Autor: Admin Paul

Tuesday 23 December 2008.

ProAves supported eminent Andean ornithologist, Dr Niels Krabbe to study the birds in the Reserva El Dorado in 2007. His research has revealed new insights into the birds of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, including the discovery of one new species for science (Santa Marta Screech-owl Megascops gilesi) and production of the CD of bird songs “Birds of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta” available from ProAves.

Automolus rufipectus.

In a scientific paper published this month in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club, Niels justified the species status of a thitherto overlooked subspecies of Ruddy Foliage-gleaner Automolus rubiginosus rufipectus that is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Not only is this taxa distinctive, but it may even be more closely related to a genus Hylocryptus composed of two species in southern Ecuador and Peru and Brazil.

The species, named the Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner Automolus rufipectus was only found in the El Dorado Bird Reserve and is restricted to closed canopy primary subtropical forest, which is extremely fragmented and predominately cleared for agriculture. While know to occur in other sites in the Sierra Nevada, the species highly restricted range and sensitivity of habitat suggest the species be considered as Vulnerable to extinction.

The Sierra Nevada has no fewer than 70 endemic bird taxa (species and subspecies), and is perhaps the most diverse smaller centre of terrestrial endemism in the world. Seventeen are presently ranked as species by ProAves checklist to the birds of Colombia.

Preliminary analyses of vocalisations from El Dorado suggest that species rank is likely to be appropriate for five other taxa, including the Masked Trogon (Trogon personatus sanctaemartae), Montane Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger sanctaemartae), Rufous Antpitta (Grallaria rufula spatiator),Gray-breasted Wood-wren (Henicorhina leucophrys anachoreta), and Stripe-headed Brush-finch (Arremon torquatus basilicas), and possibly others.

Monday 9 March 2009.

The new species was discovered on Proyecto YARE, a research and conservation initiative by Fundación ProAves in Serrania de los Yariguies, Santander and funded by the BP Conservation Leadership Programme. During fieldwork in this previously unstudied region, Blanca Huertas and Cristobal Rios found a butterfly species that they could not identify. Among the distinguishing features are its unusually hairy mouthparts, reminiscent of a moustache! Further studies and comparisons with texts and in museums led Huertas to conclude that the species was previously undiscovered: and new to science. It was described and named as Splendeuptychia ackeryi and is now being referred to as the “Magdalena Valley Ringlet”. The description was published in a recent issue of leading scientific journal, Zootaxa.

(c) Natural History Museum

On returning to the Natural History Museum, where she is the curator in charge of the butterfly collection, Huertas found further specimens of the Magdalena Valley Ringlet, among the three million butterfly specimens there. These specimens had laid without identification for 90 years.

(c) Blanca Huertas/Proyecto YARÉ

The Magdalena Valley Ringlet has a highly localized range: known from Andean slopes bordering the Magdalena valley, including from near two ProAves reserves: the Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve in Santander and the Chestnut-capped Piha Reserve in Antioquia.

As a result of discoveries such as this on Proyecto YARE and other fieldwork initiatives supported by ProAves, Serrania de los Yariguies was declared a National Park in 2005 and ProAves has established two nature reserves in the region.

Wednesday 10 February 2010.

The Tapaculos (genus Scytalopus) are one of the most complicated groups of birds to identify largely as they look strikingly similar, but their voice is one of the key ways to distinguish between different taxa. In recent decades, the surge of bird recordings by ornithologists from across the Andes has revealed the tremendous diversity of Tapaculo species with the number of recognized species having risen from ten to nearly forty. For example, in 2008, another ProAves project resulted in the discovery of a new subspecies Scytalopus griseicollis gilesi and alerted ornithologists to a further four undescribed populations in Colombia and Venezuela. There are several species complexes that remain unresolved and new species and subspecies pending to be described.

The Paramo Tapaculo (Scytalopus canus) is common in the timberline and paramo areas of the Northern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru. It was described 95 years ago by Frank Chapman on the basis of ten specimens collected at 3,810 meters elevation on Páramo de Paramillo in the Western Cordillera of Antioquia, Colombia. This site has been inaccessible for decades so further information on this species was not possible.

