Composición del ensamblaje de aves en una zona periurbana de Medellín, Colombia

Abstract

Peri-urban areas have been documented as transitional zones between natural environments and urban areas, which are essential for the maintenance of the birdlife associated with large cities, even harboring high levels of species richness and diversity. In this work, the assemblages of birds in a peri-urban area of the municipality of Medellin (Colombia) is documented. This area has undergone a strong transformation of its natural cover in the last century and is considered of high interest for the conservation of ecosystem services on which the city depends. The study was carried out at the Remington University Veterinary Clinic, located in the town of Santa Elena. The avifauna records were obtained from capturing individuals with mist nets and direct observation in free walks carried out in August-September 2017, February-May 2018 and September 2020. Additionally, records for some species were derived from camera trap sampling, occasional sightings, and sound data. A total of 54 bird species belonging to 12 orders and 27 families were recorded, including two endemic species, one near-endemic and two migratory species. This work reports the presence of 35 species that had not been previously registered in published lists for the township, mainly species associated with open areas and forest edges. Obtained results highlight the importance of peri-urban areas for the diversity of local birdlife in large cities.