114th CBC Central and South America Regional Summary

Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad

Geoffrey S. LeBaron and The Latin American CBC Review Team

The 114th Christmas Bird Count in Latin America was another huge success.  Again this season the CBCs in Chile and Peru were unable to be conducted, but the Manaus area circles in Brazil grew from three to four.  Three new regional counts are welcomed to the database, one new circle each in Colombia, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.  Please see the list of new counts in the overall 114th CBC summary page for the names of these new additions.  All told, south of Mexico and Belize in Latin America there were 49 counts submitted; 19 in Colombia, nine in Costa Rica, seven again in Ecuador, four in Panama, four in Brazil, two in Guatemala, two in Nicaragua, one (the new count) in El Salvador, and the long-standing count on Trinidad.

Enthusiastic participation and skillful organization ensure the success of Christmas Bird Counts everywhere.  Country-by-country during the 114th CBC in Latin America participation totals included 562 observers in Ecuador, 432 in Costa Rica, 259 in Colombia, 115 in Panama, 58 in Guatemala, 46 in Trinidad, 36 in Nicaragua, 34 in El Salvador, and 30 counters in Brazil.

Given the amazing species diversity in the Neotropics, whenever there are new counts included in a season there can be a myriad of new species to the CBC database included as well.  And even long-running counts regularly tally new, low-density or “skulker” species to their lists.  Please take a look at the individual results for counts, and peruse the amazing array of species tallied on CBCs throughout the Americas.  And species totals seem to grow higher every season, especially in the amazing diversity of the Andes and give the level of participation that counts like Monteverde, Yanayacu, and the venerable Mindo attract.  Yanayacu, Ecuador re-set the species total bar in the 114th CBC at 531, again tallying more species than neighboring Mindo with an also stratospheric total of 464.  The habitat and resulting species diversity in the Neotropics is just incredible, and with the increasing participation by experienced observers and creation of new circles in South America who knows what the future holds!

Compilers themselves often give the best perspective on their respective counts, and included following are sage remarks from the people who “make it all happen” in Latin America.

From Hugo Villalobos at Western Cloud Forest, Balsa, Costa Rica:
Weather was good but there were fewer participants than last year and so only 14 routes were covered this year, vs. 17 last year. Not surprisingly, there were fewer species and individuals seen on this year's count. There were 13 new species added this year (Common Ground-Dove, Short-tailed Nighthawk, Scaly-breasted Hummingbird, Green-breasted Mango, Long-billed Starthroat, Striped Woodhaunter, Buff-fronted Foliage-gleaner, Yellow-margined and Olive-sided Flycatchers, Red-eyed Vireo, Green Shrike-Vireo, Rufous-winged and Western Tanagers). The cumulative count list now stands at 466 species after five years. No species was seen by all parties, but Black Vulture, Squirrel Cuckoo, and Clay-colred Thrush were all recorded by 13 of the 14 parties. Common Bush-Tanager (now Common Chlorospingus) logged the highest number of individuals seen with 225.

From Eric Von Horstman at Cerro Blanco-Chongon-Puerto Hondo Estuary, Ecuador:
Some species registered more than normal numbers, which could be a reflection of the growing pressures being exerted in the surrounding lands located within the city limits of Guayaquil.  Most Tumbesian specialties were registered with notable species including Pacific Royal Flycatcher, Blackish-headed Spinetail and Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner.

From Jose Maria Loaiza Bosmediano at Chiles-Chical, Carchi, Ecuador:
This year a new area was included in the count. The name of the area is Muran Communidad (Muran Community) with an important area coverage of forest, with 5 routes of observation. A very good site/area for the future.

From Lani Miller at Mindo-Tandayapa, Pichincha, Ecuador:
It is a very good feeling to know that something one has worked on for many years has taken root and multiplied, and especially, that it is likely to continue.  The Mindo-Tandayapa Christmas Bird Count (Nono-Mindo CBC is its original name because it encompasses both towns), has definitely come of age.  The guides and birdwatchers in Mindo are now fully organized and able to run a good and reliable count, have become an inspiration to several groups which are now running their own counts, and have now found a willing assistant to this compiler, in Nicole Büttner,  for which I am most thankful.  I am not quite ready to hand over the whole job to Nicole because I actually love entering all those birds on the list and watching the numbers grow from year to year, from 240 in 1994 to 464 this year.  This means greater and better coverage by more knowledgeable birders, greater awareness of habitats and the environment in general and many more reserves and protected areas where, hopefully, birds can continue to thrive. It has been a fun and inspiring experience.  I am thankful to all those who have made it possible, from Paul Greenfield and Niels Krabbe and Geoffrey LeBaron who got the whole thing going, to all those who have helped KEEP it going, and also, to all the new birders who are just discovering the thrill of seeing some of the truly beautiful birds in this count circle and then might even have the really exciting experience of seeing one of the NEW birds of the year.  I hope to keep involved for a while yet, but it sure is good to know I have some help.  Thank you Nicole!