Birds Of Mexico Research Articles

Molecular and morphological characterization of Andracantha gravida (Alegret, 1941) (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) in piscivorous birds from the Gulf of Mexico.

Adult specimens of Andracantha gravida (Alegret, 1941) were recorded from the intestines of the double-crested cormorant Nannopterum auritus (Lesson) (type host) and brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis L. in two localities from Mexico: Celestún, Yucatan (south-eastern) and Punta Piedra, Tamaulipas (north-eastern). The specimens of A. gravida are morphologically characterized by having a pipe-shaped body without swellings, the absence of small trunk spines between the two fields of spines on the foretrunk and a cylindrical proboscis with 14-16 rows of 10-12 hooks per row. Newly generated partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were generated from adult isolates of A. gravida from Mexico and compared with one sequence of A. gravida and with sequences of other polymorphid acanthocephalans available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods of the cox1 dataset placed all the species of Andracantha in a single clade, with weak support. The analyses of the cox1 dataset placed Andracantha sigma Presswell, García-Varela & Smales, , as sister to the clade formed by A. gravida, Andracantha phalacrocoracis (Yamaguti, 1939), Andracantha leucocarboi Presswell, García-Varela & Smales, and an unidentified species of Andracantha from Japan. The newly generated cox1 sequences of A. gravida from piscivorous birds of Mexico formed a strongly supported clade with the published sequence of A. gravida from the double-crested cormorant from the south-eastern coast of Mexico. The intraspecific genetic divergence among isolates identified as A. gravida ranged from 0.0% to 2.2%. A cox1 haplotype network inferred with 14 sequences revealed the presence of nine haplotypes, two of which were shared between the populations of piscivorous birds from the north-eastern and south-eastern coasts of Mexico and seven of which were unique. The fixation index between the populations from north-eastern and south-eastern Mexico was low (0.06949), which suggests genetic flow. This can be explained by the migration patterns of the brown pelican and the double-crested cormorant along the coasts of the Gulf of Mexico.

Implications on the Use of the Phylogenetic Species Concept in the Risk Categories Assignment: The Case of the Birds of Mexico

Background and Aims Conservation efforts require a rational basis for taxa prioritization; it is essential to recognize the evolutionary independence of units, typically recognized as species. Because different criteria on species limits lead to different conservation assessment priorities, conceptual problems limit the possibility to accurately assess the conservation status that species are undergoing to protect them effectively. Methods We analyze the implications of using the phylogenetic species concept (PSC) in the risk categories determination, based on the analysis of the Mexican endemic avifauna. We modeled the potential distribution areas with the MaxEnt algorithm for those species that have had or could be susceptible to taxonomic updates based on the PSC. Results Of the 93 studied species, 68 were highly restricted, and 23 have high scores according to the evaluation of the Partners In Flight conservation status, so they can be considered species with high vulnerability or risk of extinction. Additionally, based on the recognition of several allopatric populations as independent phylogenetic species, 45% are susceptible to reconsideration of their risk categories due to a decrease in the extent of areas where they are potentially distributed. Implications for Conservation The use of a taxonomic perspective focused on the phylogenetic relationship of the different populations would directly impact the definition of risk categories, particularly for those endemic or restricted distribution evolutionary units for which there is usually very little information available and which, undoubtedly, are the ones that most need to be studied and, particularly, protected.

Assessment of the potential establishment of Lyme endemic cycles in Mexico.

Although Lyme disease is currently classified as exotic in Mexico, recent studies have suggested that it might be endemic there. We assessed the potential risk for the establishment of Borrelia burgdorferi transmission in Mexico. To identify the potential routes of B. burgdorferi spread, Complex Inference Networks were used initially to identify potential vector-host interactions between hard ticks (Ixodes) and migratory birds in the U.S., and a model for predicting the most important potential bird hosts of hard ticks was then obtained. By using network metrics, keystone-vectors were identified as those species with highest connectivity within and between network communities and had the potential to keep the pathogen circulating with many birds and to be dispersed to several regions. The climatic profile where these interactions occur in the U.S. was characterized and a geographic model for each keystone-vector was built. The accuracy of these models to predict areas where hard ticks have been reported positive for B. burgdorferi allows one to identify areas of greater risk of Lyme disease emergence. These hard tick-bird interactions and their climatic profile were mapped into the winter ranges of birds in Mexico. Thus, those regions in Mexico with the highest potential for becoming endemic areas of Lyme disease through the arrival of hard ticks and birds infected by B. burgdorferi were identified. These areas are candidates for future surveillance programs.

