Avifauna associated with two fragments of tropical dry forest located near airports in La Guajira – Colombia

Abstract

Introduction: In Colombian territory, some aerodromes are close to natural areas, of which there is no information on their biodiversity. This research recorded the avifauna of two Tropical Dry Forests (TDF) near airports, becoming the first work of its kind in Colombia. Objective: to establish an approximation of the avifauna and the conservation status present in TDF fragments near the airports in La Guajira - Colombia. Materials and methods: linear transects were carried out in the TDF close to the Jorge Isaacs and Almirante Padilla airports, in addition, their avifauna was compared with that reported in two TDF of La Guajira, these were: Rancherias Itaka and Alto Pine (secondary source of information). The degree of similarity between the four TDF was determined by Jaccard's coefficient. Results: In the TDF of the Jorge Isaacs airport, a total of 45 species were reported and for the Almirante Padilla airport, 34 species. Little affinity was obtained between the birds of the TDF de las Rancherias and the Almirante Padilla with the Jorge Isaacs, which could be related to the presence of human settlements near these forests, observing Hemisynanthropic birds. In the Jorge Isaacs, the environmental pressure was limited to that exerted by aeronautical activities, therefore, Anisanthropic species were recorded, which would indicate the maintenance of the vegetation cover. Conclusion: The TDF near airports in La Guajira represent important sites for bird conservation, for this reason, it is necessary to continue studying them and seek strategies that guarantee their conservation.