Nandomojo Watershed Birding Information
Costa Rica has become a world-class destination for birding enthusiasts, and the tropical dryland forests of Guanacaste offer a unique and diverse mix of avian migrants. To better understand this important natural resource, in 2009 Tierra Pacifica and ROW executed an ambitious Migrant bird survey called NANDAVI, Conserving the Habitat of Migratory Birds.
The project was supported by generous grant funding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service which not only allowed the project team to document for the first time the presence of rare Neotropical migratory birds that had previously not been known in the watershed, but it substantially facilitated team and partnership efforts in advancing local, regional, and national awareness of the important links between natural resource stewardship, habitat restoration, water quality, and quality of life that have been evolving within the Nandamojo Valley over the past decade.
The successes of this program that assure a sustained initiative in the region include the following:
- The Nandamojo Watershed may now be one of the few basins in Costa Rica for which landowner commitment to land restoration and protection is a documented success, with a strong leadership capacity that developed as a result of the project and is now recognized both locally and nationally by other conservation groups and agencies.
- The project team and watershed partners have established through their leadership a strong dialogue with community leaders, schools, landowners, and government program officials to address watershed conservation issues using Neotropical migratory birds as a central theme and habitat restoration projects as a practical model. These achievements have generated demand for more information about what local people can do to help Neotropical migratory birds while improvingoverall ecosystem health throughout the watershed. In response to landowner demand we have developed and submitted a follow-up grant proposal to USFWS Division of Bird Conservation. Our strategy is to serve a simple “extension” function to help landowners obtain native tree stock for planting buffers to expand riverine gallery forests. We believe this effort will enlist many landowners to participate in creating Neotropical migratory bird habitat on their land.
- The team has documented the project thoroughly by establishing a permanent data base containing habitat restoration and watershed program plans, regulatory permit documentation, resource maps and historic images, field survey data for birds and vegetation, education and marketing materials, project photo archives, a contact database, and more. This database will continue to serve future efforts in landowner education in the watershed and in projects related to migratory bird habitat restoration.
- The NANDAVI project was recognized by the Rainforest Alliance for “Best Monitoring & Evaluation Methodology” in conducting the Restoration of Mangrove and Dry Tropical Forests, Nandamojo Watershed, Costa Rica.
Master Bird Species List – Migrants and Residents Documented in the Nandomojo Watershed, Guanacaste Costa Rica | |||||
ORDER | FAMILY | SCIENTIFIC NAME | SPANISH COMMON NAME | ENGLISH COMMON NAME | SITUATION |
Anseriformes | Anatidae | Cairina moschata | pato real | muscovy duck | resident |
Anseriformes | Anatidae | Dendrocygna autumnalis | piche, pijije común | black-bellied whistling-duck | resident |
Apodiformes | Apodidae | Streptoprocne zonaris | golondrón | white-collared swift | resident |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Amazilia boucardi | amazilia manglera | mangrove hummingbird | resident |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Amazilia rutila | amazilia canela | cinnamon hummingbird | resident |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Amazilia saucerrottei | amazilia culiazul | steely-vented hummingbird | resident |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Amazilia tzacatl | amazilia rabirrufa | rufous-tailed hummingbird | resident |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Anthracothorax prevosti | manguito pechiverde | green-breasted mango | resident |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Archilocus colubris | colibrí garganta de rubí | ruby-throated hummingbird | migrant from oct-nov to march-april |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Chlorostilbon canivetii | esmeralda rabihorcada | fork-tailed emerald | resident |
Apodiformes | Trochilidae | Glaucis aenea | ermitaño bronceado | bronzy hermit | resident |
Caprimulgiformes | Caprimulgidae | Nyctidromus albicollis | cuyeo, pucuyo | pauraque | resident |
Charadriiformes | Burhinidae | Burhinus bistriatus | alcaraván | double-striped thich-knee | resident |
Charadriiformes | Recurvirostridae | Himantopus mexicanus | soldadito | black-necked stilt | resident |
Charadriiformes | Scolopacidae | Actitis macularia | alzacolita | spotted sandpiper | migrant from july to may |
Charadriiformes | Scolopacidae | Numenius phaeopus | cherelá, zarceta | whimbrel | migrant from ago-sept to march-may |
