90’s turned over part Andean Culture predominant activities condors engage of the moors to communities and private in over time. In descending order, the landowners. Thus began the paradox: the Historically, the Andean Condor was condor spent its time perching, slee- increase of livestock on the moors – which venerated in communities throughout ping, flying, feeding, associating with became the principle food source for the the Andes region. In some of areas, it other species, exercising its flight mus- Andean Condors, was also, at the same is still honored to this day. However, cles, and associating with other indivi- time, causing loss of habitat and increase in despite its cultural importance, the ma- duals of the same species. At this time, hunting and trafficking which decimated jority of townspeople along the Ecua- Meza-Saltos also identified 1 roost site, the population to the point of disappearing dorian ridge persecute this species be- 1 nest, and 7 condors in Cajas National forever from Ecuador. cause of the belief that the condors hunt their cattle on a regular basis. Park and surrounding areas. Today, some efforts are being made for the conservation of the moors mainly through The story of condors hunting calves is In 2003, thanks to those groups work- tourism and environmental services. How- a common tale told by men and ing for the conservation of this species, ever, they have, until now, had very limited women of varying ages, nationalities, headed up by the Ministry of the Envi- success. social class and culture, throughout the ronment and including around 16 other mostly private institutions, the National Strategy for the Conservation of the Andean Condor was established. As part of the implementation of this strategy, the Society for the Investiga- tion and Monitoring of Ecuadorian Biodiversity (SIMBIOE), in a joint effort with The Peregrine Fund, began carrying out a population census of Andean Condors in Ecuador in 2008. From 25 observation stations, situated at 2600 meters above sea level along the Ecuadorian Andes, they identified and counted individual condors using photo identification techniques. This will provide the most current data for this species and will help plan for the next steps to take to reduce the threats to this species.

Nature Forty two percent of the world’s moors are found in Ecuador, occupy- ing around 5% of the country, al- though only 36% of these are found within protected areas. Investigation. Local field technicians monitoring an active condor nest in the Human presence in the moors began moors of Volcán Quitlindaña Page 7 Newsletter # 6 THE STORY OF THE CONDOR Don Enrique Tasiguano, an elder Kitu Kara, says that as a boy he lived in a place called Atun Ninguna (Precipice of the Wolf). His father often told him about the condors that flew very close to their house, which was found in the parish of Hatun Pamba (Large Plains). His father told him that he knew the condors by the name – “wakkklla” - which is the sound their wings make when cutting through the air. One day, the people of Hatun Pamba went to harvest corn, barley and potatoes in the foothills of the Pichinchas, known today as the city of Quito. On that very day, a condor carried away two children - Maritza and José Manuel- but not to eat them.

The potato gatherers saw those two children high up in the Pichincha. When the children were asked how the condor was treating them, they said that the condor was very sweet, noble and wise, and that while they flew on its back they saw the entire community below. As they flew, the condor said: “this is your land, these are your waters, these are your plants, these are your riches, which you must protect and honor. Don’t mis-use them or harm them. Don’t destroy the watersheds.” When the children were back in the heights of the Pichincha, where the first drops of water fell, the condor continued explaining to them: “I take this water and from here it goes through the glens so you can drink, eat and live well”. He also told them: “there are plants that cure, plants that feed, plants that can be used for building things, and plants that can destroy… take this into account and learn about all the things around you. There are good lands and bad lands, there are good people and bad people.”

Having said this, he dropped them into the nest of the condors, in the Kuntur Wachana. As the condor flew away, he told the children to walk toward the sunrise. The children walked until they found a group of mothers from the community that were digging potatoes in the eastern flank of the Ruco Pichincha. The children told them about what they learned from Taita Kuntur. The lesson the children learned from the condor was meant to help us to improve our lives, how we treat each other and our common knowledge.

