Relative abundance of the Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) and its Bird Community in the Agalta Valley, Olancho, Honduras

Abstract

The Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) is the only bird endemic to Honduras. This species has been categorized as one of the most threatened birds in Central America. The Honduran Emerald exists only in six dry forest areas of Honduras. It is known from Agalta and Telica valleys (Olancho) and Aguan valley (Yoro) in the east. It has been observed in Tencoa, Quimistan, and Jicatuyo valleys (Santa Barbara and Cortes) in the west. Dry forest habitat in Agalta Valley has been eliminated and deteriorated and only 20 fragments of different sizes remained in 2012. We conducted bird census in these fragments with emphasis on the emerald hummingbird. We counted birds in 50 transept points and categorize birds by abundance. The emerald hummingbird turned out to be relatively common in the area. We found the species in 10 of the Agalta dry forest fragments. This was the only specialist species out of the 90 that we find in the valley. Other species are generalists and common or abundant. One of the common species was Arremonops chloronotus twomeyi, a subspecies that only exists in the dry valleys of Agalta and Aguán. Although we observe the hummingbird mainly on the edges of dry forest, the biggest problem for conservation in Agalta is land tenure. Nineteen of the Agalta dry forest fragments are privately owned, the other one is municipal. We propose some alternatives to conserve the emerald hummingbird in Agalta. Of these, it might be that the creation of a program of payments for environmental services (PES) is the most feasible. Forest regeneration in pastures not in use is not a long term solution if they still are in private hands. Private owners will protect the forest if they receive economic incentives to do so. A PES could get some of its funding to operate through an "environmental toll" on the Gualaco-San Esteban road.

Ceiba, 2016. Volumen 54(2)127-138