Natalia Ocampo-Peñuela holding a Toucan.

Deforestation and climate change are two main causes of species extinctions. In biodiversity hotspots, like the tropical Andes, understanding the factors that cause extinctions and how to prevent them is fundamental to conservation. The Mesenia-Paramillo reserve, located on the northern Western Andes of Colombia, houses 360 birds, 46 endemic and/or threatened. In this tropical biodiversity rich area, we will determine the lower and upper elevational range limits of montane birds under natural conditions (mature forest). Subsequently, we will evaluate the effects of deforestation on these birds’ elevational ranges, giving important insight into future scenarios in the face of climate change.

Given that we ignore the effects of deforestation on the elevational ranges of birds, that this will help us understand and prepare for the impacts of climate change, and that the Western Andes are exceptionally diverse, the goals of this project are:

1. Determine the lower and upper elevational range limits of montane birds along an altitudinal gradient covered by forest in Mesenia-Paramillo Reserve, in the Western Andes of Colombia.

2. Quantify the variation in abundance of montane birds along an altitudinal gradient covered by forest in Mesenia-Paramillo Reserve.

3. Evaluate the effect of lowland deforestation on the elevational ranges of montane birds, and the variation in abundance, by comparing intact forest transects with transects lacking forest in the lowlands.

This project will generate accurate data on the lower and upper elevational range limits for over 300 bird species, including 46 endemic and threatened species. This information is important for updating current field guides and threat categories for endangered species.

Impacts of deforestation = Insight into climate change impacts: this project is the only of its kind in Colombia, generating information that will be useful for both biologists and conservationists.

Information on the effect of deforestation on the ranges of birds will be very useful in understanding how climate change will impact these species, since part of the effect of rising temperatures will be land cover change. Most importantly, the results from this project will be instrumental for Mesenia-Paramillo’s conservation and management plan. This will inform Fundacion Colibrí (reserve owners) what places are priorities for restoration, or which areas would be important to purchase when enlarging the reserve.