Photo © Patricio Meza Saltos, Cóndor. Kuntur — adult male

Andean region. They say that con- In spite of the fact that the Andean Con- high. Over 300 collaborators helped to dors attack the cattle in bands of dor is a national symbol, very few people make this day a success and over 5,000 three to five individuals, of which know anything more about this species people participated and enjoyed our two or three – with very low flights other than from the drawing that appears celebration of this sacred bird. This and strong wing beats - scare off the on the shield on our flag. Through the activity helped to begin a process of calf’s mother and the rest of the Kuntur Project, we hope to increase the communication, consciousness raising herd. The remaining condors attack knowledge, on a general level, about the and sensitization about the importance the young, landing on its back and Andean Condor, so that it becomes bet- of the condor, the ecosystems on biting its eyes and tongue (its soft ter known within our society. On the 6th which it relies, and the cultural bond parts) until the young calf bleeds to and 7th of July, 2008, the Friends of the that exists between this species and the death, offering a great feast to the Condor -Colectivo Ciudadano Amigos y society of our nation. condors. Amigas del Cóndor y la Tierra (ACT) along with SIMBIOE and the support of If this tale turns out to be proven * * * true, it would show that even other local individuals and organizations, though they are scavengers, condors organized the largest festival dedicated to could hunt for food using “group a wild threatened species ever held in the cooperative hunting” strategies, a country: The National Day of the Con- very sophisticated technique. dor. The festival, held in Quito, included artistic/cultural activities with many of There are other stories about the the arts represented such as: dance, thea- condor that can be used as a pillar to ter, puppet shows and music, among oth- help support our conservation ers. We held a round-table discussion on strategies (see The Story of the Condor). “Condors, Nature and Andean Culture” to discuss the protection of nature and of Dissemination our culture. Attendance was incredibly Page 8 Newsletter #6 Harpy Eagle Conservation and Research Program: Objectives and Perspectives by José de Jesús Vargas Gonzáles, Harpy Eagle Conservation and Research Program, The Peregrine Fund, [email protected] The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) is a tat through a combination of: environmental the results through conferences, tech- threatened species that inhabits low- education, participation and empowerment nical reports, radio messages, and land forests in the Neotropics, includ- of the local communities; and scientific in- popular and scientific articles, to offer ing those forests that have been altered vestigation to form and answer bio- tools to help make decisions that con- by humans. This, of course, affects the ecological hypothesis. The initial results of tribute to the conservation of this spe- eagle’s survival in both the short and the past eight years of continuous research cies. long run. In spite of this species’ flexi- have caused us to modify our objectives as During the first two years of research, bility or adaptability to altered environ- the program evolves in a positive way, as we identified potential areas for study, ments, we have determined that it does well as reaffirm, reinforce, and design new and we formalized our relationship have specific requirements in the mi- methods of data collection to obtain the best with local communities through coop- crohabitat it uses as a nesting site. The results. This will help us amplify our erative agreements. With the signing of reproductive territory required by this “human” perspective about the requirements these agreements, we were assured that species varies considerably. Work by for the Harpy Eagle. the program’s activities in the areas of many researchers suggests the range is The principle objectives of the program are: research, conservation, local training, between 14 and 70 km2 per pair, ap- 1. Offer environmental education talks to environmental education, and commu- proximately. As a result, the conserva- children and adults; 2. Train members of the nity participation would be successful. tion of Harpy Eagle populations local communities in basic aspects of conser- We consider local participation to be should include the protection of large vation and research; 3. Estimate the survival relevant and key to the sustainability of tracts of forest with sufficient connec- rate, dispersion and habitat use of adults and conservation plans in the mid and long tivity. juveniles in habitat with different levels of term. Reports on the status of Harpy Eagles human alteration; 4. Locate and monitor the The intrinsic characteristics of the in Central and suggest productivity of known