Abstract

VENEGAS HOLGUIN, Diana; DIAZ TENGLER, Militza Érica  and  CRUZ NIETO, Javier. American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana): First breeding records in Chihuahua, Mexico. Huitzil [online]. 2015, vol.16, n.1, pp.28-32. ISSN 1870-7459.

The American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) is a shorebird associated to shallow waterbodies. It is a bird of stylized figure and unmistakable appearance that belongs to the Recurvirostridae family. The known reproductive range of this species does not include the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, where it is considered a migrant. Due to the lack of studies that report the presence of avocet nests in this state of the Mexican Republic, the finding of nests in the years 2006, 2007, 2011, 2012, and 2013 near Janos, Ascención, Palomas, Cuauhtémoc, Gómez Farias, and the city of Chihuahua represent the first nesting records of this species in the state. During 2013, we studied 12 nests near the city of Chihuahua. We observed that there are many dangers in this area for the eggs and chicks of the American Avocet and associated species like the Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) and the Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous), especially because they all nest on the ground. The presence of predators like dogs, cats, and wild animals, as well as the presence of humans, horses, and cows that could step on the eggs and chicks, represent a danger to the subsistence of the species in this area.

Keywords : shorebirds; breeding range; survival; nesting; nestlings.