Use of urban areas by two emblematic and threatened birds in the central Andes of Colombia

Margarita M López-Garcia,Javier Ignacio Garzón Zuluaga,Oscar Humberto Marín-Gómez,Diana Milena Santa-Aristizabal,Jorge Hernán López

doi:10.1007/bf03544353

Margarita M López-Garcia, Javier Ignacio Garzón Zuluaga + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03544353

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Abstract

The Turquoise Dacnis ( Dacnis hartlaubi ) and the Cerulean Warbler ( Setophaga cerulea ) are categorized as “vulnerable” at global scale. Habitat loss and degradation following rapid agricultural expansion and urban development are the main causes of their declines. In this note we present the first documented records of these species in urban green areas in South America. Our observations were undertaken between 2007–2014 during surveys of the avifauna of Armenia City in the central Andes of Colombia. We recorded Turquoise Dacnis on 19 occasions and Cerulean Warbler on 10. Most records were solitary males foraging in Cecropia angustifolia and Inga ornata trees, and some were associated with mixed species flocks. Both species used forest patches, parks and areas with scattered trees. Our observations suggest that cities may provide passage and/or wintering areas for these threatened species.

Highlights

The Turquoise Dacnis, Dacnis hartlaubi (Sclater, 1855), is a Colombian endemic species with a disjunct distribution in the Andean mountains (Hilty & Brown 1986, Botero & Verhelst 2001)
Most records were solitary males foraging in Cecropia angustifolia and Inga ornata trees, and some were associated with mixed species flocks
The Cerulean Warbler occurs in low montane forest, traditional shade coffee agroecosystems, secondary forests, and scrubland habitats between 500 to 2000 m a.s.l. (Hilty & Brown 1986, Colorado et al 2014, BirdLife International 2016b)

Summary

Introduction

The Turquoise Dacnis, Dacnis hartlaubi (Sclater, 1855), is a Colombian endemic species with a disjunct distribution in the Andean mountains (Hilty & Brown 1986, Botero & Verhelst 2001). Most records were solitary males foraging in Cecropia angustifolia and Inga ornata trees, and some were associated with mixed species flocks. During surveys of the avifauna and some birding trips in the urban parks and natural corridors of the Armenia city carried out between 2007 and 2014, we observed multiple individuals of both Turquoise Dacnis and Cerulean Warbler.

Results

Conclusion