The complex social and legal context of the use of live birds in Mexico

The use of song and ornamental birds (SOB) as pets is a traditional and commercial activity in Mexico. This paper is part of a larger research which aim was to analyze the commercial use of birds. The objective is to depict the complexity of the stake-holders system involved in the activity of live birds selling in Mexico. We display in diagrams the main stakeholders involved in the activity, highlighting stakeholders acting in several or three spatial scales (micro- or regional, meso- or national, and macroor global) and the extent of their influence in management. Depicting the complexity in the use of SOB is essential to better understand the decision-making process and improve it in the future.

New morphological and molecular data for Haemoproteus (H.) paramultipigmentatus in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil.

Parasites of the genus Haemoproteus have been reported in almost all avian clades and zoogeographic regions, except Antarctica. However, despite the large number of reports worldwide, they are poorly studied in the Neotropical region, which includes the Atlantic Forest, a biodiversity hotspot with more than 890 bird species, of which 24% are endemic. Haemoproteus (Haemoproteus) paramultipigmentatus was described by morphological and molecular analyses in 2013 infecting Columbiform birds in Mexico. However, since the original description this parasite has not been studied in detail. Here, we investigate the prevalence of Haemoproteus spp. in Brazilian Columbiformes and conducted a taxonomic integrative study of the species Haemoproteus (Haemoproteus) paramultipigmentatus, including new morphological and molecular data from a Brazilian population. Moreover, we provide discussions about the geographic distribution and phylogenetic relationships between different lineages of this parasite. Our findings demonstrated a high prevalence of Haemoproteus spp. infection in Brazilian Columbiformes, which is in accordance with previous studies. Morphological characterization of H. paramultipigmentatus revealed minor differences from the original description. Through molecular and phylogenetic analyses we identified a new lineage of H. paramultipigmentatus that was added to the genetic databases. Our findings also suggest a new geographical distribution for this hemoparasite, including South American countries, and raise discussions about its current distribution.

A Quantitative Method for Evaluating Contemporary Cultural Uses of Birds: A Case Study from Mexico

This study evaluates the relationship between people and birds in Mexico, a country where high cultural and biological diversity are reflected in the close associations between people and natural resources, recorded since pre-Hispanic times. It systematically reviews 1041 records of cultural use of wild birds in Mexico published between 1996–2017 and analyzes patterns of contemporary use of avifauna. It classifies information for 252 birds by grouping uses of species and families into 11 categories and quantifies overall use with a Cultural Value Index (CVI). The data show that birds have a high cultural value as food, pets, and for medicinal uses (312, 235, and 119 records, respectively), particularly in the state of Chiapas. Large edible birds had the highest CVIs and included Plain chachalacas (Ortalis vetula; 9.72), Black-bellied whistling-ducks (Dendrocygna autumnali; 6.65), Crested guams (Penelope purpurascens; 6.25), and Great currasows (Crax rubra; 6.23), with the Cracidae family recorded as favored gamebirds. Conspicuous, brightly-colored birds had high CVIs, including Keel-billed toucans (Ramphastos sulfuratus; 6.50), Red-lored amazons, (Amazona autumnalis; 6.03), and allied species, which were traded or kept as pets despite legal protection. The high CVIs of Barn owls (Tyto alba; 5.45) were related to medicinal uses, and Mourning doves (Zenaida macroura; 5.69) were mainly used as gamebirds. Wild bird populations face increasing pressure from habitat loss and overexploitation. We propose that evaluating the ethnological significance of wildlife with indices like CVIs can quantify the distinctive needs of rural communities, which when combined with information on conservation status can develop more sustainable species management plans.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Maritrema kostadinovae n. sp. (Digenea: Microphallidae) from the yellow-crowned night heron Nyctanassa violacea (Aves: Ardeidae) in Mexico.

A new species of microphallid trematode was collected from the intestine of the yellow-crowned night heron Nyctanassa violacea (L.) (Pelecaniformes: Ardeidae) from Veracruz, Mexico. Maritrema kostadinovae n. sp. differs distinctly from other members of Maritrema Nicoll, 1907 from the Americas by its smaller body size (262-435 × 242-363μm), the extension of caeca (reaching to anterior level of ventral sucker), the size and shape of the cirrus (short, tubular and unarmed) and metraterm (simple and thin-walled), the position of the genital pore (sinistrolateral to ventral sucker) and the arrangement of the vitellaria (horseshoe-shaped with posteriorly directed opening). Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses, based on partial 28S rDNA sequences, depicted M. kostadinovae n. sp. within the genus Maritrema with strong support. The new species is in a sister position to other available members of Maritrema, except for M. subdolum Jägerskiöld, 1909 that branches as the early divergent species in the Maritrema clade. The new species is the third species of Maritrema described from birds in Mexico. Comparative morphometric data for Maritrema taxa from birds and mammals from the Americas is provided.

