Selected abstracts regarding coffee research from the
North American Ornithological Conference, 2006

 
CERULEAN WARBLER (DENDROICA CERULEA) FORAGING BEHAVIOR IN THE WESTERN ANDES OF COLOMBIA
Calderon-F. D.,  Instituto de Biologia, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia, manakin00@hotmail.com

I studied the foraging behavior of Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea), a migratory passerine of conservation concern, in the Cordillera Occidental of the Colombian Andes during the 2005/2006 nonbreeding period. D.cerulea was commonly found in the canopy of shaded cardamom and coffee plantations. Adult individuals, males, and birds in fresh plumage were more common than immature individuals, females, and those in worn plumage respectively. Most individuals observed were joining mixed species flocks and during overcast conditions. This warbler constantly flies between trees and rarely stops while foraging; it rapidly moves by making small hops along twigs and searching all surfaces for food. Even thought among the non-aerial maneuvers Lunge was the most commonly observed, these were performed without any noticeable preference; meanwhile Leap and Flush-Pursue prevailed among the aerial maneuvers. Though Snap was performed to manipulate big green larvae twice, Gulp was the most used food handling technique due to a sampling constraint for insectivorous birds. D.cerulea only used shading tree species, typically Guamos (Inga sp.) and Carboneros (Albizia sp.). Much research in all the distribution range of this species is still needed to enlarge the knowledge about its natural history and behavioral ecology in order to develop effective conservation efforts.
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POPULATION ECOLOGY OF CERULEAN WARBLERS ON BREEDING AND WINTERING GROUNDS
Bakermans, M. H., The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA, bakermans.1@osu.edu ; Rodewald, A. D., The Ohio State University, Columus, USA, rodewald.1@osu.edu

Despite precipitous population declines of Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea), population, few studies have examined this species on both breeding and wintering grounds. Our study investigates 1) density and reproductive success related to forest management in southern Ohio, and 2) density and persistence in primary forest and shade coffee plantations in the Venezuelan Andes. On the breeding grounds, variation in density was best explained by differences in forest structure, especially canopy structure. From 2004-2005, estimates of daily nest survival (n = 53 nests) for forests adjacent to clearcuts was 0.957 (� 0.013 SE) compared to 0.974 (� 0.009 SE) when surrounded by unharvested forest, which translate to large differences in nest survival over a 25-day nesting period (i.e., 33.7% compared to 51.8%). Preliminary results from the wintering grounds suggest that shade coffee may provide critical habitat for overwintering Cerulean Warblers. From December 2005 � February 2006, densities of Cerulean Warblers were higher in shade coffee plantations than primary forest at similar elevation. Of 20 Cerulean Warblers captured in shade coffee plantations, 18 of these individuals were resighted 1-11 times after the initial banding event, data, which will ultimately be used to estimate, overwinter survival.
http://twel.osu.edu/projects/Bakermans.html

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CERTIFICATION AND BIRDS: THE IMPORTANCE OF SHADE COFFEE PLANTATIONS FOR SPECIES DIVERSITY IN THE CUETZALAN REGION, PUEBLA, MEXICO
L�pez de Aquino, S., Museo de Zoolog�a, Facultad de Ciencia, UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico, lopez_samuel@hotmail.com; Leyequien, E., Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Bornsesteeg 69, Wageningen, Netherlands, euridice.leyequien@wur.nl; Bakker, G., Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Bornsesteeg 69, Wageningen, Netherlands, garry_baker@hotmail.com; Vermoolen, R., Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Bornsesteeg 69, Netherlands, reinoudvermoolen@hotmail.com; de Boer, F., Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Bornsesteeg 69, Wageningen, Netherlands, fred.deboer@wur.nl
 
In Latin America, coffee is traditionally produced under a diverse and dense canopy of shade trees. The recent trend of reducing this shade cover in order to increase production raises concerns about the potential loss of biodiversity. Although the idea of shade certification is to compensate farmers for the biodiversity conservation service provided by their shaded plantations, the premium offered may not compensate for the low yields of the most shaded plantations. Most common in the Cuetzalan region are plantations of the traditional polyculture, this creates a large variety of arboreal and herbaceous species, a useful diversity for people. In this study the overall proportion of coffee plantation habitat in localities, as well as the human disturbance level were taken into account as possible explanation for variability in species richness, avian species diversity and abundance using point-count and mist-netting. We recorded a total of 182 species; several of them are noteworthy records for the region. Although shade coffee plantations cannot fully replace the original forest in terms of biological quality, they can still maintain a large number of species.

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COFFEE CERTIFICATION AS AN ECONOMIC INCENTIVE FOR BIRD CONSERVATION 

Gonzalez-Leal, C, A., Consejo Regulador del Cafe, A. C., Xalapa, Mexico, cafeveracruz@xal.megared.net.mx; Salas-BuenoA., Consejo Regulador del Cafe, A. C., Xalapa, Mexico, cafeveracruz@xal.megared.net.mx; Montejo-Diaz, J., Endemicos Insulares, A.C.,  Veracruz,  Mexico, jorge.montejo@endemicos.org; McAndrews, A. Endemicos Insulares, A.C., Veracruz, Mexico, amy.mcandrews@endemicos.org; Martinez-Gomez, J. E., Endemicos Insulares, A. C., Veracruz, Mexico, juan.martinez@endemicos.org

The certification process that guarantees high quality coffee and its denomination of origin promotes the protection of cloud forest because it requires the use shade trees. The Consejo Regulador del Caf� collaborates with ca. 1000 farms in Central Veracruz covering 17,130 hectares, of which: 70% are under medium shade trees (4-10 meters tall), 20% under tall shade trees (>20 meters) and 10% under short shade trees (<4 meters). The region of Zongolica excels in the use of tall shade trees composed of original cloud forest. The Consejo Regulador del Caf� aspires to certify coffee production in another 111,000 hectares located in mountainous regions of central Veracruz favorable for high quality coffee. The combined area of certified coffee plantations and those with potential for certification (128,130 ha) is slightly greater than that of El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve (119,000 ha). The conservation of cloud forest helps protect a diversity of endemic and migratory bird species such as Bearded Word-Partridge, Sumichrast�s Wren, Golden-cheeked Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, and Wedge-tailed Sabrewing. Extensive cattle pastures and sugar cane plantations have greatly reduced potential habitat for numerous forest-restricted species. Coffee plantations with native tree cover provide one of the last refuges for these and many other vertebrates.