Charadriiformes | Scolopacidae | Tringa solitaria | tiguiza, andarríos solitario | solitary sandpiper | migrant from ago-oct to march-may |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Ardea alba | garza real | great egret | resident |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Ardea herodias | garza ceniza, garzón | great blue heron | migrant from oct to april |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Butorides virescens | garcilla verde | green heron | resident |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Cochlearius cochlearius | chocuaco, pico-cuchara | boat-billed heron | resident |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Egretta caerulea | garceta azul | little blue heron | migrant from oct to april |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Egretta thula | garceta nivosa | snowy egret | migrant from oct to april |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Nyctanasa violacea | martinete cabecipinto | yellow-crowned night-heron | migrant from oct to march-april |
Ciconiiformes | Ardeidae | Tigrisoma mexicanum | martín peña, pájaro vaco | bare-throated tiger heron | resident |
Ciconiiformes | Ciconiidae | Mycteria americana | garzón, cigueñón | wood stork | resident |
Ciconiiformes | Threskiornithidae | Eudocimus albus | ibis blanco, coco | white ibis | resident |
Ciconiiformes | Treskiornithidae | Platalea ajaja | espátula rosada, garza morena | roseate spoonbill | resident |
Columbiformes | Columbidae | Columba flavirostris | paloma morada | red-billed pigeon | resident |
Columbiformes | Columbidae | Columba nigrirostris | dos-tontos-son | short-billed pigeon | resident |
Columbiformes | Columbidae | Columbina inca | san juan | inca dove | resident |
Columbiformes | Columbidae | Columbina passerina | tortolita común | common ground-dove | resident |
Columbiformes | Columbidae | Leptotila verreauxi | yuré, coliblanca | white-tipped dove | resident |
Columbiformes | Columbidae | Zenaida asiatica | paloma ala blanca | white-winged dove | resident |
Coraciiformes | Alcedinidae | Ceryle torquata | martín pescador collarejo | ringed kingfisher | resident |
Coraciiformes | Alcedinidae | Chloroceryle americana | martín pescador verde | green kingfischer | resident |
Coraciiformes | Momotidae | Eumomota superciliosa | pájaro bobo | turquoise-browned motmot | resident |
Coraciiformes | Momotidae | Momotus momota | pájaro bobo | blue-crowned motmot | resident |
Cuculiformes | Cuculidae | Crotophaga sulcirostris | tijo | groove-billed ani | resident |
Cuculiformes | Cuculidae | Morococcyx erythropygius | horera, cuclillo sabanero | lesser-groundo-cuckoo | resident |
Cuculiformes | Cuculidae | Piaya cayana | bobo chiso, cuco ardilla | squirrel cucko | resident |
Falconiformes | Accipitridae | Asturina nitida | gavilán gris, gavilán pollero | graw hawk | resident |
Falconiformes | Accipitridae | Buteo albonotatus | gavilán colifajeado | zone-tailed hawk | resident |
Falconiformes | Accipitridae | Buteo magnirostris | gavilán chapulinero | roadside hawk | resident |
Falconiformes | Accipitridae | Buteo platypterus | gavilán pollero | broad-winged hawk | migrant from march-may |
Falconiformes | Accipitridae | Buteogallus subtilis | gavilán negro de manglar | mangrove black hawk | resident |
Falconiformes | Cathartidae | Cathartes aura | zonchiche, zopilote cabecirrojo | turkey vulture | resident |
Falconiformes | Cathartidae | Coragyps atratus | zoncho, zopilote negro | black vulture | resident |
Falconiformes | Falconidae | Caracara plancus | quebrantahuesos, querque | crested caracara | resident |
Falconiformes | Falconidae | Herpetotheres cachinans | guaco | laughing falcon | resident |
Falconiformes | Falconidae | Micrastur semitorquatus | halcón de monte collarejo | collared forest-falcon | resident |
Falconiformes | Pandionidae | Pandion haliaetus | águila pescadora | osprey | migrant from sept-oct to march-apr |
Galliformes | Tinamidae | Cryptorellus cinnamomeus | tinamú chico, yerré | little tinamu | resident |
Pelecaniformes | Anhingidae | Anhinga anhinga | pato aguja, aninga | anhinga | resident |
Pelecaniformes | Fregatidae | Fregata magnificens | tijereta de mar | magnificent frigatebird | resident |
Piciformes | Picidae | Dryocopus lineatus | carpintero lineado | lineated woodpecker | resident |
Piciformes | Picidae | Melanerpes hoffmannii | carpintero de hoffmann | hoffmann´s woodpecker | resident |
Piciformes | Ramphastidae | Pteroglossus torquatus | cusingo, tití, felix | collared aracari | resident |
Podicipediformes | Podicipedidae | Podilymbus podiceps | pato de agua, gallardo | pied-billed grebe | resident |
Psittaciformes | Psittacidae | Amazona albifrons | loro frentiblanco | white-fronted parrot | resident |
Psittaciformes | Psittacidae | Aratinga canicularis | catano, zapoyol | orange-fronted parakeet | resident |
Psittaciformes | Psittacidae | Brotogeris jugularis | catano, zapoyolito | orange-chinned parakee | resident |
Trogoniformes | Trogonidae | Trogon elegans | trogon elegante | elegant trogon | resident |
Trogoniformes | Trogonidae | Trogon massena | trogon coliplomizo | slaty-tailed trogon | resident |
Trogoniformes | Trogonidae | Trogon melanocephalus | viuda amarilla | black-headed trogon | resident |
Passeriformes | Corvidae | Calocitta formosa | urraca, piapia azul | white-throated magpie-jay | resident |
Passeriformes | Dendrocolaptidae | Lepidocolaptes souleyetii | trepador cabecirrayado | streaked-headed wood creeper | resident |
Passeriformes | Emberizidae | Aimophila ruficauda | albarda nueva, ratoncillo | striped-headed sparrow | resident |
Passeriformes | Emberizidae | Arremonops rufivirgatus | pinzón aceitunado | olive sparrow | resident |
Passeriformes | Emberizidae | Passerina ciris | sietecolores | painted bunting | migrant from oct to march |
Passeriformes | Hirundinidae | Hirundo rustica | golondrina tijereta | barn swallow | migrant from ago-oct to march-may |
Passeriformes | Hirundinidae | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | golondrina alirrasposa norteña | northern rough-winged swallow | migrant from sept-oct to march-may |
