The banding station of the Botanical Garden of the Horco Molle Experimental Reserve

During the creation of the Botanical Garden (JB) of the Horco Molle Experimental Reserve (REHM), it was decided to establish a semi-permanent bird monitoring station in the same area, using mist netting and marking with metal and color bands. The objective was to create a banding station that follows international parameters and rules for monitoring and catching birds, unifying biometric measurements, banding, number of nets and hours of operation, molt and feather wear analysis, determination of reproductive condition, sexing and ageing. The station was operated with 10 nets, 9 m long by 2 m high, placed randomly at the site. Nets were opened from 9:00 to 16:00, totaling 70 net-hours per day. Sampling was conducted from June 2016 to May 2017, over a total of 18 days. A worksheet was designed for data collection. Metal rings provided by the National Banding Center (CeNAA) were used. In this sampling period, 139 birds from 11 families and 24 species were captured, of which the two most frequent were Turdus rufiventris and Arremon flavirostris. Seventy-seven percent were adults. The most abundant trophic group was insectivorous birds, which made up 27% of records. The most abundant birds are Residents – Frequent (76%) and secondly Migratory – Altitudinal (20%). Twenty-four birds were recaptured at the site, with one being recaptured 5 km away, in the Sierra de San Javier Park. These activities are carried out through volunteer ornithologists of the (REHM). These activities are also open to the general public who visit the botanical garden. Banding activities have also been carried out, aimed at the general public, using this activity as an environmental education tool.