Nearly 300 species of landbirds, whose combined populations represent more than one billion individuals, migrate between the Neotropics and North America. However, populations of many species have persistently declined in recent decades and species that were common 40 years ago are now increasingly rare. Of all life history stages, migration is the least known but it is also the stage in which migratory birds suffer the highest mortality rates. This information gap is especially large in the Neotropical region and inhibits the design of effective conservation strategies.

To fill this large gap in our knowledge, this project is working in eight countries in Central and South America to identify migration routes, the regions where birds accumulate energy for migration, and high quality habitats for Neotropical migratory landbirds.

This project is comprised of two SELVA projects – Crossing the Caribbean and the Neotropical Flyways Project – and is developed in partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Environment and Climate Change Canada.