Sites - Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Ornithological information Although as not rich as in the karstic zones areas, Aux Bec-croisés shelters Hispaniolan Crossbills and the Western Chat-Tanager. Species diversity also increased in winter months when migratory birds arrived from northern latitudes. Last inventory was on February 2004 which included mistnetting, sight counting and banding all day from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Bird species of special concern are Western Chat-Tanager (Calyptophilus tertius), Bicknell's Thrush.

Site description Aux Bec-Croisé is situated in Plaine Boeufs on the Chaine Formond south of Duglacis, 1850 meters above sea level overlooking the Grande Ravine du Sud, near the area of Ti Chien. It is close to Kay Tilus, Kay Ogile and on the way to Duglacis where the small growing population grows staple food on state land since the 1950's. Several men in this region are timbermen.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Protected areas

Protected area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Parc Macaya	Natural National Park	2,000	protected area contains site	0

Habitats

Land use

Other biodiversity The Chaine of Formond is the center of biodiversity for the genus Mecranium and shelters plants that are restricted there such as Ekmaniocharis. Due to frequent fires in the lower areas and absence of prescribe fires, metrological station and knowledge, many species might face threats, since one a forested area is opened or clear, farmers tend to appropriate these land.

Management considerations Ephemerality of conservation program, Habitat destruction, Introduced animals, Fuelwood extraction, Lumber extraction, Demography, Land tenure, Erosion and Conversion to agriculture.

Protection status It consists of the extreme southeastern tail of the core zone of the Macaya Biosphere Reserve.

Conservation response From 1989 to 1994, this area was managed by the University of Florida. Three technicians were allocated to this area that served as a seed bank for many species of the reforestation program. Funding was provided by USAID and the MacArthur Foundation. In 2004, Chris Rimmer of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, financed in part by the Societe Audubon Haiti

Acknowledgements Florence Sergile, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida

Further web sources of information 

Site profile from Important Bird Areas in the Caribbean: key sites for conservation (BirdLife International 2008)

Related state of the world's birds case studies

• BirdLife Partners are restoring forests that will help buffer communities against climate change

References Dod (1984 a, b); Franz and Cordier (1986);Gali and Schwartz (1986);Judd (1987); MacFadden (1986);Mcpherson et al (1994);Mcpherson et al (1994);Monaghan (1988);Rimmer et al (2005); Rimmer et al (2004);Sergile and Woods (1994);Sergile (2001);Sergile and Woods (2001); Sergile and Bayard (2004); Sergile and Woods (1993);Sergile et al (1992); Smith (1991);Smith (1992); Thompson (1986);Wetmore and Swales (1931);Woods (1975);Woods and Ottenwalder (1983); Woods and Ottenwalder (1986);Woods and Ottenwalder (1992);

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Aux Becs-Croisés. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013

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