In August 2004, a ProAves expedition led by our Council member Dr Niels Krabbe, undertook the first bird survey of the highest massif in the Western Cordillera after over 50 years, in the Páramo del Sol (also known as Páramo Frontino), in the municipality of Urrao, Antioquia – 70 km SSW of Páramo de Paramillo. The results of that expedition have been tremendous, including the rediscovery of the Critically Endangered Dusky Starfrontlet and the establishment of the Colibri del Sol Bird Reserve by ProAves that protects a critical tract of montane forest and páramo in the Paramo del Sol.

During this expedition, Niels Krabbe (one of the leading experts on the Scytalopus genus) made tape recordings and collected one Paramo Tapaculo in the now Colibrí del Sol Bird Reserve, which formed the basis to permit a major revision of the species across its entire range. Working in collaboration with Dr Daniel Cadena of Los Andes University in Bogota (Laboratorio de Biología Evolutiva de Vertebrados), they examined the phylogenetic relationships and patterns of genetic variation (together with vocalizations) within the entire complex and other Tapaculo species using DNA sequences.

On 9 February, Dr Niels Krabbe and Dr Daniel Cadena published in Zootaxa, a revision to the Paramo Tapaculo which is now composed of multiple taxa (three differentiated lineages), including a new subspecies – Scytalopus opacus androstictus from southern Ecuador and northernmost Peru. The original “Paramo Tapaculo” has changed its name to “Paramillo Tapaculo” (Scytalopus canus) and now only known from a highly restricted area of timberline vegetation on Paramo de Paramillo and Paramo del Sol. The subspecies Scytalopus canus opacus has been given species ranking and given the name Paramo Tapaculo (Scytalopus opacus) which occurs across the Northern Andes of Colombia (except the Western Cordillera), Ecuador and northernmost Peru.

The highly range restricted Paramillo Tapaculo is know from a narrow swath of treeline vegetation (scrub, stunted trees and polylepis woodland) situated between montane forest and páramo grasslands that is often just hundreds of meters wide on both Paramo del Sol and Paramo de Paramillo. While locally common, the estimated area of suitable habitat in both areas for the species is 3 km squared. Only 0.1 km2 is effectively protected by the Colibri del Sol Bird Reserve. Presently, both Paramo del Sol and Paramo de Paramillo are suffering from a severe drought with at least one fire accidentally started by hikers in late January that destroyed a large area of habitat on Paramo del Sol. Extreme droughts related to El Niño, plus the future impacts of climate change, present serious risks for the species and its fragile habitat.

Given the Paramillo Tapaculo’s estimated extent of occurrence and observed decline in the extent and quality of habitat, ProAves considers that the Paramillo Tapaculo probably warrants IUCN Critically Endangered status with immediate efforts to assess its population and implement actions to assist its survival.

To see the first and only photos of Paramillo Tapaculo alive and view the sole location to see the species (in ProAves reserve) see Flickr.

Thursday 18 March 2010.

A brightly colored, new subspecies of Mountain-Tanager has been discovered in Colombia. It was first found in the Serranía de los Yariguíes mountains, near ProAves’ Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve in 2005.

However, it was not until this week that the scientific paper formally describing the new subspecies was published. The new tanager is a subspecies of the Lachrymose Mountain-Tanager, and has been given the scientific name Anisognathus lacrymosus yariguierum. It was discovered and described by ProAves Council member Thomas Donegan and Jorge Enrique Avendaño, who found it during biological explorations of the Yariguíes mountains supported by ProAves. The description was formally published last week in the scientific journal Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club

The new subspecies is a handsome bird, with bright yellow underparts, bluish wings and ’tears’ below its eye. It differs strikingly from other populations in Colombia’s East Andes in its darker upperparts and crown. The name yariguierum refers to the Yariguies mountain range where the species is found, which is itself named for an indigenous group who perished during the Spanish colonial period.

The discovery of any new bird taxon is exciting for ornithologists, but the discovery of a new tanager is of special significance. Tanagers are among the most brightly colored, beautiful, conspicuous and popular groups of birds in the world. As a result, they were frequently a target of bird collectors in the 1800s and most of them were described and discovered over a century ago. New bird species and subspecies in cryptic families like tapaculos and antpittas are still found today, but it is surprising that ornithologists might find a new tanager in the year 2010.

