BIRDING PLUS
EL SALVADOR & BANDING

A unique opportunity to work in a banding operation, learn basic techniques, terminology, and instruction on aging and sexing birds in the hand (both resident and migrants).  Also, expect an equal amount of time in “normal” tour birding.  A special tour to a country with a rich ornithological history and over 540 species of birds! 

Fee TBA. 8 days
From San Salvador. Limit: 8
Basic to good accommodations; warm and humid climate; moderate walking.  Contact us at (800) 728-4953 for more information.

El Salvador is the smallest country in Latin America, but one with a rich ornithological history beginning in the early twentieth century with the pioneering work of Dickey and van Rossem.  Later work conducted by Marshall in the 40’s and Thurber in the 70’s helped to further document the Salvadoran avifauna and the changes that had occurred in the passing 50 years.  In the early 90’s, with the formation of SalvaNATURA and the vision of Oliver Komar (science director at SalvaNATURA), research and monitoring has taken on a long-term importance.  SalvaNATURA has operated full-time bird monitoring stations in the western half of the country for the past five years.  These stations have contributed a mountain of data on migration, site fidelity, and general life history of both resident and migrant species, and there have even been several species new to the country captured in these mist nets.

Field Guides and SalvaNATURA have partnered to offer a unique experience.  We will have the opportunity to be involved in the banding operations at two stations in western El Salvador: one in cloud forest, the other in semi-deciduous tropical forest.  We will learn basic banding techniques including banding terminology, net placement, net maintenance, bird handling and extraction, bird processing (data collection and banding), and release.  There will also be instruction on aging and sexing individuals.

In addition, we’ll spend half our time in “normal” tour birding.  We will visit Cerro Verde National Park (cloud forest: White-faced Quail-Dove, Spot-crowned Woodcreeper, Eye-ringed Flatbill, Rufous-browed Wren, Blue-and-white Mockingbird, Bushy-crested Jay, Crescent-chested Warbler), El Imposible National Park (semi-deciduous dry forest: Ivory-billed Woodcreeper, Long-tailed Manakin, Fan-tailed Warbler), the coastal mangroves at Barro de Santiago (or similar site: Yellow-naped Parrot, “Mangrove” Yellow Warbler), and the Pacific-slope dry forest at Walter Deininger (Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Orange-fronted Parakeet, Blue-throated Goldentail, White-lored Gnatcatcher).  The tour is timed to see a good number of Neotropical migrants as well (expect to band and see many!). 

El Salvador is guide Jesse Fagan’s second home, and he looks forward to welcoming you to this wonderful country. 

• 1+ 800-728-4953
• 1+ 512-263-7295
• 1+ 512-263-0117 (fax)

Field Guides Incorporated, 9433 Bee Cave Road, Building 1, Suite 150, Austin, TX 78733

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