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

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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

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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. Oil giant partners with The The Ecological Station of Murici Brazil’s National Institute for Nature Conservancy to help was created on 29 May 2001, Space Research (INPE), which restore Brazilian Atlantic forest through a federal decree signed monitors deforestation by In September 2001, Texaco, The by President Cardoso. Lying in satellite, issued a provisional Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Alagoas, the remnant Atlantic estimate for the period August Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida forest fragments at Murici are one 1999–August 2000, based on a Selvagem e Educação Ambiental of the continent’s most important sampling scheme. The mean (Society for Wildlife Research and areas for the conservation of annual rate of gross deforestation Environmental Education or biodiversity. BirdLife Brasil, in 1999–2000 was 19 836 km2. SPVS, a Brazilian NGO) together with Sociedade From August 1998 to August announced a joint project to Nordestina de Ecologia, 1999, the mean annual rate of restore and protect c. 1000 ha of collaborated with IBAMA and the deforestation was 17 259 km2. Atlantic forest on the coast of Ministry of the Environment to Environment Minister José southern Brazil. A US$3 million create the reserve. Thirteen Sarney Filho said: ‘The federal investment by Texaco facilitated globally threatened bird species government has done its the Antonina Pilot Reforestation occur at Murici, two of which are homework and is doing every Project’. Located in Paraná, the currently known only from this thing it can to stop deforestation land will be owned and managed locality: Alagoas Foliage-gleaner in Brazil.’ An environment by SPVS. TNC will provide Philydor novaesi and Alagoas ministry official added that the technical assistance. The land Antwren Myrmotherula snowi. government would introduce an surrounds an existing 2,800 ha The others are: Orange-bellied environmental licensing system reserve (Morro da Mina), also Antwren Terenura sicki, Alagoas for private properties. The managed by SPVS. This reserve Tyrannulet Phylloscartes ceciliae, satellite TM-Landsat, used by includes a native plant nursery Golden-tailed Parrotlet Touit INPE, does not reveal deforesta that produces 100 000 seedlings surda, Plain Spinetail Synallaxis tion of areas smaller than 6.4 ha, per year, which will be used to infuscata, Scalloped Antbird thus excluding from its results restore degraded areas of the new Myrmeciza ruficauda, Black the impact of hundreds of land area. The project is expected headed Berryeater Carpornis thousands of small-scale farmers to bring several key benefits. It melanocephala, Buff-throated and selective logging of lucrative will help protect the primary Purpletuft Iodopleura pipra, species. ‘The new figures clearly source of drinking water for White-winged Cotinga Xipholena show that efforts by the Brazilian Antonina’s population of c. 20 000 atropurpurea, Seven-coloured government have failed to stop, or inhabitants. It will contribute to Tanager Tangara fastuosa, even to slow, deforestation of the biodiversity conservation; the site Forbes’s Blackbird Curaeus forbesi Amazon’, Greenpeace Amazon is thought to hold six globally and Yellow-faced Siskin Carduelis campaigner Paulo Adário said. threatened bird species. Finally, yarrellii. ‘This loss of forest cover in the the project hopes to create a • Jacqueline M. Goerck, BirdLife Amazon is unacceptable and scientific model to better International — Brazil Pro unsustainable.’ Greenpeace is understand the role that gramme, in litt. June 2001, calling on the Brazilian govern- reforestation can play in September 2001 mitigating climate change. The

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ment to reduce deforestation to defending the bill. Environmen Numbers of chicks are thought to zero by the year 2010. talists favour the existing have declined slightly, from 229 in • Reported on BIOPLAN list measure and want it to be made 1995–96 to 175 in 2000. A suitable server, 16 May 2001 permanent. They fear that local method of assessing Magellanic governments with inadequate Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus Developers win first round in technical expertise may has still not been found. The Brazil Amazon battle undertake the zoning studies. population of Black-browed In early September 2001, a • Marco Sibaja, Reuters news Albatross Diomedea melanophris Brazilian congressional commis service (http://www.planetark.org), is thought to have crashed from sion approved a bill that 7 September 2001 468 000 pairs in 1995–96 to environmentalists say could 382 000 pairs in 2000. The accelerate destruction of the ARGENTINA authors of the study — Becky Amazon, should it become law. Ingham, Andrea Clausen and Nic The bill calls for local environ Results of Falklands Seabirds Huin — calculate that ‘this mental and land-use studies to Census 2000 represents a decline of 17 000 per form the basis for permitting Falklands Conservation has year, or 48 per day, or two per current limits on logging on advanced its seabird censuses, hour’. The worryingly sharp private land in the Amazon to be with several significant results. decline is considered due to relaxed. Its opponents, however, Detailed surveys by three teams longline fishing operations over vowed the bill would not gain in October–December 2000 the Patagonian Shelf. As a result, approval on the floor of both targeted all colonies in the the Falklands Government is chambers of Congress, which is archipelago. Gentoo Penguin expected to introduce a law that required for it to become law. Even Pygoscelis papua was found to requires every longliner in if approved, President Fernando have increased from 65 000 pairs Falkland waters to have an Henrique Cardoso has said he in 1995–96 to 113 000 pairs. observer on board — to improve would veto it. Moacir Micheletto, However, breeding success was the reliability of bycatch figures from Paraná, who is a supporter of lower than normal, at 0.4 chick and increase the use of mitigation the farming industry, drew up the per pair. The Rockhopper Penguin measures to reduce mortality. bill. It advocates the introduction Eudyptes chrysocome population • The Warrah 19: 2–4 (2001) of ‘zoning’ studies of Amazon was thought to be stable around forest to determine how much 272 000 pairs, with the previous New Ramsar site forest can be cut. It seeks to estimate of 297 000 pairs in 1995– Laguna de Vilama has been replace a three-year old 96 now considered to be an declared Argentina’s eighth ‘provisional’ measure that overestimate, due to inaccurate Ramsar site. The area covers requires 80% of all private survey methodologies. The species 157 000 ha of Andean highland property in the Amazon to be remains a cause for concern, lagoons in Jujuy province, at protected, opening the way to having not recovered its previous 4500 m above sea level. The reduce that percentage if local high numbers and continues to lagoons support a rich aquatic studies recommend such changes. decline elsewhere in the world. avifauna, while the surrounding ‘With the current provisional King Penguin Aptenodytes plains hold scarce species such as measure, 20 million Brazilians patagonicus is thought to have Greater Rhea Rhea americana. are unable to produce and take increased from 38 pairs in the • The Ramsar Newsletter 32: 8 their goods to market’, said 1980s to 344–516 pairs in 2000. (2001) lawmaker Marcio Bittar,