This particular population had gone unnoticed as it is restricted to isolated and virtually inaccessible paramos in the Yariguies range, above 2900 m elevation, and stunted vegetation along steep slopes above 2450 m. It was first found on the ridge of the Yariguies range in an area only accessible by helicopter. The last time that a new tanager subspecies was described was over 15 years ago in 1994, when Aveledo and Perez published details of a population of the Beryl-spangled Tanager from the coastal mountains of Venezuela as Tangara nigroviridis lozanoana. However, there has not been a fieldwork-based discovery in this group since the 1980s.

This is the fifth new bird subspecies described from expeditions in the Yariguies mountains. Also, in butterflies, two new species have been described by Blanca Huertas and colleagues. A large number of endangered bird species are also found in the Yariguíes mountains, including Gorgeted Wood-Quail and Mountain Grackle. As a result of the expeditions and fieldwork supported by ProAves, the Yariguíes mountains were declared a 78,837 ha National Park in 2005 and ProAves established two private nature reserves totalling 2081 ha adjacent to the National Park to protect these and other species.

Thomas Donegan is a member of Fundación ProAves Council and Jorge Enrique Avendaño was formerly an undergraduate student at Universidad Industrial de Santander and is presently studying in the Universidad de Los Andes in Bogota supported by a Giles Scholarship from Fundación ProAves.

Notes

Anisognathus lacrymosus yarigiuerum was discovered on the Fundación ProAves “EBA Project” and “YARÉ Project” expeditions to Serranía de los Yariguíes. These initiatives were supported by Royal Geographical Society, BP Conservation Programme (BirdLife International, Conservation International, Flora Fauna International, Wildlife Conservation Society), Duke of Edinburgh, Fondo para Acción Ambiental, Conservation International Colombia (Becas Iniciativa de Especies Amenazadas-Jorge Ignacio “El Mono” Hernández-Camacho), the Percy Sladen Memorial Fund (Linnean Society), Tropical Andean Butterfly Diversity Project, Game Conservancy Trust, World Pheasant Association, Corporación Autónoma Regional de Santander, Mayoralties of San Vicente de Chucurí, Galan and El Carmen, Universidad Industrial de Santander, Universidad de Caldas, Universidad de Tolima and Gobernación de Santander. Other expedition participants included: Colombian and British biologists and students Blanca Huertas, Elkin Briceño, John Jairo Arias, Cristóbal Ríos, Laura Rosado, Diana Villanueva, Diana Montealegre, Clare Turner, Martin Donegan and local guide José Pinto. Later expeditions to Yariguíes were supported by the Robert Giles Scholarship of Fundación ProAves, The Explores Club, Fundación Alejandro Ángel Escobar and the Faculty of Sciences of Universidad de los Andes.

Contact details for further information:

Thomas Donegan tdonegan@proaves.org

Jorge Avendaño jorgeavec@gmail.com

Links:

EBA Project report for Serranía de los Yariguíes PDF

 Article: Description of Yariguíes Brush-Finch Atlapetes latinuchus yariguierum

Article: Description of butterfly Idioneurula donegani

Article: Description of Scytalopus griseicollis gilesi

Article: Description of Grallaricula nana hallsi

Wednesday 31 March 2010.

The first ever photo of a living Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) was taken on 24 March by Laura Cardenas beside the new “Condor Observation Tower” ay 1,900 meters (6,200 feet) elevation in the El Dorado Nature Reserve in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Laura was monitoring migratory birds in the reserve as part of the project: Crossing the Caribbean: identification of critical sites for migratory birds in northern Colombia. This photograph is the first confirmation of this spectacular hummingbird after over 60 years when the species was collected by ornithologists working in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta at the end of the second world war (in 1946).

The Santa Marta Sabrewing, classified by IUCN as Endangered and endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, is at high risk of extinction. Historical specimens come from the southern slope of the Sierra Nevada where birds would be feeding at high elevation (up to snow line at 4,800 meters) in low vegetation during the warmer wet season (June to September), so more easily seen and collected. During the dry season (February to May), the species is reported to descend to lower elevations (1200-1800 meters) probably because there was a more diverse source of nectar resources. This record at lower elevations during the dry season is consistent with this assumption.

