Over forty representatives from conservation NGO’s, research universities, and government recently gathered in Guadalajara, Mexico to share their successes and challenges in managing for the variety of neotropical migratory birds that rotate between Central and North America. GDFCF and our colleagues from the Costa Rican Bird Observatory were the two organizations representing Costa Rica at this meeting. The purpose of the meeting was ostensibly to create a shared story about the importance of habitat conservation and research tools for migratory birds that spend a large part of their life cycle in central american countries. Many of these bird species are in decline and experts are worried that the quality of “wintering habitat” in central america is inadequate or severely compromised, and this is likely affecting their migrational and breeding success when they return north. Thus the need to step up conservation management in the tropics for these species. Over the last two years, GDFCF has begun a monitoring program of neotropical migrant species at several locations around ACG with the help of wildlife biologist Natalie Sanchez and GDFCF Board member Frank Joyce. Our preliminary analysis has shown that ACG contains many species of neotropical migrant birds including several "species of special concern" such as wood thrush, hermit warbler, painted bunting, and olive-sided flycatchers among others. If you would like to learn more about our work in bird conservation, please contact Executive Director Eric Palola.
