COMPOSICIÓN Y ESTRUCTURA AVIAR EN DOS PARCHES DE BOSQUE SECO EN EL VALLE DEL CAUCA

Abstract

The dry forest is one of the most degraded, fragmented and less known ecosystems, it is being transformed to implement cities, livestock and crops, leaving only small forest patches which are considered important reservoirs of biodiversity. Given the absence of birdlife information on patches of dry forest still present in the Valle del Cauca and their role in maintenance of the bird populations, the objective of this study was to determine and compare the structure and composition of the avifauna in the forest patches the Chatas and Colindres, and to compare their avifauna with other dry forest areas of the region. In each forest, three sampling days per month were performed from July until December in 2012. Counting points and bird captures were done to monitor individuals. Seventy-six species of birds, belonging to twenty-eight families and fourteen orders were recorded. Five migratory species, nine moderately endangered and two regional endemic species were found. Although species richness and trophic groups was similar (p>0,05), the Colindres forest had a greater diversity (H'= 3.36 and 2.95 for Las Chatas), supported for high plant richness and quality of its landscape matrix. Although both forests are of similar size, they shared 46% of birdspecies, being they complementary for conservation of bird populations. It is important to implement a monitoring and conservation strategies that allow the restoration or recovery of these forest patches, which are important refuges of bird species.