Title Page Evaluation of Waterbird Populations and their Conservation in Guatemala Knut Eisermann1 Sociedad Guatemalteca de Ornitología Part of an evaluation of waterbird populations and their conservation in Central America, a project of BirdLife International and SalvaNATURA, El Salvador, funded by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act) Within the Initiative Waterbird Conservation for the Americas Guatemala City, March, 2006 1 P.O.Box 98 Periférico, Guatemala, Guatemala. E-mail: [email protected] Waterbird Conservation for the Americas Country Report for Guatemala Contents ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 RESULTS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 6 SPECIES OCCURRING WITHIN THE COUNTRY....................................................................................................................................................... 6 DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT NEEDS INFORMATION .............................................................................................................................................. 8 POPULATION ESTIMATES, PERCENT OF GLOBAL POPULATION, AND IN-COUNTRY TRENDS (STATUS)..................................................................... 10 SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN ...................................................................................................................................................................... 10 LOCATIONS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF KEY SITES USED BY AQUATIC SPECIES ......................................................................................................... 11 Manchón-Guamuchal............................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Sipacate-Naranjo ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Monterrico - Hawaii.................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 El Paraíso - La Barrona ........................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Lake Güija................................................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Lake Amatitlán ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 19 Lake Atitlán .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Punta de Manabique................................................................................................................................................................................ 21 Río Dulce / Chocón Machacas / Río Sarstún .......................................................................................................................................... 22 Bocas del Polochic................................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Laguna Lachuá and Floodplain of the Ik'bolay river ................................................................................................................................ 24 Petexbatún............................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 El Pucté.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Lake Petén Itzá........................................................................................................................................................................................ 27 Yaxhá-Nakum-Naranjo ............................................................................................................................................................................ 28 Mirador-Río Azul...................................................................................................................................................................................... 29 Laguna del Tigre...................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Potential sites........................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 ISSUES AND THREATS TO WATERBIRDS AND THEIR HABITATS............................................................................................................ 31 LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF WATERBIRD POPULATIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 31 HABITAT ALTERATION...................................................................................................................................................................................... 32 REDUCTION OF FOOD RESOURCES................................................................................................................................................................... 32 HUNTING AND FISHERIES................................................................................................................................................................................. 32 INTRODUCED SPECIES..................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 WATER POLLUTION ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 33 DISTURBANCE OF ROOSTING AND FORAGING SITES .......................................................................................................................................... 33 MANAGEMENT DEFICIENCIES ........................................................................................................................................................................... 34 GENERAL LACK OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE GUATEMALAN SOCIETY ........................................................................................ 35 INFECTIOUS DISEASES..................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 CLIMATE CHANGE ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 ONGOING AQUATIC BIRD CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AND PARTICIPANTS...................................................................................... 35 LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 FORMAL AND INFORMAL INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS FOR AQUATIC BIRD CONSERVATION ............................................................................... 36 ORGANIZATIONS RELEVANT TO WATERBIRD AND/OR WETLAND CONSERVATION .................................................................................................. 39 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................................................................................................... 40 MONITORING AND INDICATORS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 40 CONCLUSIONS