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organised by the Grupo para always the most abundant of the la Conservación de Flamencos three, although this is the first Altoandinos (GCFA)13, we record of nesting at the lake. found P. andinus nesting The total number of P. andinus at Laguna Purulla, in the recorded during the 2010 census Lagunas Altoandinas y Puneñas was 461 individuals, or more than de Catamarca Ramsar site, 1% of the global population10,14. We Catamarca, north-west Argentina recorded 126 James’ Flamingos (26°40’26”S 67°51’15”W; 3,500 m). and 20 Chilean Flamingos at the This site is a shallow hyper-saline same time on the lake. lake of 119.7 ha. Six microhabitats Andean Flamingo nests in are present at Laguna Purulla: shallow to deep hyper-saline lakes8 salt flats, mud shores, mud with at 2,305 m (Salar de Atacama, a film of water, shallow water (<1 Chile) to 4,325 m (Salar de Surire, m depth), deep water (>1 m depth) Chile). The most successful and vegas8. nesting sites for the species prior We recorded three nesting to 2006 were in Chile3. Since then groups, two of them—A (n=57 smaller numbers of chicks have nests) and B (n=40)—in the centre been reported at several sites in of Laguna Purulla, and group Chile1,2,4,7. In contrast, Andean C (n=3) in the southern part. Flamingo has been reported in Observations were made from increasing numbers and breeding the shore using telescopes for one at Reserva Eduardo Avaroa, in hour. Group A was c.70 m from the Bolivia, since 20063,6. shore, and 30% of the nests had In Argentina there are only two adults incubating and c.20% adults previous nesting records of Andean standing by the nest. We counted Flamingo: in December 1986 at First confirmed nesting 26 nests with one egg each. Group Laguna Mar Chiquita, Córdoba11 record of Andean Flamingo B was further away, c.200 m from within a colony of P. chilensis (of Phoenicoparrus andinus in the shore, and many birds were c.700 nests an estimated 100 were Catamarca, Argentina, and walking, standing and flying in the P. andinus), and at Laguna Brava, remarks on its breeding vicinity; 90% of nests had adults La Rioja, in 19989. The latter ecology incubating, although no eggs were record we consider doubtful due Andean Flamingo Phoenicoparrus seen. At C, the three nests had to the lack of documentation and andinus, currently classified adults incubating constantly. We because it does not match other as Vulnerable based on IUCN took a number of images (Fig. 1) records from the same place and criteria, is the rarest flamingo and video. period10,18. Also, two adult Andean in the world. With a population Laguna Purulla was censused Flamingos were recorded in a currently estimated at 38,60014, it by the GCFA in January / huge colony of more than 27,000 uses limited breeding areas and February of 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005 Chilean Flamingos at Laguna the species’ reproductive output and in 2007–1010,14,20,21. During Llancanelo, Mendoza, in February has been very low in the past each census, we recorded three 201019, although it is unclear if decade. species of flamingos: P. andinus, they were actually nesting or just On 24 January 2010, during James’ Flamingo P. jamesi and resting within the colony. the fourth simultaneous flamingo Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus Of the 13 breeding sites in Chile census in South America, chilensis. Andean Flamingo was just five were occupied in 2010 and only one was successful (Salar de Tara, 80 chicks fledged). In Bolivia, of 1,812 chicks unidentified to species during the summer census, >500 were confirmed as Andean Flamingos during the 2010 ringing effort16. We consider Laguna Purulla to be important to the species’ survival given its currently low reproductive output10,15,17. Furthermore, in the regional context of pressures on high-Andean wetlands, Laguna Purulla becomes even more Figure 1. Colony of Andean Flamingos Phoenicoparrus andinus, Laguna Purulla, significant. Mining activity has Catamarca, Argentina, January 2010 (Amelia Clark) increased at Andean Flamingo

