Migratory birds in productive landscapes
Home | Migratory Ecology
Share
Science that leads to action
Non-breeding ecology of Mourning Warblers in coffee growing landscapes
The Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) is an abundant migratory insectivore in coffee growing landscapes. It is a great study species, ideal for understanding the needs of migratory landbirds during the non-breeding period, as well as exploring migratory connectivity and carryover effects. It is also a species which is believed to perform important pest control services in coffee and other productive landscapes. This project aims to develop a long-term monitoring program for connected populations of Mourning Warbler in South and North America. We hope to tackle questions about non-breeding ecology, connectivity, habitat quality and survival for this species that primarily uses transformed landscapes during the non-breeding period.
Quantifying pest control services by birds in coffee growing landscapes
We know that migratory and resident birds eat many of the pests that harm crops such as coffee. However, this service has yet to be explicitly quantified in Colombia, one of the most important coffee producers in the world. A precise estimate of the pest control service provided by birds will help promote practices that encourage the presence of key species in coffee growing landscapes, and in turn benefit biodiversity and coffee growers. This project uses metabarcoding and genomics to describe and quantify bird diets in two contrasting coffee growing landscapes in Colombia. We aim to identify which species eat coffee pests and to what degree they contribute to mitigating the negative effects of coffee pests.
These projects are part of our alliance with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and the Bird Friendly program
Project objectives
Connect populations of
migratory birds in Colombia with North American
breeding populations
Understand the needs, habitat quality, and space use of Mourning Warblers during the non-breeding period.
Discover factors which affect survival of migratory birds and their connection to the full annual cycle.
Describe and quantify the pest control service that
migratory and resident birds provide in coffee growing landscapes in Colombia
Project Gallery






















Productos destacados
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.








Investigate to understand,
understand to act
Support our work aimed at understanding how we can enhance productive landscapes for birds and people