Birds of the central Rio Paracti valley, a humid montane forest in Departamento Cochabamba, Bolivia
Abstract
Based on ornithological collections and surveys conducted in 1979 and from 2000 to 2004; we characterized the avifauna of the humid Río Paracti valley in the Andean foothills of Departamento Cochabamba, Bolivia. Adjacent to Carrasco National Park, the Rio Paracti valley is characterized by humid Yungas forest that supports a diverse assemblage of foothill species. Here we report the southernmost sight record of Sickle-winged Guan (Chamaepetes goudotii) and the southernmost specimen record of Lanceolated Monklet (Micromonacha lanceolata). We report the fourth and fifth specimens of Yellow-rumped Antwren (Terenura sharpei) from Bolivia, and provide a description of the adult female plumage. We present the first specimen records of Short-billed Bush-Tanager (Chlorospingus parvirostrii) for Cochabamba department. In addition to an annotated list of species from the Río Paracti valley, we present nesting records for the Fulvous-breasted Flatbill (Rhynchocyclus fulvipectus), Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans), Golden-crowned Flycatcher (Myiodynastes chrysocephalus), Masked Tityra (Tityra semifasciata) and Dusky-green Oropendola (Psarocolius atrovirens). We estimate that 50% of the easily accessible forest along the road that descends to the Río Paracti from the main Cochabamba- Santa Cruz highway was converted to agriculture between 2000 and 2004. Nearby Carrasco National Park affords some protection for birds, but rapid habitat destruction outside the park may soon make Carrasco an island in a sea of human-modified habitats. Species restricted to narrow elevational ranges, such as the Yellow-rumped Antwren, are especially vulnerable to such habitat destruction. © The Neotropical Ornithological Society.