Constant-effort mistnetting and banding

Trying to fill a gap in the research and understanding of the diverse bird life in and around Un poco del Chocó, in August 2014 we started our work as a bird observatory and implemented a longterm-bird monitoring program in the reserve. In order to study the bird populations in the reserve and its surroundings, we run three constant-effort mistnetting sites and catch birds regularly. In the past five years we have already banded over 140 different bird species in the reserve. We mainly band passerines, but also near-passerines like hummingbirds, toucans and small raptors. The captured birds are weighed, measured, sexed and aged (if possible) and examined for their general fitness (fat, parasites, etc.).

Bird banding research is based on the capture-mark-recapture technique. That is why we mark all birds with individually numbered metal bands. The obtained recapture data allows us to study the avian life cycle and demographics, like breeding seasons, molt cycles, habitat use, population sizes, survival and recruitment rates. Certain bird species will be marked with individual combinations of color bands. This allows us to observe different individuals in the field without the need of recapture, and additional data on largely unknown aspects of the behavioral ecology of tropical bird species can be obtained.

Since 2018 we are collaborating with the MoSI program of the Institute for Bird Populations and with the Bird Genoscape project. Both programs study Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds. For more details, please visit their websites!

Census

Only a restricted group of birds can be studied using mistnets. That is why the mistnetting effort is also combined with regular bird censuses. On transect or point-stop-counts we count both the number of different bird species found, as well as the number of individuals. The bird counts take place in the nature reserve and on different parts of the road to Las Tolas. We also share all our count data on eBird.

Additional phenological data can be used as an indicator for changes in the ecosystems. Therefore flowering seasons, flower densities, fruit and seed production are continuously recorded and examined for correlations with the results of the bird monitoring.

Avian Mixed Species Flocks

​In tropical forests avian mixed species flocks can be found frequently. These flocks are groups of birds that join each other and move together while foraging. The various bird species in a flock pursue different foraging strategies and thus avoid food competition. The advantage of flocking behavior is probably due to prey capture benefits and a reduced predation risk. The composition of mixed species flocks can be very distinct and depends on territories.

One of our research interests is to study composition, structure, seasonality and initiation of mixed species flocks in the reserve and adjacent habitats.