Research: Forest birds using Costa Rican coffee farms

Persistence of forest birds in the Costa Rican agricultural countryside. C. H. Sekercioglu, S. R. Loarie, F. Oviedo Brenes, P. R. Ehrlich, and G. C. Daly. 2007.  Conservation Biology 21:482-494.

This study radiotracked several species of resident forest birds in the Coto Brus province of southern Costa Rica, now "dominated by sparsely-shaded coffee farms" — recall that in my post on coffee growing in Costa Rica that most farms, including those marketed as "shade" coffee, have few shade trees of only a couple of species, and lack the structural complexity necessary for true biodiversity preservation.  Two of the three species studied, Silver-throated Tanager (Tangara icterocephala) and White-throated Thrush (Turdus assimilis) are more habitat-sensitive and utilized the coffee farms, but were highly dependent on the remaining trees, and spent more time in remnant forest. The third species, Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush (Catharus aurantiirostris), is more tolerant of deforestation, and preferred coffee farms and second-growth areas. The authors concluded that agricultural areas have high potential conservation value, which can be enhanced with even modest increases in tree cover. Imagine what true shade coffee would do!

Posted in Birds and other biodiversity,Coffee regions,Research on coffee growing