Cotinga 17 Neotropical News CARIBBEAN ■ CENTRAL AMERICA ■ SOUTH AMERICA Montserrat Oriole ups and MEXICO VENEZUELA downs A major volcanic eruption that Another new RAMSAR site Venezuelan Ornithology began in 1996 has destroyed The 61 707 ha Dzilam coastal and N etw ork c. 60% of Montserrat’s hill forests, marine reserve has been declared The Venezuelan Ornithology which comprise the entire range a Ramsar site. It lies adjacent to Network (OVUM — Ornitólogos of the threatened endemic the ría Lagartos Ramsar site, in Venezolanos Unidos Montserrat Oriole Icterus oberi. the north Yucatán Peninsula. Milagrosamente) was conceived at Worryingly, monitoring since 1997 More than 20,000 waterbirds are the VI Neotropical Ornithology has also shown a population thought to occur. Congress in Monterrey in October decline within the remaining • The Ramsar Newsletter 32: 9 1999. The founding members were 14 km2 of intact forest in the (2001) 13 professional biologists with a Centre Hills. A new research keen interest in Venezuelan project, aiming to uncover the Locusts continue to swarm on ornithology. By June 2001, the cause of this decline, began in the Socorro Island Network had 85 members, 2001 breeding season. The project, Conservationists are expressing comprising biologists, which is funded by the UK increasing concern at the growing veterinarians, bird tour guides Foreign & Commonwealth Office, locust Schistocerca sp. swarm on and enthusiastic amateurs. is a joint initiative of the Socorro. The island is important Interests range from ecology and Montserrat Ministry of Agricul­ for its population of the endemic natural history to conservation ture Lands, Housing & (and critically endangered) and taxonomy. Regular meetings Environment, Montserrat Socorro Mockingbird Mimodes are held in the Colección National Trust and the Royal graysoni. The locust population Ornitológica Phelps. The first Society for the Protection of Birds has apparently grown signifi­ Ornithology Symposium was held (UK). Initial field work centred on cantly since 1996, when it was in November 2000. Its two major measuring reproductive success identified as a problem (with one topics were the role of and determining causes of swarm estimated at 50 million). birdwatchers in generating reproductive failure. Automated The insects apparently originated information on threatened species micro nest cameras indicate a from a population in Sinaloa. One and the creation of a Society of high rate of nest predation by observer commented: ‘they fly all Venezuelan Ornithologists. One of rats. Research on adult over the island and practically are the key roles of the Network is survivorship and the health of destroying the foliage of all trees coordination of information on insect food supply has also they touch’. One solution Venezuelan birds and to effect this commenced. In July a remnant proposed has been spraying with a Venezuelan Rarities Committee population of orioles was pesticides once the locusts move has been set up (see below). discovered by researchers in a into degraded habitat thus Funding is being sought for an small forest patch only 1 km from avoiding affecting endemic fauna). annual Venezuelan ornithological the summit of the volcano, and The locusts have apparently bulletin. Birdwatchers and entirely surrounded by pyroclastic developed resistance to one ornithologists who would like to flows. This astonishing and pathogen that has been subscribe to the OVUM Network encouraging discovery was rapidly introduced. are invited to contact Prof. Sandra followed by another major • H. Walter and J. Martinez- Giner of the Instituo de Zoología volcanic eruption on Montserrat, Gomez in litt. 29 May 2001 Tropical at the Universidad in which heavy ash falls were Central de Venezuela recorded on large areas of the ([email protected]). Centre Hills, destroying several • Chris Sharpe in litt. June 2001 oriole nests. • Geoff M. Hilton, Gerard A. L. Gray, Stephen MacNamara and Chris Bowden in litt. October 2001 7 Cotinga 17 Neotropical News Venezuelan Rare Birds ECUADOR Short-winged Grebes surveyed C om m ittee around Lake Titicaca The Venezuelan Rare Birds Mangroves protected A group of ornithologists (Gunnar Committee was formed during the The purchase and destruction of Engblom, David Geale, Diógnes First Annual Ornithology mangroves has been declared Chalhuanca and Gregorio Ferro) Symposium in November 2000. illegal in the country. The shrimp recently conducted field work to The committee aims to act as a aquaculture industry has assess the distribution of Short­ repository of information on rare destroyed half of Ecuador’s winged Grebe Rollandia birds in Venezuela, to evaluate mangroves since 1960. Of the microptera. Study sites comprised potential new and unusual 207 000 ha of shrimp ponds in the the complex of lakes immediately records and to publicise this country, some 75% are thought to west of Huancane between Lago information via e-mail, by means be illegal. The ruling by the de Arapa and Lago Titicaca; Lago of the Venezuelan Ornithology President of Ecuador’s Constitu­ Umayo and the small