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Raptor abundance and distribution in the Llanos wetlands of Venezuela

Journal of Raptor Research
By: , , , , and 

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Abstract

The Llanos of Venezuela is a 275 000-km2 freshwater wetland long recognized as an important habitat for waterbirds. However, little information exists on the raptor community of the region. We conducted raptor surveys in the Southwestern and Western Llanos during 2000-02 and detected 28 species representing 19 genera. Overall, areas of the Llanos that we sampled contained 52% of all raptor species and more than 70% of the kites, buteos, and subbuteos known to inhabit Venezuela. Regional differences in the mean number per route for four of the 14 most common species, the Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus), Black-collared Hawk (Busarellus nigricollis), American Kestrel (Falco sparverius), and Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), were significant (P < 0.0018) in relation to the wet or dry seasons. Of the 14 less common species, six were detected in only one season (wet or dry). The Southwestern and Western regions of the Llanos support a rich raptor community composed primarily of nonmigratory wetland-dependent and upland-terrestrial species. ?? 2005 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.

Suggested Citation

Jensen, W., Gregory, M., Baldassarre, G., Vilella, F., Bildstein, K., 2005, Raptor abundance and distribution in the Llanos wetlands of Venezuela: Journal of Raptor Research, v. 39, no. 4, p. 417-428.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Raptor abundance and distribution in the Llanos wetlands of Venezuela
Series title Journal of Raptor Research
Volume 39
Issue 4
Year Published 2005
Language English
Larger Work Type Article
Larger Work Subtype Journal Article
Larger Work Title Journal of Raptor Research
First page 417
Last page 428
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