The First Biological Explorations of Serranía De Los Yariguíes, Colombia Thomas Donegan, Blanca Huertas, Jorge Avendaño, Elkin Briceño and Martin Donegan
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NeotropicalNeotropical BirdingBirding THE BIRDING MAGAZINE OF THE NEOTROPICAL BIRD CLUB Number 3 • Autumn 2008 >> BIRDING AT THE CUTTING EDGE SERRANÍA DE LOS YARIGUÍES, COLOMBIA The first biological explorations of Serranía de los Yariguíes, Colombia Thomas Donegan, Blanca Huertas, Jorge Avendaño, Elkin Briceño and Martin Donegan Just as most of the world’s mountains have been climbed, most of the world’s bird species and subspecies were found and described decades or even centuries ago. In some remote parts of the Neotropics, however, exploration and discovery continue. This article recounts the exciting results of recent surveys in the Serranía de los Yariguíes in Colombia. Here, several new taxa were discovered, countless other important findings were made, and Critically Endangered species are now protected. he topography of western Colombia is to the start of our studies, leaving the way clear for dominated by three Andean ranges: the West, some important avifaunal exploration. T Central and East Andes. The long río Magdalena valley splits the Central and East Andes. This part of Colombia and its Andean The Exploration slopes have been a focus of fieldwork for the Our first studies of the Yariguíes highlands (Fig. 6) Colombian Evaluation of Biodiversity in the Andes took place in January 2003 and January 2004. We Project (part of Fundación ProAves’ research established various campsites and transects for programme) since 1999, when partially successful 4–5 days each in primary forest at c.300–500 m attempts were made to study Serranía de San elevational steps. Steep slopes carpeted with virgin Lucas10, an isolated massif, and assess the status of forest meant that helicopter drops (see box, p. 42) the saltuarius subspecies of Red- legged Tinamou and mountaineering techniques were necessary to Crypturellus erythropus7. access elevations above 2,500 m on the western Serranía de los Yariguíes (also known as slope and ridgeline5. Following our initial Serranía de los Cobardes) is a 100-km ridge and explorations, further studies were carried out western spur of the East Andes, rising from 200 m through Proyecto YARE in 2005–2006, altitude in the Magdalena Valley to 3,400 m. It is particularly on the eastern slope and at lower connected to the rest of the East Andes at its elevations on the western slope9, and through highest point by a ridge at 2,400 m. The highest Fundación ProAves’ ringing and population elevation páramo and upper montane forest are monitoring work. Additional work was carried out geographically isolated from other habitats at by JEAC in connection with his undergraduate similar elevation in the East Andes. thesis. This isolation drew the region to our attention Unusually for biological explorations in as a potential centre of local endemism. Our study Colombia, the study was completed almost of satellite maps revealed Serranía de los Yariguíes entirely using non- lethal techniques, such as to be almost entirely forested on its western slope mist- netting (Fig. 7), photography, field and ridgeline, making it probably the largest observation, sound recording and the extraction remaining tract of forest in the East Andes. Birds of blood samples. A small number of mist- net of the high elevations had never previously been mortalities and a handful of selectively taken studied, with only some small collections of specimens of cryptic new taxa were deposited at widespread lowland species in the 1950s1. the Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Moreover, the Yariguíes had been neglected by Nacional, in Bogotá. Further information on biologists and birders for decades due to it being a fieldwork methods is presented in our expedition base for insurgent groups. However, such groups reports5, 9. had left the region’s major municipal centres prior 38 Neotropical Birding 2008 Birds of the Yariguíes mountains Perhaps the most widely reported aspect of our study has been the discovery and description The results of our explorations of Serranía de los of various new bird and other taxa. Few other Yariguíes surpassed our wildest expectations. Our studies of a single locality in recent decades have bird list to date comprises 546 species. We resulted in so many discoveries. In 2006, we recently published details of 153 range extensions described a distinctive new subspecies, of 100 km or more, including several first or yariguierum, of the Yellow- breasted Brush Finch second records of species for Colombia’s East Atlapetes latinuchus, to which we have given the Andes or the Magdalena Valley and scores of first English name Yariguíes Brush Finch (Fig. 2). This departmental records for Santander4. subspecies