lakes Network (OVUM) and through an tional Tribunal is a landmark for immediately to the north; and annual publication within an coastal conservationists. most of Lago de Arapa. The key existing national journal. The • Marine Pollution Bull. 422: 84 site was Lago de Arapa (holding Committee consists of four (2001) 212 birds, including juveniles), experts in Venezuelan ornithology, with small numbers (less than 11) who meet on a regular basis to Another new Ramsar site found at Chucuito, and Lagunas discuss and evaluate recent The 4705 ha Isla Santay has been Umayo, Sunuco, Cuisco, Yanaoco, records. Species covered by the designated a Ramsar site. The Huinihui and Titihui. Grebes are committee include potential first island contains intertidal forested threatened by becoming records; species for which fewer wetlands, including mangrove entangled in fishing nets. The than five records exist for the swamps, and is located in the nets used are 80–100 m in length, country; and nationally and Guayas river delta on the and have been widely used since globally threatened species. In outskirts of the city of Guayaquil. around 1990. Laguna Cupisco is addition, the Committee • The Ramsar Newsletter 32: 9 free of nets and was found to hold gratefully accepts other (2001) a high density of grebes. Local interesting information, such as people also harvest grebe eggs for early and late dates for migrants, Galápagos escapes oil spill food. Overall, the population is range extensions and unusual In January 2001, the Galápagos thought to have declined behavioural observations. The escaped disaster after the tanker significantly since 1987. A few Committee hopes to improve Jessica ran aground off San drought years is thought to be dialogue between national and Cristobal, spilling 900 tonnes of sufficient to create local visiting ornithologists. oil. Fortunately, winds and extinction. Birdwatchers are encouraged to currents carried the oil away from • G. Engblom in litt, to BirdLife submit records for committee shore. There was no evidence of International, July 2001 evaluation by e-mail to the island’s endemic fauna having [email protected]. A records been affected. BOLIVIA submission form is available. • Marine Pollution Bull. 423: 165 • Chris Sharpe in litt. June 2001 (2001) New Ramsar site Cuenca de Tajzara has been COLOMBIA PERU declared a Ramsar site. It encompasses 5500 ha of semi­ New Ramsar site Candamo Valley protected permanent and permanent lakes, The 39 000 ha Laguna de la Cocha In September 2000, the Candamo high-altitude streams, marshes has been declared a Ramsar site. Valley was declared a national and high-Andean pastures in the The site comprises a volcanic lake park. Home to 600 species of birds Tajzara basin at 3700 m. Forty surrounded by high-Andean and 14 species of primates, the species of birds characteristic of peatlands, and holds a diverse 142 000 ha site was part of a high-Andean aquatic systems fauna including the threatened presidential decree doubling the occur. Mountain Tapir Tapir pinchaque size of the Bahuaja-Sonene • The Ramsar Newsletter 32: 8 and Spectacled Bear Tremarctos National Park in south-west Peru. (2001) ornatus. The decision came a fortnight • The Ramsar Newsletter 32: 8 after oil giant Exxon-Mobil Last site for Wattled Curassow (2001) withdrew from oil exploration in Wattled Curassow Crax globulosa the general area. is still extant in Bolivia. The last • Wildlife Conserv. Jan/Feb 2001: official record in Bolivia was from 16 1937. In August 2001, an 8 Cotinga 17 Armonía/BirdLife International project could even qualify for Lear’s Macaw census tallies 246 team, supported by the Swedish ‘carbon credits’ under the Kyoto birds Embassy, conducted Important Protocol’s ‘Clean Development An article in O Estado de São Bird Area (IBA) field work in the Mechanism’. ‘The Antonina Paulo, a Brazilian newspaper, in lower tropical várzea forest of the Reforestation Pilot Project will June 2001, reported that a new lower río Beni. The team help protect one of the most census of Lear’s Macaws investigated reports from local important and ecologically Anodorhynchus leari in May hunters that curassows persisted significant places on Earth’, said recorded 246 birds, up from 170 in the area. Seven individuals Steve McCormick, TNC President. found in a 1999 census. were discovered along the río ‘Moreover, it will provide a • http://www.estadao.com.br/ Negro, in a remote area with very replicable model for how ciencia/noticias/2001/jun/07/ poor accessibility. Conservation of rainforest conservation and 280.htm, courtesy of J. Wall in the area is thought likely to be restoration can help combat litt. to NEOORN, June 2001 dependent on creation of a private climate change. We appreciate reserve. Texaco’s involvement in this Amazon still shrinking — and fast • Bennett Hennessey in litt. 25 innovative effort’. Deforestation of the Brazilian September 2001 • Texaco press release, 4 Amazon was greater in 2000 than September 2001 at any time since 1995, according BRAZIL to new satellite data released by Murici protected the government in May 2001.