NOTAS SOBRE ANIDACIÓN Y CUIDADO MATERNAL DEL COLIBRÍ ESMERALDA HONDUREÑO (AMAZILIA LUCIAE) EN EL VALLE DE AGALTA, HONDURAS

Resumen ∙ El Colibrí Esmeralda Hondureño (Amazilia luciae) es la única ave endémica de Honduras. Esta especie en peligro habita valles intermontanos con bosques áridos espinosos, bosque semi‐deciduo o áreas abiertas con arbustos dispersos. Durante un año (agosto de 2014–julio de 2015) se llevaron a cabo búsquedas de nidos de Amazilia luciae. Se registraron 17 nidos los cuales fueron monitoreados. La mayoría de los nidos (N = 15) se encontraron entre enero y marzo. Los nidos tuvieron forma de copa y se registró el uso de nueve especies de plantas nativas como sustrato. El ciclo reproductivo, desde construcción hasta que los polluelos dejan el nido, fue de 42 días. Los nidos encontrados contenían 1–2 huevos o polluelos. Finalmente se documentaron 14 ocasiones de cuidado maternal hacia juveniles fuera del nido. Estos resultados ayudarán a guiar estudios futuros, así como informar a participantes de esfuerzos locales de conservación dirigidos a beneficiar esta especie.Abstract ∙ Notes on the nesting and maternal care of the Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) in the Agalta Valley, Honduras The Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) is the only endemic bird in Honduras. This endangered hummingbird inhabits intermontane valleys with arid thorn forests, semi‐deciduous forest or open habitat with dispersed shrubs. During one year (August 2014–July 2015) we conducted searches for Honduran Emerald nests. We found and monitored 17 nests. Most nests (N = 15) were found between January and March. Nests were cup‐shaped and nine native plant species were recorded as substrate. The nesting cycle, from nest construction to fledging, takes approximately 42 days. Nests contained 1–2 eggs or nestlings. We documented 14 occasions of maternal care towards juveniles outside of the nest. This study will help guide future studies as well as promote local conservation efforts

Floral resource used by the Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) in the Agalta Valley, Honduras

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Amazilia luciae, conocido como Colibrí Esmeralda Hondureño, es un ave endémica de Honduras cuyo hábitat se ha visto amenazado por actividades antrópicas. Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron contribuir al conocimiento de las especies vegetales que componen el recurso floral anual de A. luciae en el bosque seco tropical (BST) del Valle de Agalta, Honduras, y estimar la riqueza de especies con el número de unidades y coberturas de muestreo. Métodos: Se utilizaron las notas de campo de muestreos sistemáticos de aves que fueron ejecutados por un año en 35 sitios en el BST del Valle de Agalta, Honduras. Los tipos de muestreo fueron el conteo por punto y la búsqueda de área. Se construyó una lista de especies vegetales visitadas por A. luciae basada en los muestreos sistemáticos y se complementó con observaciones incidentales. Seguidamente se usaron curvas de rarefacción para estimar la riqueza de especies de plantas visitadas por A. luciae y la cobertura de cada muestreo. Se calcularon las frecuencias relativas para las plantas visitadas durante septiembre-diciembre 2014, marzo-abril 2015 y junio-julio 2015. Se recolectaron muestras botánicas y se determinaron en el Herbario TEFH. Finalmente se examinó si A. luciae utilizó recursos florales de especies vegetales de importancia para la conservación del BST. Resultados clave: Se registraron 26 especies de plantas, de las cuales ocho presentaron la mayor frecuencia de visitas por parte de A. luciae: Opuntia hondurensis (más utilizada durante la mayor parte del año), Salvia coccinea, Combretum fruticosum, Aechmea bracteata, Bromelia plumieri, Tillandsia fasciculata, T. balbisiana y Pilosocereus leucocephalus. Conclusiones: Se contribuyó al conocimiento de la historia natural de A. luciae, determinando las especies vegetales utilizadas como recurso floral en el BST del Valle de Agalta. Asimismo, se establece una base para estudios sobre la interacción ecológica de A. luciae en este ecosistema.Background and Aims: Amazilia luciae, known as the Honduran Emerald Hummingbird, is endemic to Honduras and is threatened by habitat loss due to anthropogenic activities. The objectives of this research were to contribute to the knowledge of the plant species that make up the annual floral resource of A. luciae in the tropical dry forest (TDF) of the Agalta Valley, Honduras, and evaluate the richness of those species with the types and coverage of sampling. Methods: Field notes were used from systematic bird surveys conducted during a one-year study across 35 sites within TDF in Agalta Valley, Honduras. Two bird survey types were used, point counts and area. A list of plant species visited by A. luciae was compiled during avian surveys, complemented by incidental records. Then, data were evaluated via rarefaction curves, to estimate the species richness of plants visited by A. luciae and the sampling effort coverage. The relative frequencies were calculated for the plants visited during September-December 2014, March-April 2015, and June-July 2015. Botanical samples were collected and examined at the Herbarium TEFH. Finally, an evaluation was made to determine if A. luciae used floral resources of plant species considered of importance to the conservation of TDF. Key results: Twenty-six plant species were recorded, of which eight presented the highest frequency of visits by A. luciae: Opuntia hondurensis was the most visited throughout the year, followed by Salvia coccinea, Combretum fruticosum, Aechmea bracteata, Bromelia plumieri, Tillandsia fasciculata, T. balbisiana and Pilosocereus leucocephalus. Conclusions: We contributed to the knowledge of the natural history of A. luciae, determining the plant species used as a floral resource in the TDF of the Agalta Valley. This work establishes a basis for studies on the ecological interaction of A. luciae in this ecosystem