nests; 5. Describe the Harpy Eagle (longevity, density, and that the populations have been declin- reproductive micro-habitat; 6. Determine the reproductive strategy, among others) ing over the past decades, and if the availability of prey species in different levels make long-term study of this species threats they face today continue, they of human-altered landscape; 7. Disseminate essential, in order to obtain an ade- will likely become extinct in a relatively 800000 850000 Leyenda short amount of time. The main long Legend or mid-term threat to the persistence $T $T CentrosPopulated poblados Areas ÁreaStudy de Area estudio Golfo de Provincia de of this species is deforestation and San Miguel Darién HidrografíaWaterways Provincia de Darién $T $T Darien Province $T $T fragmentation of their habitat. Their $T Roads $T Vialidad RepúblicaRepublic of de Panama Panamá most immediate threat is human perse- $T $T $T $T 9 0 0 0 0 0 $T 0 cution, mainly by poachers. It is evi- 0 $T $T $T 0 0 0 9 Proyecto $T Project dent that developing plans for manage- $T $T $T $T StrategyEstrategia for the para conservation la conservación of breeding del hábitat habitat for ment and sustainable actions to reduce $T $T$T reproductivo del águila arpía $T $T $T the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) in Darien, Panama $T (Harpia harpyja) the human impact on Harpy Eagle $T $T $T $T en la región de Darién, Panamá $T $T$T habitat needs urgent attention. $T $T $T$T $T Proyección: UTM Z19 In order to be efficient and effective in $T DATUM: WGS84 $T $T Cartografia base de centros poblados, vialidad, e hidrografía the conservation process, it is neces- fueron elaborados a partir de la imagen Landsat Mosaico obtenida por EROS Data Center de la NASA. 8 0 5 0 0 0 0 sary to have a solid scientific back- 0 0 5 0 ground about the bio-ecology, habitat 8 República de Panamá Océano Pacífico $T requirements and local threats to this Océano $T $T $T $T Atlántico raptor. For that reason, in 2000, The $T Peregrine Fund and Fondo Peregrino- COLOMBIA N Panamá initiated the Harpy Eagle Con- Darién servation and Research Program in the 90918 Océano 8 0 0 0 Pacífico 0 0 Kilómetros N 0 Pacific region of the Darien Province, 0 0 0 0 8 W E Panama (Map 1). 800000 850000 S The general goal of the program is to conserve the Harpy Eagle and its habi- Map 1. Location of study area, Darién, Panamá. Page 9 Newsletter #6 quate sample. For example, the moni- Established a long-term strategy for the toring of the nests indicates that the ecological monitoring of the Harpy Eagle Harpy Eagle can nest successfully in population; 7. Presented reports to Pa- altered forests with different degrees of nama’s National Environmental Authority, anthropogenic impact. However, we and the Traditional Embera and Wounann don’t yet know if the Harpy Eagles will Authorities, which contributed to decision- continue to breed in these same areas making efforts and environmental policy in in the long term. For this reason, it is the region. important to continue monitoring over This experience has served to enrich the many years to collect sufficient demo- knowledge of program participants, and has graphic data. allowed us to better visualize the local The main results of the past six years threats that the Harpy Eagle population are: 1. The completion of a Master’s and the ecosystems in Darien face. For ex- thesis focused on the ecology and re- ample, the environmental education cam- productive habitat of the Harpy Eagle; paign has reduced the hunting of this spe- 2. Two scientific publications on the cies, but it has done little to stop the de- status of its conservation and interac- struction of habitat. The lack of employ- tion with other raptors; 3. Sixteen pres- ment opportunities, coupled with the strug- entations given in scientific confer- gle to meet basic needs (food, education, ences in Central and South America; 4. among others) plays a big part in the com- Increase in the participation and em- munities’ actions and decisions regarding powerment of local communities the land and their use of the local flora and through the training of 41 field techni- fauna. This socio-economic need and the cians, who have supported our conser- current environmental issues have caused vation and ecological monitoring ef- us to gain new perspectives and incorporate forts; 5. Development of environ- other components to reduce the negative mental education campaigns focusing effects on the ecosystem used by the Harpy on the conservation of Harpy Eagles, Eagle. Involving other entities, such as the other raptors and their ecosystems; 6. environmental authority and other govern- (Continued on page 10) WHY WORK WITH THE HARPY EAGLE? Conservation – It is a globally threatened species dependent on management and conservation. The ecosystems which it inhabits are some of the most impacted by Photos © José de J. Vargas González anthropogenic activities.

