Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

General characteristics 

This EBA embraces the lowlands of northernmost Colombia and north-west and coastal northern Venezuela, and as such extends from Bolivar and Atlntico departments, around the base of the Santa Marta mountains (EBA 036) and through the Guajira peninsula, Maracaibo lowlands and north Venezuelan coastal plain (and the Paraguan peninsula) to the Araya peninsula; it also includes La Tortuga, Margarita and associated islands. The boundary of the EBA coincides almost exactly with the southern limit of the south Caribbean dry zone inside which the annual rainfall is less than 1,000mm (Sugden 1982). However, the EBA does extend slightly beyond the dry zone and includes the seasonally dry forest and woodlands of Norte de Santander and Csar departments in Colombia (Forero 1989).

The vegetation types within this zone (from sea-level to 1,000m) have been classified as desert (including cactus scrub), thorn scrub, dry forest (deciduous and evergreen), riparian associations and mangroves (Sugden 1982, L.M. Renjifo in litt. 1993).

Restricted-range species 

Most of the restricted-range birds in this EBA occur primarily in the lowland dry-zone vegetation associations described above, the exceptions being Rallus wetmorei and Lepidopyga lilliae, which are confined to small areas of mangrove swamp in Venezuela and Colombia respectively. Also, Micropanyptila furcata and a subspecies (venezuelensis) of the relatively wide-ranging Picumnus cinnamomeus occur in humid forest south of Lago de Maracaibo (Meyer de Schauensee and Phelps 1978, Ryan et al. 1995).

The Guajira peninsula and the north-west Venezuelan lowlands (primarily Falcn) are of critical importance for the restricted-range species (see 'Distribution patterns' table). Sakesphorus melanonotus was, historically, confined to this EBA, but has recently been found at up to 1,500m on the slopes of the Santa Marta mountains (EBA 036) (L.G. Olarte in litt. 1993), almost certainly due to the clearance of forest and the expansion of dry scrub up the slopes. Amazona barbadensis is the EBAs only restricted-range species to have a known long-standing population outside its boundaries, being present on Bonaire and previously on Aruba in the Netherlands Antilles (Secondary Area s015).

Chestnut-winged Chachalaca Ortalis garrula is endemic to this general region, being found within the Colombian portion of this EBA, but is distributed further south within the Nech lowlands (EBA 037) so does not qualify as a restricted-range species.

Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Threats and conservation 

Large expanses of the characteristic vegetation of this EBA still remain (but are unprotected) in both Colombia and Venezuela (Huber and Alarcn 1988, Forero 1989). Substantial areas of habitat have, nevertheless, been destroyed, especially in north-west Venezuela (principally around Lago de Maracaibo). Overgrazing is preventing regeneration and causing a problem in Guajira in Colombia (Sugden 1982, Huber and Alarcn 1988). Overgrazing by goats and firewood-gathering by local people are resulting in severe pressure on the Araya peninsula, and burgeoning tourism, development pressures and pollution are threatening habitats elsewhere in Venezuela (Wege and Long 1995). Large-scale open-cast coal-mining poses a substantial threat to parts of this EBA in Colombia (L.M. Renjifo in litt. 1993).

Rallus wetmorei is restricted to brackish lagoons and mangroves along a small stretch of Venezuela's north coast, where its habitat is severely threatened by house and road construction and associated pollution. Similarly, Lepidopyga lilliae is confined to mangroves along the north coast of Colombia, where urbanization and pollution have caused the death of large areas of mangrove and continue to put pressure on remaining stands. Amazona barbadensis has suffered from habitat loss, but more significantly from widespread exploitation for the pet trade (Collar et al. 1992, 1994). However, conservation action has been able to double its population (now some 1,500 birds) at its stronghold on Isla de Margarita (C. J.Sharpe in litt. 1997). The widespread Red Siskin Carduelis cucullata (classified as Endangered) also occurs in the deciduous forest and dry scrub of this zone, where it too is threatened by the pet trade. Ten Key Areas (eight in Venezuela and two in Colombia) have been identified for the threatened birds in this EBA (Wege and Long 1995).

The xeric vegetation that characterizes this EBA is currently not covered within the protected-area network, which has primarily focused on the coastal wetland sites, e.g. Isla de Salamanca National Park in Colombia, and Morrocoy National Park (and the adjacent Cuare Faunal Refuge) and the coastal portions of San Esteban and Henri Pittier National Parks in Venezuela (IUCN 1992a), although even these protected areas face severe threats as outlined above.

Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Endemic Bird Area factsheet: Caribbean Colombia and Venezuela. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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