High Prevalence of Avian Influenza Virus Among Wild Waterbirds and Land Birds of Mexico.

Aquatic wild birds, especially waterfowl, have been long considered the main reservoirs of the avian influenza A virus; however, recent surveys have found an important prevalence of these viruses among land birds as well. Migration has been suggested as an important factor in the avian influenza virus dissemination. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of influenza A viruses in wild birds (waterbirds and land birds; resident and migratory) in eastern Mexico, where the three main North American migration flyways converge and where there was no previous information on this subject. We detected influenza with reverse transcription coupled with a PCR approach. Of the 534 birds sampled between 2010 and 2012, we detected the influenza A virus in a high proportion of birds (39%). Prevalence was particularly high in land birds (49%) when compared to aquatic birds (26%); there was no difference in overall prevalence between resident (39%) and migratory birds (39%). The high prevalence of the avian influenza virus in land birds was noteworthy in the innermost sampling areas in northern Mexico (Coahuila [82%] and Nuevo Leon [43%]).

Divergent mitochondrial lineages arose within a large, panmictic population of the Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis).

Unusual patterns of mtDNA diversity can reveal interesting aspects of a species' biology. However, making such inferences requires discerning among the many alternative scenarios that could underlie any given mtDNA pattern. Next-generation sequencing methods provide large, multilocus data sets with increased power to resolve unusual mtDNA patterns. A mtDNA-based phylogeography of the Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) previously identified two sympatric, but divergent (~2%) clades within the nominate subspecies group and a third clade that consisted of birds sampled from northwest Mexico. We revisited the phylogeography of this species using a population genomic data set to resolve the processes leading to the evolution of sympatric and divergent mtDNA lineages. We identified two genetic clusters in the genomic data set corresponding to (a) the nominate subspecies group and (b) northwestern Mexico birds. Following divergence, the nominate clade maintained a large, stable population, indicating that divergent mitochondrial lineages arose within a panmictic population. Simulations based on parameter estimates from this model further confirmed that this demographic history could produce observed levels of mtDNA diversity. Patterns of divergent, sympatric mtDNA lineages are frequently interpreted as admixture of historically isolated lineages. Our analyses reject this interpretation for Savannah sparrows and underscore the need for genomic data sets to resolve the evolutionary mechanisms behind anomalous, locus-specific patterns.

INFLUENCIA DEL FUEGO SOBRE LA RIQUEZA Y DIVERSIDAD DE AVES EN UN BOSQUE TEMPLADO EN PUEBLA


 
 
 Desde el punto de vista ecológico, los incendios tienen efectos positivos sobre la vida silvestre y su hábitat en ecosistemas mantenidos por el fuego y bajo regímenes poco alterados. En México prácticamente no se ha estudiado su impacto en la avifauna. En el presente trabajo se evaluó su influencia en la riqueza y diversidad de aves en un bosque de encino-pino de Chignahuapan, Puebla, bajo tres condiciones: 1a. No quemado recientemente (más de cinco años, C1); 2a. Quemado un año antes a baja severidad (C2) y 3a. Quemado un año antes con alta severidad (C3). Para llevar a cabo el muestreo, se aplicaron los métodos de parcelas circulares y de red de niebla, además, se siguieron las claves correspondientes para identificación de avifauna. Los resultados condujeron al registro de 30 especies de aves, pertenecientes a seis órdenes y 20 familias; 22 de dichas especies se agrupan en C1, 12 en C2 y 10 en C3. Se estimó la diversidad de la avifauna con el índice de Shannon-Wiener para cada condición. Con base en la prueba t Hutchenson, se verificaron diferencias en diversidad entre C2 (2.079) y C3 (1.040) a partir de la red de niebla; y, con las parcelas circulares, C1 (2.198) difirió de C3 (1.850). Con base en los resultados encontrados, se concluye que el fuego es un factor ecológico que provoca cambios importantes en la diversidad y riqueza de aves a corto plazo.
 