Apart from a single sighting of the species above Valledupar, Cesar Dept in 1990 by Mark Pearman, ProAves and visiting birders have several sightings since 2000 in and below the El Dorado reserve to the town of Minca, typically single birds feeding in the canopy. However, the widespread and relatively common Lazuline Sabrewing (Campylopterus falcatus) is more common in the same area. The real difference is the tail coloration, which fortunately is easy to see.

Surveys by ProAves on the southern slope of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (considered the species core population area) witnessed extremely poor quality of páramo vegetation and lack of native forest – which highlights the species delicate plight. Recent records of the Santa Marta Sabrewing in and around El Dorado and Minca are probably related to the fact that this area remains some of the last remnants of native subtropical forest. This confirmation of the Santa Marta Sabrewing further emphasizes the national and global importance of the El Dorado Nature Reserve for endemic birds and wildlife.

Tuesday 11 May 2010.

The first clear evidence of the species survival was presented in early April and has aroused considerable attention. It has also highlighted the importance of conservation and urgent needs for the many threatened and endemic species found in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

The record generated interest for ornithologists within Colombia that reported a capture and photo of the Sabrewing just months before, but unfortunately the record was not published nor made public. Nevertheless, there have been several observations each year by researchers and visitors since 1999 in the area of the reserve down to the town of Minca, but unfortunately firm evidence has never been obtained.

Santa Marta Sabrewing (Campylopterus phainopeplus) by Laura Cárdenas on 27th March 2010. On the 27th April 2010, ProAves celebrated an agreement with the new NGO called SELVA that now manages the Cruzando el Caribe project within the El Dorado Reserve. The photo is thanks to the Cruzando el Caribe Project and SELVA.

Even sound recordings of Sabrewing vocalizations, possibly of Campylopterus phainopeplus, were recorded by Niels Krabbe board member working for ProAves in Feb 2007. The exact comments on the recordings were “Three or four birds appearing to be Campylopterus phainopeplus were observed and tape-recorded as they fed from a flowering Inga tree at 1150 m on 24 February 2007.” However, as noted by Niels Krabbe, Campylopterus falcatus was not confirmed, but known to be in the same area.

Magascops gilesi.

So despite some discussion, it remains clear that the first published photos Read article is the first clear evidence of the Santa Marta Sabrewing existence in over 60 years.

Some errors were published in a press release issued by American Bird Conservancy, however ProAves and their research has made much progress in ornithology in the area, including a new species of Megascops Screech-owl.

The identification of a distinct species as the Ruddy Foliage-gleaner (Automolus rubiginosus rufipectus) (read more) that is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the first investigation and recording was done by Dr Niels Krabbe within the Natural Reserve El Dorado (11° 5’28 .78 “N, 74 ° 4’26 .27” W). Not only is this taxa distinctive, but it may even be more closely related to a genus Hylocryptus composed of two species in southern Ecuador and Peru and Brazil.

Automolus rufipectus.

The species, named the Santa Marta Foliage-gleaner Automolus rufipectus was studied by Niels Krabbe inside El Dorado Bird Reserve and is restricted to closed canopy primary subtropical forest, which is extremely fragmented and predominately cleared for agriculture. While know to occur in other sites in the Sierra Nevada, the species highly restricted range and sensitivity of habitat suggest the species be considered Vulnerable to extinction.

Preliminary analysis of vocalizations from El Dorado by Dr Niels Krabbe and are now on sale while species rank is likely to be appropriate for five other taxa, including the Masked Trogon (Trogon personatus sanctaemartae), Montane Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes lacrymiger sanctaemartae), Rufous Antpitta (Grallaria rufula spatiator),Gray-breasted Wood-wren (Henicorhina leucophrys anachoreta), and Stripe-headed Brush-finch (Arremon torquatus basilicas), and possibly others.

We thank the media for its interest in showing the importance to science and conservation of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, now we must push actions for its conservation.