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nesting areas in Chile during Landsat TM inventory and Forestal & Wildlife recent years, and new mining assessment of waterbird Conservation Society. projects and a huge geothermal habitat in the southern 16. Rocha, O., Aguilar, S. & development are imminent at altiplano of South America. Vargas, M. (2010) Anillado 12 the Bolivian sites . Although Wetlands Ecol. & Managem. de flamencos altoandinos mining exploration is intense 12: 563–573. In: Manual de técnicas de in Argentina, particularly in 9. Bucher, E. H., Chani, J. M. & monitoreo de condiciones Catamarca, Laguna Purulla has Echevarría, A. (2000) Andean ecológicas para el manejo been unaffected to date. The lake Flamingo breeding at Laguna integrado de la red de forms part of the Parinas wetland Brava, La Rioja, Argentina. humedales de importancia complex in Catamarca, one of 22 Waterbirds 23: 119–120. para la conservación de priority sites in the High Andean 10. Caziani, S. M., Rocha, O., 13 flamencos altoandinos. Salta: Flamingos Wetland Network . The Rodriguez, E., Romano, M., Fundación YUCHAN. GCFA will continue monitoring Derlindati, E. J., Talamo, 17. Rodríguez, E. & Contreras, the wetland to determine whether A., Ricalde, D., Quiroga, C., the site supports regular nesting Contreras, J. P., Valqui, M. J. (1998) Conservación events. & Sosa H. (2007) Seasonal de flamencos en Chile. distribution, abundance, and In: Valverde, V. (ed.) La Acknowledgements nesting of Puna, Andean and conservación de la fauna We thank the GCFA and the Chilean Flamingos. Condor nativa en Chile, logros y Catamarca field team. Amelia 109: 276–287. perspectivas. Santiago de Clark and Facundo Montañez 11. Cobos V., Miatello, R. & Baldo, Chile: CONAF & Ministerio provided digiscoped images and J. (1999) Algunas especies de de Agricultura de Chile. video, respectively. aves nuevas y otras con pocos 18. Sosa, H. (2000) Censo estival References registros para la provincia de flamencos en Reserva 1. Amado, N., Castro, A. de Córdoba, Argentina II. Laguna Brava, observaciones & Rodríguez E. (2007) Nuestras Aves 39: 7–11. sobre la situación de la Nidificación de flamencos 12. Empresa Nacional de avifauna acuática y terrestre, en la región de Antofagasta, Electricidad de Bolivia (2010) La Rioja, Argentina. Unpubl. Chile; temporada Proyecto de Generación rep. reproductiva 2006-2007. Geotermoeléctrica Laguna 19. Sosa, H. & Martin, S. (2010) Flamingo 15: 21–25. Colorada – Campo Sol Primer registro de la Parina 2. Amado, N., Castro, A., Cortés, de Mañana & Línea de Grande (Phoenicoparrus Transmisión. www.ende.bo M., Ochoa, C., Jara, J., andinus) nidificando en (accessed 23 June 2010). Aravena, F., Pizarro, C. & la laguna Llancanelo, 13. Marconi, P. (2010) Censo Parra C. (2010) Resultados Mendoza, Argentina. Nótulas simultáneo internacional preliminares de la evaluación Faunísticas 42: 1–3. 2010. In: Manual de técnicas de colonias reproductivas de 20. Sureda, A. L. (2003) Patrones flamenco andino en Chile. de monitoreo de condiciones de diversidad en aves de I Congr. Latinoamericano ecológicas para el manejo lagunas altoandinas de de Conservación de la integrado de la red de Catamarca, noroeste de Biodiversidad, San Miguel de humedales de importancia Tucumán, Argentina, 22 al para la conservación de Argentina. Undergraduate 26 de noviembre de 2010. flamencos altoandinos. Salta: thesis. Salta: Universidad 3. Anon. (2006) In situ breeding Fundación YUCHAN. Nacional de Salta. summary, South America. 14. Marconi, P., Sureda, A. L., 21. Valqui, M., Caziani, S., Rocha, Flamingo 14: 5–6. Arengo, F., Aguilar, M. S., O. & Rodríguez, E. (2000) 4. Anon. (2007) In situ breeding Amado, N., Alza, L., Rocha, Abundance and distribution summary, South America. O., Torres, R., Moschione, of the South American Flamingo 15: 7. F., Romano, M., Sosa, H. altiplano flamingos. 5. Anon. (2008) In situ breeding & Derlindati, E. (2009) Waterbirds 23: 110–113. summary, South America. Fourth simultaneous Flamingo 16: 8. flamingo census in South Patricia Marconi and Ricardo 6. Anon. (2009) In situ breeding America: preliminary results. Clark summary, South America. Flamingo 18: 48–53. Fundación YUCHAN – GCFA, Flamingo 17: 6–7. 15. Parada, M. (1992) Mariano Moreno 1950, 4401 Villa 7. Anon. (2009) Breeding & Conservación de flamencos San Lorenzo, Salta, Argentina. ringing reports, South en el norte de Chile. Período E-mail: [email protected]. America. Flamingo 18: 5. 1985–1990. Informe de 8. Boyle, T., Caziani, S. & proyecto. Antofagasta: Received 30 November 2010; final Waltermire, R. (2004) Corporación Nacional revision accepted 26 April 2011

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