WORKING TOWARDS AN INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE
CONSERVATION OF THE WOOD THRUSH AND ITS HABITAT
Summary WORKSHOP REPORT
22nd -26th February 2010
Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve
The Wood Thrush has become a symbol of declining Nearctic-Neotropical migratory forest birds, its population having decreased significantly over much of its range since the late 1970s. Wood Thrushes breed in forests throughout the eastern United States and southeastern Canada. In September, they fly south to winter mostly in primary, broad-leaved forests at lower elevations from southeastern Mexico to Panama.
Destruction and fragmentation of forests in both breeding and wintering areas are thought to be factors in the species' declining abundance. Breeding individuals in smaller forest fragments and fragmented landscapes experience more nest predation and consequently poorer reproductive success than individuals nesting in larger areas and more forested landscapes. Loss of primary forests in the tropics may force birds into secondary habitats, where they tend to wander and may have higher mortality rates - one of several unconfirmed aspects of this oft-studied species' biology.
Big-picture questions that we hope to begin to answer include:
ˇ What is driving the decline of WOTH?
ˇ When in the WOTH annual cycle are the birds facing their greatest stresses/threats?
ˇ What habitats are the birds using?
ˇ What habitats provide best survivorship?
ˇ Which agents of mortality are compensatory (thus not influencing long-term population size or trend) and which are additive (thus causing population declines)?
ˇ What is the ecology of the species throughout its range during breeding, migration, and winter?
A total of 25 people from 8 countries and 16 organizations participated in the workshop at Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz, Mexico, from February 22-26, 2010. The purpose of the workshop was to create a cadre of biologists who are trained, equipped, and capable of studying Wood Thrush survival as an indicator of a forest patch's value to wildlife. Participants in the workshop explored the potential to use the Wood Thrush as an umbrella for forest bird conservation in southeastern Canada, eastern United States, southern Mexico, and Central America.
The workshop was conducted by 3 primary trainers - David King, United States Forest Service Northern Research Station; Peter Marra, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center; and James Saracco, The Institute for Bird Populations - and was organized and facilitated by Elisa Peresbarbosa and Eduardo Martinez of Pronatura Veracruz and Matt Jeffery and Greg Butcher of National Audubon Society. Additional support was given by Nora Diggs, Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center; Pablo "Chespi" Elizondo, Mesoamerican Partners in Flight; John Hannan, Audubon Connecticut; and Mark LaBarr, Audubon Vermont.
The people who participated in this workshop include:
Beatriz Bianca Bosarreyes Guatemala (Wildlife Conservation Society)
Efraim Castillejos Mexico (Pronatura Sur)
Liliana Chavarría Nicaragua (Reserva Privada el Jaguar)
Irving Chávez Mexico (Pronatura Veracruz)
Pablo Elizondo Costa Rica (Partners in Flight)
Eric Hernández Mexico (Pronatura Sur)
Yolani Holmes Panama (ANCON)
Ovidio Jaramillo Panama (Audubon Panamá)
Ramiro Lara Mexico (Pronatura Yucatan)
Israel Manzanero Belize (Belize Audubon Society)
Victor Marín Mexico (Pronatura Yucatan)
Roger Mendieta Nicaragua (Fundación Cocibolca)
Miguel Ángel Ramírez Guatemala (Fundaeco)
Gustavo Ramón Lara Mexico (Pronatura Veracruz)
Luis Alberto Soto Honduras (Proyecto Desarrollo Pesquero Fonseca)
All of the participants at the workshop received at least 3 hours of practical training in each of the following techniques:
ˇ Point counts with playback - led by Dave King
ˇ Radiotelemetry and territory mapping - led by Dave King
ˇ Attachment of geolocators - led by Pete Marra and Nora Diggs
ˇ Capture of Wood Thrush using focused netting and playback - led by Pete Marra
ˇ Capture of birds and banding using the MoSI protocols - led by Jim Saracco
ˇ Vegetation data collection using transects - led by Jim Saracco
The participants expressed a high level of satisfaction and enthusiasm for the workshop and committed to carrying on the research with the Wood Thrush, to train others, and to share information about the species. The workshop was the first step in building an international alliance that will coordinate work throughout the Western Hemisphere for bird monitoring, habitat protection, forest management, and environmental education that will benefit forest birds and other wildlife. As a first step in the sharing process a list serve was created: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>. If you would like to learn more about this project or would like to be added to the mailing lists please contact: Matt Jeffery - <mailto:[log in to unmask]>. We have a longer report on the workshop; plus, a short prospectus on the next steps.
We would like to thank Carol Lively of the USDA Forest Service's International Program - Wings across the Americas along with Audubon Connecticut, Audubon New York, and Audubon North Carolina for their financial support for this effort.
Photos of the event can be seen at: http://picasaweb.google.com/International.Alliances.Program/WoodThrush?feat=directlink
[cid:]
Matt Jeffery
Senior Program Manager
National Audubon Society
International Alliances Program
1150 Connecticut Ave, NW Suite 600
Washington DC 20036 - 4104
Phone: +1 202-861-2242 ex. 3033
Cell: +1 917 293 8341
Email: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Web: http://audubon.org/bird/IAP
Skype: Matt-jeffery
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