Wednesday 11 May 2011.

Matched by more than $15.1 million in additional funds from partners, the projects will support habitat restoration, environmental education, population monitoring, and other priority activities within the ranges of neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Mexico and 13 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The grants are funded under the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, which supports public-private partnerships carrying out projects in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean that promote the long-term conservation of neotropical migratory birds and their habitats. Neotropical migratory birds breed in Canada and the United States during summer and spend the winter in Mexico, Central America, South America or the Caribbean islands.

“The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act is a catalyst for bird conservation projects, and the grants made under the Act allow bird habitat conservation to take place where it otherwise might not happen,” said Acting Service Director Rowan Gould. “These grants bring together partners to achieve conservation on a far greater scale than would otherwise be possible.”

The more than 340 species of neotropical migratory birds include plovers, terns, hawks, cranes, warblers, and sparrows. The populations of many of these birds are presently in decline, and several species are currently protected as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act of 2000 established a matching grants program to fund projects promoting the conservation of neotropical migratory birds in the United States, Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Funds may be used to protect, research, monitor, and manage bird populations and habitat as well as to conduct law enforcement and community outreach and education. By law, at least 75 percent of the money goes to projects in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada, while the remaining 25 percent will go to projects in the United States.

Examples of projects receiving grants include: U.S.-Mexico Grassland Bird Conservation, Phase IX (Mexico, United States) Grantee: Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory This project will continue work funded through the Act since 2002 to conserve grassland bird species of western North America. Partners will conduct grassland bird research and monitoring in Mexico to provide quality data to inform conservation and management of high priority wintering grassland bird species.

They also will conduct training in Mexico to build local capacity for grassland bird conservation and in Colorado to educate students and teachers about grassland birds and habitat.

Conservation Action for Bicknell’s Thrush Across its Range in Canada Grantee: Bird Studies Canada. Project partners will work together across the Bicknell thrush’s breeding range in Canada to mitigate threats and set the stage for long-term species recovery. Primary objectives are to partner with forestry companies and relevant agencies to develop and implement best management practices on industrial forest land and to develop specific habitat and population targets for individual management jurisdictions. Regional and range-wide monitoring programs will evaluate the success of these conservation actions.

More information about all projects awarded grants is on the Web at:  www.fws.gov

The magnificent Santa Marta Toro (Santamartamys rufodorsalis), stayed for almost two hours while two ProAves volunteers took the first photos ever of a creature the world thought would never be seen again.

The charming nocturnal rodent made his re-debut to the world at 9:30PM on May 4, 2011 at the Reserva Natural El Dorado, in the Sierra Nevada. The reserve was established in 2005 by Fundación ProAves – Colombia’s foremost bird conservation organization – with support from Rainforest Trust, ABC, and Fundación Loro Parque.

The animal was rediscovered by Lizzie Noble and Simon McKeown – two volunteers with ProAves monitoring endangered amphibians. It posed for photographs – including close-ups -before calmly proceeding back to the forest, but they were unaware of the significance of the sighting until they showed Rainforest Trust CEO, Dr Paul Salaman, who immediately identified the species as the long-lost Santa Marta Toro also known as the Red-crested Tree Rat.

“He just shuffled up the handrail near where we were sitting and seemed totally unperturbed by all the excitement he was causing. We are absolutely delighted to have rediscovered such a wonderful creature after just a month of volunteering with ProAves. Clearly the El Dorado Reserve has many more exciting discoveries waiting,” said Lizzie Noble from Godalming, England.

Red-crested Tree Rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis).

“We are so proud that our El Dorado Nature Reserve has provided a safe haven for this enigmatic little guy to survive. The discovery exemplifies why we buy forested properties known to be important for endangered wildlife yet at imminent risk of being destroyed. We are also proud that our volunteers made the discovery of the decade, and hope future eco-tourists will see the mammal at the reserve,” said Lina Daza, Executive Director of ProAves.

“The El Dorado Nature Reserve represents the ultimate Noah’s Ark, protecting the last populations of many critically endangered and endemic flora and fauna; a living treasure trove like no other on earth,” said Dr. Paul Salaman, the CEO from Rainforest Trust who confirmed the identity of the species.