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TRADITIONAL COFFEE PLANTATIONS: SUITABLE HABITAT IN THE ANTHROPOGENIC MATRIX FOR NEOTROPICAL RESIDENT AND MIGRATORY BIRDS
Leyequi�n AbarcaE., Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen; University,  Wageningen, Netherlands, Euridice.Leyequien@wur.nl; L�pez de Aquino, S., Museo de Zoolog�a �Alfonso L. Herrera�, Facultad de Ciencias UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico, lopez_samuel@hotmail.com; De Boer , F.,  Resource Ecology Group, Department of Environmental Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands, Fred.deBoer@wur.nl

Habitat loss and fragmentation by wide-spread deforestation are major causes threatening the Neotropical avifauna. The study area is located in a shade coffee region in the north-eastern mountain range of Puebla, Mexico, representing an important forested agricultural land cover. The study region is currently suffering an increasing land conversion leading to habitat loss for the avifauna. We found that traditional shade coffee areas provide suitable habitat for Neotropical migrants and residents. We documented an original list for the region of 181 bird species within shade coffee plantations, representing a total of 12 orders, 31 families and 123 genera. The predicted species richness (Smax) and the accumulation curve show that the sampling effort enabled us to detect the majority of bird species. From the total 181 species, 124 (69 %) are resident birds and 57 (31 %) migrants, 9 (5 %) are forest-dependent species, 4 (2 %) endemics, 10 (5 %) are subject to special protection and 4 (2 %) endangered. We found that vegetation cover and stand structure variables within the shade coffee plantations, have a significant positive relationship (p = 0.05) with species richness, as well as the proportion of shade coffee plantations within the landscape.   http://www.reg.wur.nl/uk

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SENSITIVE BIRD SPECIES IN SHADE COFFEE PLANTATIONS
Tejeda-Cruz, C., Insituto de Ecologia, A.C., Xalapa, Mexico, tejedac@ecologia.edu.mx

I developed numerical models to explain the presence of high sensitivity bird species in a coffee-forest landscape in southern M�xico. Altitude, distance to the edge, tree density, canopy height and canopy cover were the most important variables explaining differences in species composition between habitats. Avian diversity and the presence of species sensitive to disturbance were affected by habitat type. Richness and abundance of sensitive bird species decreased in coffee plantations compared to forest. High sensitivity species have a greater probability of occurrence in primary forest sites above 1,200 m with high shrub density, far from the edge with coffee plantations and with less than 75% ground cover. In coffee plantations, high sensitivity species are more likely to occur at sites above 1,300 m, with less than 70% canopy cover and less than 40% ground cover. A combination of altitude and distance to the forest were the two most important variables explaining the distribution of high sensitivity species. Tree species diversity was related to neither bird species diversity nor abundance; however, tree species diversity was related to abundance of high sensitivity species in shaded monoculture coffee. Results support the notion that shade coffee with high levels of structural diversity may be good for conservation purposes; however, shade coffee may only be important for forest species when close to forest. Shaded monoculture was the most disturbed of the habitats studied, and its quality as bird habitat could be enhanced by increasing tree species diversity, particularly at higher elevations, close to primary forest.

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NEOTROPICAL INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS AS PEST CONTROL OF THE COFFEE BERRY BORER (HYPOTHENEMUS HAMPEI) ON JAMAICAN BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEE FARMS
Kellermann, J. L., Humboldt State University, Arcata, USA, jlk55@humboldt.edu; Johnson, M. D., Humboldt State University, Arcata, USA, mdj6@humboldt.edu;Stercho, A.M., Humboldt State University, Arcata, USA, ams92@humboldt.edu

No abstract.

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BIRDS, SHADE GROWN COFFEE, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN ECUADOR 

MordecaiKA, Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, United States, katsmith@uga.eduMordecai, R, S, Warnell School of Forest Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, United States, Justicia, R, , Fundaci�n Maquipucuna, Quito, Ecuador, 

Management of natural resources requires not only an understanding of how to manage that resource, but also needs the understanding and support of the local communities and stakeholders. Interpretation plays an important role in the management of natural resources by fostering positive attitudes towards conservation and in addition promotes understanding and appreciation of the environment. As part of ongoing outreach targeting the benefits of shade grown coffee being conducted by Fundaci�n Maquipucuna, a local conservation organization in Ecuador, we have created interpretive signs and a children�s coloring book highlighting the importance of shade grown coffee to bird communities. The interpretive signs will be placed at Maquipucuna Reserve and surrounding areas. The coloring book will help explain complicated ecological processes and relationships in the coffee plantations. This project will educate local school groups, Ecuadorians from Quito, members of surrounding communities, and foreign visitors. Through this outreach program we hope to educate the local community and promote shade grown coffee to potential consumers who visit Maquipucuna and surrounding areas.

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