Nicholas Bayly
Other projects
20 Dec 2007
Evaluating a Stepping Stone for Neotropical Migratory Birds – The Belizean North-East Biological Corridor
24 Jul 2009
Crossing the Caribbean: Identifying Critical Fuelling Sites for Neotropical Migratory Birds in Northern Colombia
9 Jul 2013
Crossing the Caribbean: Conserving the Darién Migratory Bird Hotspot by Building Capacity for Ecotourism
This project aims to consolidate and build on findings from phase 1 of Crossing the Caribbean by expanding education and training activities in key areas and by identifying conservation hotspots for migratory birds in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Research activities will expand to the Darien, in order to continue and expand the process of characterising and prioritising stopover sites for protection in northern Colombia.
Over 800 million Neotropical migratory land birds travel between North and South America every year, which for many species involves flights of varying length over the Caribbean Sea. The northern coast of Colombia is the first land the majority of land birds encounter in South America or, in the case of spring migration, the last. Like the Gulf coast of North America, northern Colombia is expected to harbour stopover sites essential to migratory success, yet stopover behaviour in this region remains unstudied. The lack of such information is limiting the design of effective conservation strategies for Neotropical migrants, many of which have experienced declines in the last 40 years. This ongoing project aims to facilitate the protection of stopover sites in northern Colombia through the accomplishment of three complimentary objectives.
Research and monitoring – To determine stopover site use, migratory routes and connectivity between breeding populations in two stopover regions, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) and the Darien, by undertaking mist-netting, transects, automated acoustic monitoring and stable isotope analysis. These data will underpin a prioritization of stopover sites in northern Colombia.
Habitat protection – To promote the protection of pre-montane forest hotspots in the SNSM through a conservation plan based on modelling of habitat availability and vulnerability. Pre-montane forest was identified as a key habitat in phase 1 of this project because it not only supported the highest abundance and diversity of migratory land birds but also harboured 7 species endemic to the SNSM and 8 species at risk of extinction. Further, this habitat has lost over 70% of its original cover making it a high priority for conservation actions.
Education and capacity building – Create awareness of and capacity for studying migratory birds in the SNSM, by introducing an educational curriculum with migratory birds as a central theme into three strategically located schools and train individuals in avian research techniques through a workshop, an internship and employment.