has also been found elsewhere in the The lowland avifauna includes various East Andes but has its core range in the Yariguíes6. endemics of the Magdalena Valley and the Nechí A new subspecies of Matorral Tapaculo Scytalopus lowlands Endemic Bird Area. The premontane griseicollis gilesi (Fig. 3) is apparently endemic to and lower montane fauna includes bird species the high elevations of the Yariguíes massif and which have also been recorded in the few other differs from populations in the main East Andes in remaining forest fragments of this elevation in the its darker plumage, longer tail, shorter song and East Andes. The most interesting habitats were at lower- pitched scolding call3. highest elevations, which held some unique Other undescribed subspecies of Rufous elements, in addition to birds similar to sites Spinetail Synallaxis unirufa, Slate- crowned elsewhere in the East Andes. Antpitta Grallaricula nana2 (Fig. 4), Upper We found five bird species considered to be Magdalena Tapaculo Scytalopus rodriguezi3 and Critically Endangered at the time of our study: Lachrimose Mountain Tanager Anisognathus Blue- billed Curassow Crax alberti (presence based lacrymosus (Fig. 5) are in the process of on many local reports), Gorgeted Wood Quail description or peer review. The population of Odontophorus strophium (now considered Spillmann’s Tapaculo Scytalopus spillmanni in the Endangered), Chestnut- bellied Hummingbird Yariguíes and surrounding region may also relate Amazilia castaneiventris, Mountain Grackle to an undescribed subspecies3. Some of the new Macroagelaius subalaris (now Endangered) and ‘subspecies’ described or being described meet Niceforo’s Wren Thryothorus nicefori. This was some proposed species concepts and may, in time, one of the greatest concentrations of then be elevated to species rank. Critically Endangered species at a single site in the The surprising number of undescribed taxa in Neotropics. the Yariguíes is also reflected in butterflies, the Other globally threatened birds found in the only other taxonomic group subject to detailed region included Helmeted Curassow Pauxi pauxi study. Several undescribed species and subspecies (Endangered), Saffron- headed Parrot Gypopsitta have been found, including a new species of pyrilia (previously Vulnerable, now Near ringlet, Idioneurula donegani, considered endemic Threatened), Rusty- faced Parrot Hapalopsittaca to the Yariguíes páramo8. amazonina (Vulnerable), Black Inca Coeligena prunellei (previously Endangered, now Vulnerable; Fig. 9), White- mantled Barbet Capito hypoleucus Conservation and ecotourism (Vulnerable; Fig. 8), Turquoise Dacnis Dacnis in the Yariguíes hartlaubi (Vulnerable) and Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea (Vulnerable). Partially as a consequence of the results of our Gorgeted Wood Quail, Black Inca and studies, Serranía de los Yariguíes was declared a Mountain Grackle were downgraded in national natural park by the Colombian conservation status as a direct result of our government in 2005. Fundación ProAves has discovery of the world’s most important established two bird reserves as buffers to the populations of these species in the Serranía de los National Park to encourage ecotourism; these Yariguíes. Several Near Threatened species and serve as excellent bases for birders wishing to regional endemics were also found. The situation explore the region. Several successful tours for Blue-billed Currasow is more bleak, with involving Colombian nationals and foreign birders apparent local extinctions having occurred at all have already taken place. Visits to the reserves lowland sites we studied. Full details of threatened must be arranged through Ecoturs and restricted- range species are published in the (www.ecoturs.org). Ecotourism can give an expedition reports5, 9. important boost to the local economy: all profits Neotropical Birding 2008 39 Figure 2. Yellow- breasted (Yariguíes) Brush Finch Atlapetes latinuchus yariguierum. This population differs from other latinuchus ‘subspecies’ in having a black mantle and tail, exhibiting only a thin line of yellow marks in the supraloral region and lacking the wing speculum. This individual was designated as a paratype but released following extraction of a blood sample (Blanca C. Huertas H.) Figure 1. Purple-backed Thornbill Ramphomicron microrhynchum is a high-elevation specialist found in the Yariguíes páramo (Blanca C. Huertas H.) Figure 3. Matorral Tapaculo Scytalopus griseicollis gilesi, a new subspecies endemic to the Yariguíes páramo (Blanca C. Huertas H.) “We found five bird species considered to be Critically Endangered at the time of our study ” Figure 4. Slate- crowned Antpitta Grallaricula nana undescribed subspecies. The Yariguíes population is apparently related to disjunct populations in the northern 40 Neotropical Birding 2008 East Andes (Blanca C. Huertas H.)