The Red-crested Tree Rat will now likely be designated as Critically Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species criteria. What is most concerning, however, is that much of the tree rat’s potential remaining range is inundated with introduced feral cats that prey on native fauna.

To download the pictures click here.

The 2,000-acre El Dorado reserve is named after the legendary lost city of gold, and is internationally known as a unique destination for eco-tourists. It is situated in cloud forests at 5,900 feet, just two hours’ drive from the popular coastal tourist city of Santa Marta. The reserve and adjacent lands host the highest concentration of continental, range-restricted bird species found anywhere in the world, including the endangered Santa Marta Parakeet, Santa Marta Bush-Tyrant, and Santa Marta Sabrewing, all of which have their entire or major stronghold populations there. It also holds one of the highest concentrations of endemic and threatened amphibian species in the world. The reserve is among the world’s highest priorities for conservation, yet remarkably little is known about the area.

This discovery marks the beginning of a major effort by ProAves and Rainforest Trust to save the Santa Marta Toro.

El Dorado Bird Reserve

[slickr-flickr search=”sets” set=”72157616919731317″ items=”20″ type=”gallery”]

With the support of:

Monday 16 February 2009.

The eradication of non-native and invasive pines in and around the Reserva El Dorado is critical for saving endangered fauna of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, especially two species of Critically Endangered Harlequin frogs and the Endangered Santa Marta Parakeet.

Unfortunately, a large area of native vegetation on the Cuchilla de San Lorenzo ridge was cleared in the 1970’s and reforested by the National Parks authority by non-native pines. Unfortunately, the pines have matured and killed the majority of native flora. Furthermore they have seeded and expanding down the slope across 1-2 km of the ridge into areas of native forest.

Since establishing the El Dorado Bird Reserve on Cuchilla de San Lorenzo, ProAves has felled many thousands of pine seedlings that have invaded native forest. Also we are working with CorpoMag to clear mature pines on the Cuchilla de San Lorenzo ridge within and beside the El Dorado reserve.

Simultaneously ProAves is reforesting cleared pine plantation areas with thousands of seedlings of 14 native species important to the avifauna of the site. Restoring the native flora of the area is a key part of conservation initiatives to save the many endemic species to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

It is estimated that less than 19% of the original vegetation of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta still remains, due large in part to deforestation for crops and livestock, setting fires and non-native plantings. For this reason, ProAves conducts conservation efforts to restore habitats for native species of fauna and flora through the production of local native species and eradication of introduced pine trees and cypresses, and restoring native species.

This year 2009 ProAves will continue the intensive process of eradication of non-native and invasive pines, with the aim of complete the elimination of these plantations in the short term to benefit the endemic and native biodiversity of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

If you want to contribute to forests conservation in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and its biodiversity, please support us with a secure donation online or VOLUNTEER to cut down pines! Write to fundacion@proaves.org

With the support of:

Friday 31 July 2009.

On May 9, 2009, 9 kids living close to El Dorado Bird Natural Reserve were part of a full day of reforestation within the area of the reserve. This activity was created to show the importance of restoring native habitats of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, benefiting one endemic and endangered species of this habitat, the Little-Parrot of Santa Maria (Pyrrhura viridicata).

This beautiful bird has been suffering since many of the native trees were replaced by exotic pinecone trees in some areas and total deforestation in others.

0,18 hectares were designated to be reforested. 181 trees of four endemic species were planted, such as the Ramo Palm (Ceroxylum ceriferum), use by the Little-Parrot of Santa Maria’s main site of nesting, and the Sangro (Croton sp), which it’s the birds main source of food. The four varieties of trees were grown within the botanic nursery of the reserve.

Besides the kids, other people participated in this activity: the teacher in charge of the school group, her assistant, two people for the construction of the fence surrounding the terrain and the reserve’s team. The aim is to continue with restoring habitats in the reserve and in its muffling zone, all with the support of the community and the kids.

More Pictures on Flickr.

Thursday 10 December 2009.

