Birds in rice field, drawn to areas mulched by farmers.

This study will be carried out within one of the most important seasonal freshwater marshes in Central America, located in Palo Verde National Park in north-western Costa Rica, about 250 km northwest of the capital of San Jose, and in adjacent wetlands and irrigated rice fields. We will study habitat use and behaviour of migratory and resident waterfowl in:

Johanna Hurtado in the field.

a) areas of the protected Palo Verde marsh with and without restoration activity (mechanical crushing),

b) two contaminated wetlands (one within the park - Bocana marsh, and one just outside the park) that receive agricultural drainage, and

c) neighbouring irrigated rice fields at all stages of preparation and growth.

Additionally, the impact of waterfowl on neighbouring rice fields will be quantified, as well as the impacts on waterfowl of agricultural practices, including positive activities (such as wet cultivation) as well as negative ones (such as pesticide use).

Finally, the perceptions that rural human populations have of the presence of waterfowl in natural and in agricultural habitats will be investigated. Environmental education activities will be directed towards schoolchildren, in an effort to assure positive perceptions towards waterfowl and to help reduce future negative agricultural practices.