Wildlife Conservation Nicaragua Project #61299

Watch over a migrating bird in Central America!

by Paso Pacifico

Project Report | Dec 19, 2023
Winter is for bird lovers in the tropics

By Sarah Otterstrom | Executive Director

Together, we can care for the birds. Diana

Dear Friends,

The wintering months in Central America are a magical time of year for birds. With your help, our bird monitoring efforts are in full swing. Here are some updates:

Each month we set up nets and process birds by measuring their weight, observing their feathers and banding them. This bird-banding process helps us to determine survival of birds as they travel between North America and Southern destinations. We have seen that these two small nature reserves receive the some of the same birds year after year and thus the forest habitat is vital for their survival. The two bird-banding stations in Nicaragua are located at the Reserva Mono Bayo and Reserva Quelatero.

We are preparing to celebrate the tenth annual Christmas Bird Count in southwestern Nicaragua. This annual citizen science event started by the Audubon Society over one hundred years ago and enables us to observe trends in bird populations. Each winter more than fifty volunteers comb a 15 mile diameter circular area that includes marine areas, freshwater habitats, and tropical dry forests and agricultural areas.

Willow flycatchers have arrived to their wintering spots in Nicaragua and we are visiting them monthly, looking for previously banded birds and counting them along with other birds that depend on the same habitat. In El Salvador, we are preparing to set up permanent monitoring of willow flycatchers at wetlands in the eastern portion of the country.

Jr. Rangers have been busy learning about birds and parrots and celebrated the Mesoamerica Parrot Festival by creating artworks that promote respect for birds.

Thank you for supporting the birds as they winter in Central America and we wish you a happy holiday season.

Warm regards,

migratory warbler ready to be banded

Checking the age and vigor of the bird

the bird-banding station

yellow-throated euphonia, photo by Tom Vaughn

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Nov 28, 2023
Winter season, a time of bounty in Central America

By Sarah Otterstrom | Executive Director

Western tanager at the bird-banding station

Dear friend,

The last few months have been very busy with our bird conservation and education efforts. Your support helps make such activities possible.

A few of the things you helped us to accomplish were:

- Global Big Day was a huge success with 360 species of birds reported by our teams of volunteer birders and Jr. Rangers

- After some adjustments, our radio-tag detecting MOTUS station has begun to detect migrating birds. Our first 11 birds began to be recorded in April and included a few Swainson's Thrush tagged in B.C. Canada. Our next data download will be in a week.

- Our MoSI bird-banding station is once again active at two locations, Reserva Mono Bayo and Reserva Quelantero.

- Our raptor monitoring station was active throughout much of October, although the birth of ornithologists Oswaldo's baby daughter and hurrican put the station on pause for a week. Despite a limited budget and these other forces of nature, we were pleased to return to the field to document the dramatic raptor migration in memory of our late friend Luis Diaz.

Migratoyr birds arrive to Central America very hungry for food. Thankfully, at the end of the rainy season (November) the insects are abundant. Your support for our conservation efforts help us to maintain habitat and raise awareness about the value and beauty of birds.

It is now #GivingTuesday and your support is needed to help get us through this busy winter season when our monitoring programs are most active and when we work closely with farmers to prevent wildfires and unnecessary habitat clearing or water drainage.

Will you please consider giving to migratory birds this #GivingTuesday? If you do so on Tuesday November 28th, GlobalGivingi will partially match your gift.

Thank you again,

Sarah Otterstrom

The bird-banding station is active for the winter

An ovenbird. Some have returned for 5 winters.

Jr. Rangers participate in Global Big Day

Painted bunting is worn out after long migration

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