The Dominican Republic Apr 09—16, 2011
Posted by David Ascanio
David Ascanio
David Ascanio, a Venezuelan birder and naturalist, has spent the last 26 years guiding birding tours throughout his native country, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, the Amazo...Related Trips
The islands of the Caribbean have always been fascinating to scientists. In these isolated regions the endemic species represent an amazing percentage of the avifauna, and many birds are relatively easy to see. This is probably due to the lack of predation and long periods of isolation. For these reasons, islands rank among the best destinations for an understanding of the basics of biogeography, population dynamics, and endemism.
Our 2011 Dominican Republic tour was the perfect destination for discussion of some of the above concepts, and for learning the theories about the origin of the avifauna of the Hispaniola. It was also a destination that challenged our driving skills, and gave us opportunities to taste the local cuisine, learn about the contemporary history of the country, and feel the ambience of Santo Domingo, founded by Spain in 1496.
Another topic of discussion during our tour was the importance of conservation and the threats to much of the Hispaniola wildlife today. Pests, poverty, and habitat loss are forces driving many species almost to extinction. Realizing this, and taking steps toward habitat conservation as a key to preservation of the avifauna, the Dominican Republic environmental agency has tried hard (despite its very low budget) to preserve some of the main habitats of the island. So it is not surprising that most of our birding in the Dominican Republic took place in protected land. We started at Los Limones (the buffer zone of Los Haitises National Park) where we enjoyed two pairs of Ridgway's Hawk, the most threatened buteo in the world. At Sierra de Bahoruco National Park we saw the largest number of endemic species while visiting three locations: Zapotén, Cachote, and Aceitillar. Our tour finished with visits to two wetlands: Laguna de Oviedo and Lago Enriquillo, the latter being a Ramsar site.
In the birdlist for our tour you will find a review of the birds and other wildlife we found. Additionally, the Hyperlinks file will take you to the photos and videos taken during our trip. I hope these files will bring you fond memories of the long drives, the word games, and the great birds we saw.
Thank you very much for coming with us. I hope to see you again on another birding adventure!