 

Nuevos registros de aves acuáticas para el interior del Estado de Jalisco: caso Laguna de Sayula, México

El conocimiento de la avifauna en México, es el resultado de muchos años de exploraciones en áreas específicas, sin embargo a pesar del esfuerzo realizado, en algunas regiones de México aún se desconoce su composición y distribución; tal es el caso de los humedales continentales, los cuales representan sitios de invernada y de paso migratorio para una gran variedad de aves acuáticas y terrestres del Neártico, así como sitios de reproducción para especies residentes. Se destacan observaciones realizadas en el Sitio Ramsar Laguna de Sayula, resultado de un estudio avifaunístico a largo plazo con muestreos mensuales durante cinco periodos de migración. Se reportan seis nuevos registros para el humedal y algunos para el interior del estado (Dendrocygna autumnalis, Branta canadensis, Sula leucogaster, Pelecanus occidentalis, Pluvialis squatarola y Charadrius semipalmatus) y se informa la presencia de Anser albifrons y Anser rossii con pocos registros publicados para la zona.

Review of five species of cyclocoelids (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae) from aquatic birds in Mexico with notes on their interspecific variation.

Based on a morphological approach, five species of cyclocoelids (Digenea: Cyclocoelidae) are revised based on material from birds in Mexico. The species studied are: Cyclocoelum cf. leidyi Harrah, 1922 from the black-necked stilt Himantopus mexicanus Müller (Recurvirostridae); Cyclocoelum mutabile (Zeder, 1800) from the northern jacana Jacana spinosa L. (Jacanidae) and the willet Tringa semipalmata Gmelin (Scolopacidae); Cyclocoelum pseudomicrostomum Harrah, 1922 from the American coot Fulica americana Gmelin (Rallidae); Selfcoelum lamothei Blend & Dronen, 2008, from the long-billed curlew Numenius americanus Bechstein (Scolopacidae); and Neohaematotrephus arayae Zamparo, Brooks, Causey & Rodriguez, 2003 from J. spinosa. New morphological data, illustrations and measurements are presented for these trematodes. Three species, insufficiently described, i.e. C. cf. leidyi, C. mutabile and C. pseudomicrostomum, are redescribed in detail. Our results indicate morphological variation in some important features used in the diagnosis of Cyclocoelum Brandes, 1892 (i.e. the presence or absence of oral sucker, the position of the genital pore relative to the pharynx, and the posterior extension of the uterus) and Selfcoelum Dronen, Gardner & Jiménez, 2006 (i.e. anterior extension of vitelline follicles). Finally, this study provides the first molecular data for the large subunit of the ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA) gene for N. arayae.

Ticks of Wild Birds at Sites with Different Land Uses at Campeche, Mexico

Ticks of the family Ixodidae are potential transmitters of pathogens to vertebrates, including birds that because of their mobility are important hosts and dispersers of ticks. Knowing the interactions can help identify potential emerging sites of tick-borne diseases. Abundance of ticks were assessed on birds captured between February and June 2017 at four sites with different land use in the Calakmul region. Ticks from the captured birds were stored individually in 70% ethanol in tubes for later identification using a stereoscope and taxonomic keys. Of 406 birds captured in 82 species, 2.7% were parasitized by ticks, mostly nymphs and larvae of Amblyomma spp. Only the Passeriformes order was parasitized, most parasitized birds were resident species. The higher number of parasitized individuals was found in the forestry successional vegetation. In total 14 ticks of the family Ixodidae were collected. This is the first study we know that analyzed the abundance of ticks on wild birds in Mexico, and new hosts of ticks of the genus Amblyomma spp. were reported.

Aberraciones no leucísticas en el plumaje de aves en Nayarit, México

Las diferentes anormalidades en el plumaje son resultado de múltiples factores ambientales y genéticos. En México se han reportado aberraciones en el plumaje de las aves, no obstante, todas se han clasificado como leucísticas (color blanco del plumaje debido a un gen recesivo). Otros tipos de aberraciones en el plumaje se han identificado, tales como el encanecimiento progresivo, el melanismo o las mutaciones, como la marrón, aún no reportadas para México. Durante trabajo de campo con aves en el estado de Nayarit, observamos individuos de seis especies de aves con plumajes anormales que caracterizamos como no leucísticos. Determinamos encanecimiento progresivo en pijije ala blanca (Dendrocygna autumnalis), zopilote aura (Cathartes aura), playero menor (Calidris minutilla) y golondrina tijereta (Hirundo rustica); plumaje marrón en avoceta americana (Recurvirostra americana) y plumaje ino en fragata magnífica (Fregata magnificens). El plumaje marrón y el ino involucran factores genéticos. El encanecimiento progresivo fue la aberración observada más frecuente, y diversos factores, que pueden ser genéticos, están involucrados en su expresión. Estas aberraciones, sin embargo, no habían sido previamente reportadas para aves en México.

