Projects

Monitoring Survivorship, Population Trends, and Habitat Requirements in Resident and Overwintering Birds In the Lesser Antilles

Partners: EPIC, Sint Maarten Nature Foundation, St. Martin Nature Reserve, Loterie Farm, Institute for Bird Populations, Anguilla National Trust, PRBO Conservation Science’s Latin America Program, Antioch University, Centre de Recherches sur la Biologie des Populations d’Oiseaux, HUMMER Group, and Audubon Zoo.

Project Dates:  January-March annually. Five days each month

Project Location: Pic Paradis, St. Martin and Katouche Valley, Anguilla

Project Description:  Assess survivorship in songbird populations. We will monitor the survivorship in resident and overwintering bird populations through mist-netting in multiple habitats throughout the Lesser Antilles. Additionally, we will monitor population trends in songbird populations through the use of point-counts. The counts will take place in multiple habitats and with all songbird species encountered. Assess habitat requirements for songbirds in the Lesser Antilles through mist-netting and point counts.

Project Importance: Mist-netting will allow us to observed general bird health as well as survivorship within multiple habitats. Point counts enable us to accurately estimate the true population of songbirds in each habitat, and observe/monitor populations trends inter-annually within habitats and regionally.

Important Bird Areas (IBAs)

Partners: EPIC and BirdLife International

Project Location:

St. Martin: Pic Paradis - Regionally significant Bridled Quail-dove and Scaly-breasted Thrasher populations

St. Eustatius: The Quill - Regionally significant Bridled Quail-dove and Scaly-breasted Thrasher populations

St. Kitts: Mount Misery - Regionally significant Bridled Quail-dove population

Project Importance: As part of a global initiative, Birdlife International contracted EPIC to identify potential Important Bird Areas (IBAs) for St. Kitts, Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten/Martin.  For more information on IBAs, visit http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/sites/index.html .

St. Kitts Bullfinch Project

Partners: EPIC and St. Kitts Department of Fisheries and Wildlife.

Project Dates: April/May 2005.

Project Location: Mount Misery, St. Kitts

Project Description: Search for the possibly extinct St. Kitts Bullfinch on the upper elevations of Mt. Misery, St. Kitts. Using call/playback to attract the species, we will survey a large portion of the birds historical habitat. Once the species is located, we will champion a conservation effort to save the remaining population.

Project Importance: If this species is located, it will be the first confirmed sighting of the bird since the 1930's. We will promote legislation to protect the species and conserve its habitat.

Project Description: This program is designed to provide biologists in the neotropics with used mist nets for bird research.  EPIC intends to acquire used mist nets from bird programs in the United States and provide them to financially challenged programs in the neotropics. Our main duties would be to contact bird programs in the United States and stockpile their used nets. We will provide information to bird programs in the neotropics on how to acquire the used nets. We will implement an application process that will require documentation of banding permission, banding history, and intended use for mist nets.

Project Importance: Bird research programs and museums in the United States often replace mist nets each year and dispose of old mist nets that are in need of repair. Programs in the neotropics are often financially challenged to obtain mist nets for bird research. EPIC will be the clearinghouse for the mist nets.

Interested in donating or receiving mist-nets? Email us at info@epicislands.org

Future Projects

Project Importance: The training program will demonstrate capacity building and technical training in avian monitoring techniques. We will help organizations assess conservation needs and priorities to improve local avian research effectiveness. The training will demonstrate clear conservation benefits for neotropical migratory birds and support endemic and resident species conservation activities. EPIC will demonstrate active coordination and communication towards the construction and strengthening of a network with other organizations, agencies, local businesses, and local communities. The mission of the training will be to have participants be able to leave our training and complete conservation activities that have conservation benefits for neotropical migratory birds and/or supports endemic and resident species.