Endangered Birds

Unfortunately, some typical birds of the Macanao Peninsula are about to disappear, due to several causes. In some cases the species do not tolerate modifications in their restrained habitat, or they are victims of hunting to get them alive and finally be used as pets. It is calculated that annually 80% to 100% of young pigeons dissapear, with the procedures of capture involving the death of some of them.

In addition to this, birds seem not to resist captivity and die frequently. Low reproductive successes have been reported because of egg and young pigeon depredation by other animals, besides other natural causes such as falls from trees and flood of cavities.

In situ conservation of these species must be emphasized. Big part of the nutrition area is threatened and there is no legal figure that protects its conservation, because of this, it is necessary to create protected areas in this region.

It is a priority to keep on fortifying already existing environmental educational programs, specially led to create awareness of the problem in people involved in bird captures; besides the convenience of protective laws promulgations at regional levels.

Condition: IN CRITICAL DANGER
Scientific Name: Aratinga acuticaudata neoxena
Taxonomy: Aves, Psittaciformes, Psittacidae
Spanish names: Ñángaro, carapaico

The only islander population reported for Aratinga acuticaudata is restrained to Margarita island, specifically in arid zones near "Laguna de La Restinga", this is the only place where they breed and is the apparent center of distribution. All its life area is threatened, and its actual distribution is probably a remainder of the former, occupying less than 50%of the original area. The actual population is judged almost 180 species.

Condition: IN DANGER
Scientific Name: Amazona barbadensis (Gmelin 1788)
Taxonomy: Aves, Psittaciformes, Psittacidae
Spanish Names: Cotorra cabeciamarilla, cotorra margariteña

Restrained to few localities in arid zones of Venezuelan coast and Caribbean islands La Blanquilla, Margarita and Bonaire, It is considered one of the most threatened species of birds in Venezuela.
Most of its population is decreasing currently. Population size of this specie is appraised less than 5.000 individuals globally (Lambert et al. 1992). At Margarita it is calculated a population of 1.500 individuals.

Condition: IN CRITICAL DANGER
Scientific Name: Crypturellus erythropus margaritae
Taxonomy: Aves, Tinamiformes, Tinamidae
Spanish Name: Soisola pata roja de Margarita

In Venezuela Crypturellus erythropus margaritae is endemic to the mountain zones, at eastern part of Margarita island, especifically Mount "El Copey" (Phelps & Meyer de Schauensee 1979).
Its actual distribution is likely to be less than former distribution, occupying between 20% and 50% from the original area.
There is no numerical information to this respect. Only qualitative estimations show low population levels and a constant decreasing.