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photo of Ocellated Turkey by Stacie Knapp
by Alex Bradley
May 14 was International Migratory Bird Day and is an invitation to celebrate and support bird conservation. It's also an opportunity to think about these flitting, flying creatures that live around us.
You can now arrange for two birding tours at CEA. Miguel Moreno conducts an hour-and-a-half trip in Akumal, starting at 6:30 a.m., for a cost of $150 pesos per person. Community Tours Sian Ka'an guides a three-hour birding tour of the Muyil ruins, south of Tulum, which includes snacks and entrance to the park, for $600 pesos per person. You will see different kinds of birds on each outing.
- Ruddy Turnstone by Tammi Wood
Why don't you see the same kinds of birds everywhere?
The answer is that they have evolved to take advantage of different habitats—open sea, beaches and mangroves, forest edges, and inside undisturbed forest, at a range of elevations. Food and nest sites vary in these diverse surroundings and bird species have developed to take advantage of the variety.
Bird names evoke wonder: Magnificent Frigatebird, Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Snowy Egret, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Laughing Falcon, Ocellated Turkey, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Yellow-throated Euphonia, Melodious Blackbird.
Some species of birds are declining due to habitat loss from human development. Clearing large tracts of land for logging, pastures, farm use or housing changes forest habitat into open spaces. The birds which used to live in the jungle no longer have their food sources, or places to nest, or protection from predators. Birds of the forest cannot live in a parking lot. They must move to find a new place where they can live, or they must die.
There have always been natural clearing events, such as hurricanes or fires, but typically these have been on a relatively small scale and the habitat recovers in a few years. Development which clears a space, and keeps it clear, removes the jungle habitat permanently.
Construction workers moving into an area sometimes hunt local birds and animals for food. People with pets have an effect on their surroundings, too. Cats, especially, and sometimes dogs, which roam free, kill an astounding number of birds for sport and food. Unneutered cats produce many kittens; when they become feral, or wild, they decimate local wildlife. Another reduction of bird populations results from their being trapped for the pet trade.
On an island, habitat changes have even more impact. The Cozumel Thrasher was feared to be extinct since it had not been sighted since 1995. Even though hurricanes Gilbert and Roxanne certainly changed its habitat, the thrasher species had survived many hurricanes before. It is suspected that abundant Boa Constrictors, introduced to the island in 1971, have fed on its eggs and nestlings. One bird was seen in July 2004 and efforts will be made to look for more.
It takes a long time for birds to adapt to changing environments. If there are too many changes, too quickly, they cannot survive. A sustainable population does not consist of only one bird.
There are additional hazards for those birds migrating long distances, such as pesticide exposure in the tropics, or dying by the thousands each year after getting confused and crashing into lighted skyscrapers along their traditional migratory routes.
Birds are beautiful—like jewels of the sky, sea, earth and forest. But they not just beautiful to behold or enchanting to hear. They eat insects, pollinate plants, and spread seeds for new growth. Birdwatchers contribute to local economies as they travel far to observe and enjoy them; this is an undervalued source of revenue on the Yucatán Peninsula. Birds deserve a chance to make a living, so let's preserve places for them to thrive wherever we can.
To make reservations for the birding tours, please come by CEA. A portion of the tour fees is retained by CEA.
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