Bird inventories of La Loca Strict Nature Reserve and Potrero 7B Managed Nature Reserve in the “Cuña Boscosa” (Humid Chaco), Santa Fe, Argentina

Abstract

In Santa Fe, a province with a strong agricultural expansion, the protected areas (PAs) play an important role in conservation. In particular, the Cuña Boscosa of Santa Fe, which is part of the Chaco Humedo region that extends to the distribution limit of the Quebracho colorado (Schinopsis balansae), is preserved by the La Loca Strict Nature Reserve (LLSNR) and the Potrero 7B Managed Nature Reserve (P7BMNR). Knowing the biodiversity of these PAs is essential to develop adequate management plans; however, the information available is scarce and, especially, the data avifauna is outdated. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to update the bird inventories in these PAs and detect priority species for conservation. The bird samplings were carried out using count points, MacKinnon lists and lists of non-systematized species between 2006 and 2019, and was complemented with other sources of information. The threatened species, those with restricted distribution in Santa Fe and those restricted to a biome were considered species with conservation value. One hundred ninety-five species were recorded in both PAs (85% resident and 15% migratory), 175 in the LLSNR and 162 in the P7BMNR. The species with conservation value are 5 threatened, 12 with restricted distribution in Santa Fe and 22 restricted to a biome. The richness detected represents 45% of the species in the province, 25% of the migratory species and 12% of the threatened species of Santa Fe. These results will serve for the management of both PAs and the monitoring of their bird populations.