A Baseline Survey of Waterbirds in Five Major Wetlands of Haiti

Abstract

Abstract. Information on resident and wintering waterbirds in Haiti is particularly scarce, limiting knowledge needed to inform waterbird conservation across the Caribbean. Here, results from a winter census of waterbirds at five major wetland sites in Haiti in 2019 are presented. Overall, 10,265 waterbirds belonging to 34 species and 12 families were counted. Richness per site varied between 8 and 26 species, and the Shannon diversity index ranged from 2.69 to 8.54. Only 17.6% of observed species were recorded at more than three sites, and there was no significant relationship between the overall number of individuals counted per species and the number of sites where the species was observed. This was reflected in the moderate degree of similarity between the five sites in terms of shared species as calculated with Horn index. Although the species observed during the survey are currently listed as Least Concern (LC) in the Global IUCN Red List, at the local level several of them are considered threatened: White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis) and American Coot (Fulica americana); or rare: Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolori). Results are discussed relative to previous records of waterbirds in Haiti and need to develop ornithological research based on local expertise.