Scientific – There is a lack of information about the bioecology of this species, including mortality rate, behavior, movement patterns, habitat use, and reproductive success, among others.

Ecology – As a top predator, and due to its habitat requirements, the Harpy Eagle is considered to be a flagship and an umbrella species for the conservation of tropical forests. Efforts to protect this species can help increase interest, awareness and empowerment in local communities regarding environmental issues.

Bio-cultural – The cultural value of many species, both for indigenous groups and in modern society (dance, music, crafts, national birds, etc.) has been under- estimated in many conservation plans. The Harpy Eagle is an emblematic species that has been used as a symbol of strength, agility, beauty and nature from pre- Colombian times to the present, by different indigenous groups in Central and South America. This cultural importance offers many advantages for the conservation of this species and its habitat.

Research Activities Page 10 Newsletter #6

( HARPY EAGLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM... FROM PAGE 9) Photos © José de J. Vargas González mental and non-governmental organiza- tions is the strategy to be followed in the Acknowledgements next years. It is a difficult task, but one that We thank donors to The Peregrine merits attention and effort. Fund's Harpy Eagle Project, in particu- In regards to the methods of investigation, lar Wolf Creek Charitable Foundation, we have applied and incorporated tradi- Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg tional observation techniques for the col- Foundation, USAID, Disney Wildlife lection of qualitative and quantitative data Conservation Fund, and others. To the on behavior, description of habitat, and field technicians and volunteers that prey census, among others. We have also represent the heart of this conservation incorporated the use of radio transmitters program. To the Embera and to monitor individual adults and juveniles, Wounaan communities, and to the as well as the utilization of Geographic In- Congreso General y Regional de Tier- formation Systems to identify variables, ras Colectivas Embera y Wounaan, for and determine spatial requirements and their collaboration and logistical sup- movement patterns, to design models of port. To the National Environmental suitable habitat, and to characterize the Authority of Panama, for permits and habitat. support with digital material of the Our goal is to carry out long-term research study area. Special thanks to Marta to contribute more scientific data necessary Curti and the Neotropical Raptor Net- to make environmental decisions, to fill in work for contributing to the divulga- the gaps in information, to consolidate and tion of the results of the program. establish new initiatives for conservation in

other regions, design applicable methods * * * with this species and other birds of prey, and strengthen the knowledge and experi- ence of students and local scientists. We also want to continue increasing the local capacity through training, and continue identifying problems while working in con- junction with local communities, look for solutions that offer tangible results. In con- clusion, the results and goals that were met allow us to qualify this program as a suc- cess, create new goals that promise new challenges, more experience and better re- sults for the conservation of the Harpy Environmental Education in Embera Eagle and its habitat. and Wounaan communities Helping to Conserve the Harpy Eagle through Environmental Education in Darién, Panama by Saskia Santamaría, The Peregrine Fund, Neotropical Environ- mental Education Program, ssantamarí[email protected] © Marta Curti Before deforestation and poaching caused a decline in their populations, the natu- ral range of the Harpy Eagle extended from southern Mexico to northern Argen- tina. However, many of the countries within that range have not had a registered sighting of this species in many years, particularly in . The main exception to this is Panama where a healthy wild population still exists. Today, Pa- nama is considered the last main refuge of the species in Central America. Of the nine provinces and different indigenous reserves (called comarcas) in which the Panamanian territory is divided, the province of Darien is the most important K. Herrera explaining the importance of healthy habitat for migrating birds Page 11 Newsletter #6 in terms of Harpy Eagle conservation. ronmental Program has worked in several of munity and highlights the positive im- This province, located in the eastern the communities, especially in Embera and pact Harpy Eagle conservation can part of the country and bordering with Wounaan indigenous communities since it is have. Colombia, is the home of the Darien on these lands where the most Harpy Eagle Even though not everything has been National Park and Biosphere Reserve, nests have been recorded. positive in this community (for exam- among other protected areas. This is To work successfully with a variety of differ- ple it came to our attention that a com- why The Peregrine Fund-Panama has ent groups and cultures, NEEP utilizes edu- munity member had burned part of a focused its Harpy Eagle Conservation cational talks, games and hands-on activities forested area where at least one indi- Program and part of its Neotropical about raptors, the Harpy Eagle, the impor- vidual had been sighted, not to men- Environmental Education Program tance of raptors in the food chain, and bird tion other local fauna), it is still a satis- (NEEP) efforts in this province. The migration, among other topics. We provide faction to witness how educating chil- main objective of this program is to relevant factual information so that commu- dren and adults has planted the seed help positively change human attitudes nity members can then make their own deci- for Harpy Eagle conservation. It is our toward raptors and to stress the impor- sions, whether as a community or on an indi- hope to keep reaching communities tance of conserving raptors in nature. vidual basis, about the use of their natural with our talks so that other positive In this specific case, it is important for resources. Evaluating the program is key to actions and attitudes surface, helping communities to understand the impor- measure the program’s results and, modify to conserve more Harpy Eagles in na- tance and long-term value of conserv- the educational methods when necessary. ture. ing healthy Harpy Eagle populations. One of the communities where positive re- Acknowledgments In Darien this has proven to be an sults have been seen is Mogue, and Embera/ We thank donors to The Peregrine interesting challenge because of the Wounaan community. Partly due to The Fund's Harpy Eagle Project, in large mixture of different cultures, each Peregrine Fund-Panama’s work there and particular Wolf Creek Charitable with a very distinctive way of life, partly because of the involvement of other Foundation, Liz Claiborne and Art found there. Darien is home to: indige- organizations, several members from the Ortenberg Foundation, USAID, nous groups such as the Embera, community have come to appreciate the long Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, Wounaan and Kunas; peasant farmers term value of conserving the Harpy Eagle. and others. that have emigrated from other prov- They often host visitors from other areas inces; and groups of Afro Caribbean and bring them to observe the species in its descendants. The Neotropical Envi- natural environment. This benefits the com- * * *