For almost two years and thanks to the support of ABC, Usfws y NMBCA we have in the Corridor Reinita Cerúlea and in the Amphibian Nature Reserve of Ranita Dorada 3 temporary nurseries with a total capacity of 90.000 seedlings. The production is based on the selection of seedlings that provide resources for wildlife, humans and agroforestry systems. 

So far a total of 165.114 seedlings of 56 native species have been produced including species of flora that are under some degree of threat such as: Sweitenia macrophylla (Mahogany), Cariniana pyriformis (Abarco) and Quercus humboldtii (Oak).

In this way 30 hectares have been reforested in silvopastoral systems, 60 hectares of coffee in the shade and 12 hectares of cocoa in open zones (pasture recovery) for a total of 102 hectares.

This process has been joined by 8 community action groups for the paths through which the Corridor passes and in the area of Frías in Falán and more than 50 families not only with reforestation but also with training in reforestation and management of the same delivering educational material which also serves to support those skills.  

En el segundo semestre de 2007 ProAves inició el programa de servidumbres ecológicas en Colombia, con la firma del segundo acuerdo de este tipo, conformado entre su {{[Reserva Natural de las Aves Loro Orejiamarillo->https://www.proaves.org/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=281]}} y el predio La Meseta, en Jardín, Antioquia.

En el segundo semestre de 2007 la Fundación ProAves dio inicio al programa de servidumbres ecológicas en varias localidades de Colombia, con la firma del segundo acuerdo de este tipo, conformado entre su {{[Reserva Natural de las Aves Loro Orejiamarillo->https://www.proaves.org/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=281]}} y el predio La Meseta, del señor Mario Peláez, en Jardín, Antioquia.

La primera servidumbre se había conformado tres años antes, también en el municipio de Jardín, Antioquia, gracias al esfuerzo de organizaciones como [{{Resnatur}}->https://www.proaves.org/article.php?id_article=150], {{[The Nature Conservancy->http://www.nature.org/]}} (TNC) y {{ProAves}}, contando con el acompañamiento de ProAves desde entonces.

Las servidumbres ecológicas son un mecanismo legal de acuerdo voluntario entre dos partes para la conservación, en el que la sociedad civil se encarga de proteger la biodiversidad y los recursos naturales de un área. El programa de ProAves se lleva a cabo a través de sus Reservas Naturales de las Aves y predios particulares, y está dirigido a incrementar y mejorar las áreas destinadas para la conservación de especies de aves tanto residentes como migratorias en todo el territorio nacional.

Están en proceso otras servidumbres como la de la [{{Reserva Natural El}}{{ Paujil}} ->https://www.proaves.org/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=40]y un predio privado de 180 hectáreas en el municipio de Puerto Boyacá, Boyacá; la {{[Reserva Reinita Cielo Azul->https://www.proaves.org/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=78]}} y el Colegio Colnupaz, de San Vicente de Chucurí, Santander; la reserva Loro Orejiamarillo y el predio Fátima-La Cordillera de Támesis, Antioquia, y la reserva Loro Coroniazul y el predio Guayabal de Génova-Quindío.

Con el apoyo de:

Tuesday 24 March 2009.

With the support of Fundación Loro Parque and American Bird Conservancy, ProAves has established a second permanent ecological easement in Colombia, benefiting the Critically Endangered Yellow-eared Parrot. The easement was created beside the Yellow-eared Parrot Bird Reserve. The farm is called La Antioqueña, in Riosucio, department of Caldas.

The Antioqueña is a 1038 acres farm situated at 2600-2850 meters elevation and located in the humid montane forest lifezone. It includes 692 acres of forest and 346 acres of pasturelands for cattle. This area represents a critical site for the Yellow-eared Parrot for reproduction and feeding due to the presence of the Wax Palm and key foraging trees such as Cytharexilum subflavescens, Croton magdalenensis and Sapium utyle.

Panoramical of Farm La Antioqueña and Yellow-eared Parrot Bird Reserve.

The farm owners are Julia Amparo Velásquez Mejía and Gildardo Alzate Gómez, a couple of veterinary doctors devoted to conservation since they bought this land twenty years ago with the aim of having a place to teach and share their love for nature with their children. With their help, ProAves will implement direct conservation actions including silvopasture, forest fragment protection and Wax Palm reforestation.