Passeriformes | Hirundinidae | Tachycineta albilinea | golondrina bicolor | tree swallow | migrant from sept-oct to march-apr |
Passeriformes | Icteridae | Dives dives | tordo cantor | melodius blackbird | resident |
Passeriformes | Icteridae | Icterus galbula | cacique veranero, cacicón | northern baltimore oriole | migrant from sept to may |
Passeriformes | Icteridae | Icterus pustulatus | chorcha | streaked-backed oriole | resident |
Passeriformes | Icteridae | Quiscalus mexicanus | zanate | great-tailed grackle | resident |
Passeriformes | Insertae Sedis | Pachyramphus aglaiae | cabezón plomizo | rose-throated becard | resident |
Passeriformes | Insertae Sedis | Tityra semifasciata | pájaro chancho | masked tityra | resident |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Basileuterus rufifrons | reinita cabecicastaña | rufous-capped warbler | resident |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Dendroica p. erithachorides | reinita de manglar | mangrove warbler | resident |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Dendroica petechia | reinita amarilla | yellow warbler | migrant from sept-oct to may |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Mniotilta varia | reinita trepadora | black-and-white warbler | migrant from ago to oct |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Parula americana | parula norteña | northern parula | migrant from oct to april |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Protonotaria citrea | reinita cabecidorada | prothonotary warbler | migrant from ago-oct to march |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Seiurus noveboracensis | menea cola, tordo de agua | northern waterthursh | migrant from ago to may |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Vermivora peregrina | reinita verdilla | tennessee warbler | migrant from sept-nov to apr-may |
Passeriformes | Parulidae | Wilsonia pusilla | reinita gorrinegra | wilson’s warbler | migrant from sept to may |
Passeriformes | Pipridae | Chiroxiphia linearis | toledo, saltarín toledo | long-tailed manakin | resident |
Passeriformes | Silviidae | Polioptila albiloris | perlita cabecinegra | white-lored gnatcatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Thraupidae | Euphonia luteicapilla | monjita, aguío | yellow-crowned euphonia | resident |
Passeriformes | Thraupidae | Piranga rubra | cardenal veranero | summer tanager | migrant from sept to april |
Passeriformes | Troglodytidae | Campylorhynchus rufinucha | chico piojo, salta piñuela | rufous wren | resident |
Passeriformes | Troglodytidae | Thryothorus maculipectus | soterrey pechimoteado | spotted-breasted wren | resident |
Passeriformes | Troglodytidae | Thryothorus pleurostictus | soterrey de costado barreteado | banded wren | resident |
Passeriformes | Turdidae | Hylocichla mustelina | zorzal de bosque | wood thrush | migrant from sept to nov |
Passeriformes | Turdidae | Turdus grayi | yiguirro, mirlo pardo | clay-colored robin | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Camptostoma imberbe | mosquerito chillón | northern beardless-tyrannulet | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Conopias albovittatus | mosquero cabecianillado | white-ringed flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Contopus sordidulus | pibí occidental | western wood-pewee | migrant from march-may to nov |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Elaenia flavogaster | copetoncillo, bobillo | yellow-bellied elaenia | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Empidonax sp | mosquerito ? | ? Flycatcher | probably migrant |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Megarhynchus pitangua | mosquerón picudo | boat-billed flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Myiarchus crinitus | copetón viajero | great-crested flycatcher | migrant from sept to apr-may |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Myiarchus tuberculifer | copetón crestioscuro | dusky-capped flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Myiarchus tyrannulus | copetón crestipardo | brown-crested flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Myiodynastes luteiventris | pecho amarillo | suphur-bellied flycatcher | migrant from march-apr to oct |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Myiozetetes granadensis | mosquero cabecigrís | gray-capped flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Myiozetetes similis | mosquero cejiblanco | social flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Pitangus sulphuratus | cristofué, pecho amarillo | great kiskadee | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Sayornis nigricans | mosquero de agua | black phoebe | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Todirostrum cinereum | espatulilla común | common tody-flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Todirostrum sylvia | espatulilla cabecigrís | slate-headed tody-flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Tolmomyias sulphurescens | piquiplano azufrado | yellow-olive flycatcher | resident |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Tyrannus forficatus | tijerillo | scissor-tailed flycatcher | migrant from oct-nov to april |
Passeriformes | Tyrannidae | Tyrannus melancholicus | pecho amarillo | tropical kingbird | resident |
Passeriformes | Vireonidae | Vireo flavifrons | vireo pechiamarillo | yellow-throated vireo | migrant from sept-oct to april |
Passeriformes | Vireonidae | Vireo pallens | vireo de manglar | mangrove vireo | resident |