First large-scale, systematic bird survey in Venezuela

What is it about?

We adapted known field survey protocols to a tropical setting and performed a first pilot study at the national level. We evaluated the efficiency and reliability of the field methods with a team of 21 amateur and professional bird watchers in 27 locations distributed throughout Venezuela between March and April 2010. Locations were selected to represent biogeographical regions and environmental gradients and two survey methods were tested in consecutive days, one based on short visits at a large number of points, and one based on longer visits to fewer point localities. We recorded 593 species during the surveys: 57% of the species expected in the survey areas, or 43% of all known Venezuelan species. Groups such as hummingbirds and most waterbirds had unusually low numbers of both species and individuals, probably due to an abnormally dry year.

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Why is it important?

This is the first large-scale, systematic bird survey in Venezuela or, to our knowledge, in any other tropical country.