Protecting the area is vital to counteract the many threatens presented in the municipality of Riosucio due to the lack of adequate conservation programs, land use and pressures from illegal logging and charcoal production. 

If you want to contribute maintaining our conservation activities on Yellow-eared Parrot Bird Reserve or helping directly the conservation of this parrot species, please support us with a secure donation online, join our Adopt a nest box, or write to fundacion@proaves.org

Wednesday 23 September 2009.

The program was created two years ago, and already thirteen ecological easements have been established in the country. Eleven were set up this year, and three of those were in San Vicente de Chucuri, Santander, within the Cerulean Warbler corridor. The easements protect strips of forest that are on coffee and cacao farms. The trees provide native shade for the crops and a place for migratory birds like the Dendroica cerulea (Cerulean Warbler) to arrive.

Recently eight easements were approved in the town of Jardin, Antioquia for the conservation of the Yellow-eared Parrot. They are ecological easements because they protect and conserve the culture of Jardin’s threatened flora and fauna. With the easements in place, the local government becomes connected to conservation efforts, whose aim is to conserve these areas forever. That is why ProAves conserves 458 hectares of land that protect the habitats of threatened species.

Five other easements are currently in process that will further strengthen habitat conservation for many species within the Cerulean Warbler corridor in San Vicente de Chucuri.

We would like to thank all of the government and non-government institutions that develop and approve conservation initiatives and that provide support for their establishment and implementation. Our thanks also go to the local governments in Jardín, Antioquia and San Vicente de Chucuri, Santander to Corantioquia to American Bird Conservancy, Loro Parque Fundación and to all of the community members who have been part of this process.

Jardín (Antioquia)	San Vicente de Chucurí (Santander)

Wednesday 15 April 2009.

These products are made by the group Women for Conservation. These products are a sample of the collection and each design uses different colors and materials. To obtain more information and purchase these products please contact agomez@ecoturs.org

	Product:Necklece Material:Nickel-plated metal rings, hand made with Bombona seed in read color and nickel metal chain Size:44 cm
	Product: Necklece Material:Hand made with oval mustard tagua seed, mustard tagua diente de leon, nickel-plated metal rings and chain. Size:37 cm
	Product:Necklece Material:Hand made with bombona and asai seed color light blue. Size:34 cm
	Product:Necklece Material:Hand made with earthglase brown beeds, square metal bronze rings and chain Size:30 cm
	Product:Necklece Materiales:Hand made with dark green tagua seed and nickel-plated metal rings Size:42 cm
	Producto: Bracelet Material: Size:
	Product:Necklece Material:Hand made with ceramic beeds in brown color and bronze metal chain and rings Size:40 cm
	Product:belt and bracelet Material: Size:
	Product:Bracelet Material:Hand made with camajuro light blue seeds and bronze rings Size:7 cm diameter (elastic)

Tuesday 2 June 2009.

With support from American Bird Conservancy, on April 25, 2009 ProAves and its program Women for Conservation conducted a medical checkup and health workshop for the women who are part of the group in El Paujil Natural Bird Reserve and their families.

The day was held in the reserve between 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM and was attended by 28 children and 26 adults. The population of the area surrounding the reserve is extremely poor and several hours from the nearest health services. For almost all participants this was their first ever health and dental checkup and clearly important as not only has immediate benefits but long-term effects by educating them on basic health issues. The joy and gratitude of the recipients were evident, which gave great satisfaction to the team that performed the work, directed by the program coordinator, Andrea Linares.

The children were also given a talk on oral hygiene and a recreation activity led by Parrot Bus team.

ProAves also delivered these materials to women and their children:

1 gas stove and 13 gas cylinders in order not to use firewood for cooking.
15 bags of Women for Conservation, each with a personal hygiene kit, donated by a woman friend of the program to contribute to it.
14 suitcases for children between 6 and 16 years old, each with a school kit.
10 suitcases for children between 8 months and 6 years old, each with an underwear and outerwear.
22 boxes with an oral hygiene kit.

ProAves thanks all the medical, reserve and logistics staff, as well to many other people who contribute to the activity, for their support.

Witness this wonderful activity clicking in this video.