© Marta Curti Students in Darien playing “Flying, Flying, Flying,” a game that simulates raptor migration Page 12 Newsletter #6

’re on-line! We rs.org opicalrapto www.neotr

The NRN is a membership-based organization. Its goal is to aid the research and conservation of Neotropical raptors by promoting com- Fondo Peregrino - Panamá www.peregrinefund.org munication and collaboration among biologists, ornithologists, raptor www.fondoperegrino.org enthusiasts, and other conservationists working in the Neotropics.

To join the NRN please send an email to [email protected], introducing yourself and stating your interest in Neotropical raptor research and conservation.

C ONFERENCES AND MEETINGS 3RD NEOTROPICAL RAPTOR CONFERNCE October 28-30, 2009 Bogotá, Colombia: Please stay tuned for more upcoming information through the Neotropical Raptor Network! www.neotropicalraptors.org THE ORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES AND THE UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA announce the Tropical Ecology and Conservation course, Jan 14—Feb 23, 2009. For more information visit contact or visit [email protected] http://www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?lang=en 25th INTERNATIONAL ORNITHOLOGICAL CONGRESS August 22-28, 2010.Campos do Jordao, Sao Paolo, Brazil. For more information visit http://www.ib.usp.br/25ioc/

N EW BOOKS AND THESES 1. Vargas-González J. de J. 2008. Strategy to conserve the breeding habitat of the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja) in the Darien Region, Panama. Master in Science Thesis. Universidad Experimental de los Llanos Occidentales “Ezequiel Zamora”, UNELLEZ. This thesis has four chapters: 1. Microhabitat preferences; 2. Spatial evaluation of the forest cover in three periods; 3. Suit- ability model of breeding habitat; 4. Conservation strategy.

2. NEOTROPICAL RAPTORS, 2nd Neotropical Raptor Conference Proceedings, Iguazú, Argentina, June 2006

C ONFERENCIAS Order Yfrom: R EUNIONES Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Bookstore 25th CONFERENCIA DE ORNITOLOGIA INTERNATIONAL Agosto 22-28, 2010.Campos do Jordao, 1700 Hawk Sao Paolo, Mountain Brazil. Road Para mayor information visite: http://www.ib.usp.br/25ioc/ Kempton, PA 19529 USA ORGANIZACIÓN PARA ESTUDIOS1-610-756-6000 TROPICALES Y LA U. DE COSTA RICA. Curso de Ecología $28.00 Tropical (including y Conservación, surface mail) Ene 14— Feb 23, 2009. Visite http://www.ots.ac.cr/index.php?lang=es [email protected] 3RD CONFERENCIA DE RAPACES NEOTROPICALES October 28-30, 2009 Bogotá, Colombia: Para mayor información: www.neotropicalraptors.org

Articles edited and/or translated by Saskia Santamaría, Angel Muela and Marta Curti NRN Coordinator: Marta Curti [email protected]