Una comparación de las contribuciones de las ciudades aztecas de Tlatelolco y Tenochtitlan al capítulo de aves del Códice Florentino

El Códice Florentino es un manuscrito iluminado de la época del Renacimiento; contiene el primer trabajo regional conocido sobre las aves de México. Sus textos en lengua náhuatl y scholia (este último posteriormente incorporado a sus textos españoles) fueron escritos en la década de 1560 por un grupo de ayudantes de Bernardino de Sahagún, estudiosos mexicanos, nativos de élite, en colaboración con los aztecas de dos ciudades: Tlatelolco y Tenochtitlan. En este estudio comparé las contribuciones de cada una de las ciudades y encontré muchas diferencias; aunque ambas presentaron conteos y descripciones tanto de aves terrestres como acuáticas, en los estudios de Tlatelolco había principalmente aves terrestres, mientras que las de Tenochtitlan, aves acuáticas. Tlatelolco contribuyó con más del doble de conteos de aves que Tenochtitlan y aportó la única información sobre usos medicinales de las aves. En Tenochtitlan se revisaron los conteos de aves de Tlatelolco y se mejoraron muchos listados. Además, Tenochtitlan proporcionó la información sobre la abundancia de aves, así como de las que eran consumidas por los pobladores. Los nombres en español de las aves aparecen con más frecuencia en los textos de Tenochtitlan. El análisis de los conteos de las aves de Tenochtitlan sugiere la colaboración de la gente del agua: Atlaca (cultura lacustre prehistórica) y los contactos indígenas con halconeros españoles. Los estudios de la época renacentista del grupo de ayudantes de Sahagún, en una isla perdida en los antiguos y vastos humedales de aves del Valle de México, constituyen el nacimiento de la ornitología mexicana y, coincidentemente, dan a la historia de la ornitología mexicana un distintivo, Aztlán –como comienzo, significativamente diferente de las historias ornitológicas de los países vecinos.

Quill mites (Acariformes: Syringophilidae) associated with birds of Mexico

The fauna of quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Cheyletoidea) parasitizing birds in Mexico is surveyed. Three new species of the genus Syringophiloidus Kethley are described: S. amazilia sp. nov. from Amazilia candida (Bonaer & Mulsant) (Apodiformes: Trochilidae), S. cincli sp. nov. from Cinclus mexicanus Swainson (Passeriformes: Cinclidae), and S. sporophila sp. nov. from Sporophila torqueola (Bonaparte) (Passeriformes: Thraupidae). Additionally, six quill mite species are found for the first time in Mexico and several new host associations are recorded. The syringophilid fauna presently recorded in Mexico is summarized.

Mexican land birds reveal complexity in fine‐scale patterns of endemism

AbstractAimUnderstanding patterns of endemism is a key to deciphering the history of biotas and setting conservation priorities, but resolving the complexity of distributional patterns quantitatively into areas of endemism is often a difficult task. We report here an analysis of a comprehensive biodiversity dataset for the study of endemism, including virtually all vouchered records available for resident land birds of Mexico (> 100,000 georeferenced data points for all 780 species).LocationMexico.MethodsThe dataset was analysed with methods that recover areas without assuming prior endemic status for any species. This grid‐based method for detecting areas of endemism considers co‐occurrence and exclusiveness of species in alternative sets of geographic cells at different spatial resolutions, and finds optimal sets using heuristic, computationally intensive searches.ResultsWe provide the most detailed study of endemism in Mexico to date. Our analysis recovered 17 of 18 previously recognized areas of endemism for Mexican birds, plus many additional areas clearly supported by distributional data totalling 33 areas of endemism at different spatial scales. These areas cover 70% of the country's surface and form a network of nested and partially overlapping regions, some of which are also disjoint.Main conclusionsThis picture contrasts strongly with previous conceptions of areas of endemism as non‐overlapping and spatially simple in terms of scale. Our results reveal that endemism may be spatially complex and shed new light on its role as a key manifestation of biodiversity. Species identified as endemic to these areas comprise > 30% of the land birds of Mexico, with a disproportionately large fraction endangered according to IUCN or SEMARNAT.

