The Society of Puerto Rican Ornithology has created a shorebird monitoring group to increase the knowledge of shorebird abundance and distribution on the island. The group, which began field work in January 2001, consists of 17 volunteers who conduct monthly censuses in 12 localities. Among the localities are the Cabo Rojo salt flats, one of the major shorebird stopover and wintering sites in the Caribbean, with more than 40,000 individuals observed annually. The data are intended to promote conservation efforts and will be shared with international shorebird groups. Adrianne G. Tossas, Coordinator (agtossas@caribe.net)
The Monitoring Working Group was formed at the 2005 Meeting of the SCSCB in Guadeloupe following the Monitoring Symposium and expression of broad interest in the region in collaborative monitoring efforts and expanded training opportunities.
Vision Statement
The long-term vision of SCSCB's Monitoring Working Group is to enable Caribbean countries to build high-quality, bird monitoring and training programs that have regional relevance and significance because of shared species and habitats. Within this context, the Working Group will:
- Foster inter-island cooperation and collaboration in the regional monitoring of shared species of birds (including neotropical migrants) and their associated habitats;
- Work to significantly increase the number of skilled field biologists living in the region; and
- Build regional capacity to carry out standardized monitoring and training programs.
- Although the focus of the working group is on the Caribbean islands, the group will cooperate with other groups, agencies, and interests working on common goals within the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Western Hemisphere.
Roles of the Working Group (Five-year Horizon)
- Compile and disseminate information on existing monitoring and training programs that are relevant to the Caribbean;
- Identify and promote standardized monitoring protocols that can be used to report upon trends of species of interest within the Caribbean;
- Promote the need for the creation of a common database structure and data-sharing system, so that data of regional interest can be archived, retrieved and analysed by program participants;
- Support the development of an internet program to facilitate regional data input from scientists and volunteers (birdwatchers, students, etc.), to compile data, and retrieve reports, maps, etc.;
- Promote standardized protocols for training specialized field staff, with a view towards creating a cadre of trainers in the Caribbean;
- Attempt to identify one or more regional "centers of excellence" in the Caribbean that can take a lead role on developing monitoring and training programs within the region; and
- Seek resources to undertake the above.
For more information, please contact the Monitoring Working Group co-chairs: Steven Latta of Point Reyes Bird Observatory (slatta@prbo.org) and Jon McCracken of Bird Studies Canada (jmccracken@bsc-eoc.org).