Composición, estructura y diversidad florística del bosque seco en el Valle de Agalta, Honduras

Dry forests are considered one of the most threatened ecosystems in the tropics due to anthropogenic activities that cause fragmentation and habitat loss. Structural and plant composition data were collected from 265 plots in 35 sites, resulting in the identification of 316 species distributed in 76 families and 222 genera, including 79% eudicot, 15% monocot, 8% monilophytes, and 1% gymnosperms. The vertical and horizontal distribution indicated that the forest is dominated by young individuals. Acacia picachensis (Fabaceae), Eugenia hondurensis (Myrtaceae), and Lysiloma acapulcense (Fabaceae) were identified as the most dominant plant species based on the importance value index. The remaining Agalta Valley’s dry forest represents a unique habitat and is the refuge of many native, rare, and endemic species, including some considered high conservation priority.Los bosques secos se consideran uno de los ecosistemas más amenazados en el trópico por las actividades antrópicas que han fragmentado y reducido el hábitat. Este estudio documentó la composición florística del bosque seco del Valle de Agalta en Honduras, con énfasis en los sitios donde habita el colibrí esmeralda (Amazilia luciae), un ave endémica y en peligro de extinción. Se colectaron datos de la estructura y composición vegetal de 265 parcelas en 35 sitios. Se identificaron 316 especies distribuidas en 76 familias y 222 géneros, que incluyen 79% eudicotiledóneas, 15% monocotiledóneas, 8% monilófitas y 1% gimnospermas. Las distribuciones vertical y horizontal indican que el bosque está dominado por individuos jóvenes. Las asociaciones vegetales más dominantes, según el índice de valor de importancia,  fueron Acacia picachensis (Fabaceae), Eugenia hondurensis (Myrtaceae) y Lysiloma acapulcense (Fabaceae). Se concluye que el Valle de Agalta aún posee bosque seco, que representa un hábitat único y es el refugio de muchas especies nativas, raras y endémicas, enlistándose algunas especies de alta prioridad de conservación

Influence of microhabitat on Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) abundance in tropical dry forest remnants

Understanding the ecology of at-risk species is the foundation for developing strategies to counteract continued population declines. The Honduran Emerald (Amazilia luciae) is an endemic hummingbird that inhabits tropical dry forest in Honduras. Remaining populations of this endangered species are restricted to habitat fragments located in landscapes dominated by agricultural activities. The conservation of this species is dependent on efforts to protect existing dry forest remnants and to restore additional areas. However, limited information exists regarding Honduran Emerald habitat use on which to base management decisions. We conducted a study to identify point-level habitat features that are important to Honduran Emerald abundance. In 2014-2015, we conducted avian and vegetation surveys at 174 points located within dry forest remnants. We constructed hierarchical multinomial mixture models using time-removal based point count data collected in three sampling periods. Honduran Emerald detection was influenced negatively by Julian date. Local abundance was positively correlated with shrub-sapling density and cacti structural diversity. Mean local abundance per point was (0.39 ± 0.2 SD) and the number of individuals estimated to have used the combined area of the survey points (48.7 ha) was 68 (CI 95% 45-110). The shrub-sapling density and cacti structural diversity levels identified from our abundance models are characteristic to dry forest communities in this region. As such, the need for efforts to protect remaining dry forest remnants cannot be overstated. Future research should evaluate how the microhabitat features we found to be important to Honduran Emerald abundance influence fitness parameters such as survival and reproduction. Studies that examine how reciprocal effects of pollinator species declines and plant species diversity influences the long-term stability of tropical dry forest ecosystems are also warranted