How Many Are There? Estimating the North American Northern Bobwhite Population Size for Conservation Planning Purposes

Three bird habitat Joint Ventures, Gulf Coast, Oaks & Prairies, and Rio Grande, developed a method to set spring population and habitat objectives for northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations in four Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). The method requires an estimate of current population size that can be stepped down to the management unit of interest. Several methods have been designed to estimate range-wide populations over the past two decades for fall (post-breeding) and spring (pre-breeding). The 2002 Northern Bobwhite Conservation Initiative (NBCI) provided an estimate of 6,714,000 birds for the 1999 breeding population. The 2007 Partners in Flight (PIF) Population Estimates database provided a spring population estimate of 7,600,000 based on Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) densities. The NBCI 2011 revision population estimate, using BCR-specific Estimated Densities and habitat acreages, summed to greater than 26,000,000 individuals for fall population. The current PIF (2013) Population Estimates database includes 5,800,000 individuals as a global (spring) population estimate, and cites the NBCI. This estimate may result from application of the range-wide BBS trend estimate from 1982-1999 (3.8%) to the 2002 NBCI spring estimate. This produces a 2003 population estimate of ~5,800,000, which may have been substituted for the BBS-based estimate used in the 2004 PIF North American Landbird Conservation Plan. Finally, a recent unpublished estimate based upon the BBS-based PIF calculated estimate suggests a population of almost 18,000,000 in the U.S. and Canada. This value excludes birds in Mexico, estimated to comprise approximately 15.6% of the global population. We compared PIF estimates with the 2011 NBCI estimate. While there is some correlation regarding population density estimates at the BCR level, there is considerable disparity between overall population estimates between the two documents. The bird conservation community would benefit from an examination of northern bobwhite population estimates, to improve accuracy of spring population and habitat objectives.

Digital Accessible Knowledge and well-inventoried sites for birds in Mexico: baseline sites for measuring faunistic change.

BackgroundFaunal change is a basic and fundamental element in ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology, yet vanishingly few detailed studies have documented such changes rigorously over decadal time scales. This study responds to that gap in knowledge, providing a detailed analysis of Digital Accessible Knowledge of the birds of Mexico, designed to marshal DAK to identify sites that were sampled and inventoried rigorously prior to the beginning of major global climate change (1980).MethodsWe accumulated DAK records for Mexican birds from all relevant online biodiversity data portals. After extensive cleaning steps, we calculated completeness indices for each 0.05° pixel across the country; we also detected ‘hotspots’ of sampling, and calculated completeness indices for these broader areas as well. Sites were designated as well-sampled if they had completeness indices above 80% and >200 associated DAK records.ResultsWe identified 100 individual pixels and 20 broader ‘hotspots’ of sampling that were demonstrably well-inventoried prior to 1980. These sites are catalogued and documented to promote and enable resurvey efforts that can document events of avifaunal change (and non-change) across the country on decadal time scales.ConclusionsDevelopment of repeated surveys for many sites across Mexico, and particularly for sites for which historical surveys document their avifaunas prior to major climate change processes, would pay rich rewards in information about distributional dynamics of Mexican birds.

Diversity and Abundance of Birds in Agricultural Zone Associated to the Bay Santa María La Reforma, Sinaloa, Mexico

The objective of this research was to determine bird’s abundance and diversity associated in an agricultural system at the Bahia Santa Maria La Reforma (BSM-LR), which may represent a risk to crops and/or have a value for conservation. Annual monthly samplings were conducted to determine the richness and abundance of the birds; in seven linear transects, distributed throughout the agricultural area, all birds seen and heard were recorded. Bird species were identified using the field guides for birds in Mexico and North America and binoculars (8 × 40). Richness was determined from the accumulation of species seen over the sampling time, and the specific abundance with the sum of the number of individuals seen each month. The Alpha diversity was determined using the Shannon Wiener index and the monthly abundance data for each month sampled. A total of 15,427 birds from 110 species were found. This diversity is grouped into 16 orders, 37 families and 90 genera, of which Agaleus phoeiceus,Quiscalus mexicanus, Zenaida macroura and Columbina passerina were the most abundant, accounting for 77.6% of the total Birds seen; the exotic species found were Streptopelia decaocto, Sturnus vulgaris and Passer domesticus, and 16 species are of conservation concern.