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The
Manu Biosphere Reserve has within
its boundaries, the highest concentration of bird life on earth. At
the time of this writing, approximately 925 species have been recorded
and ornithologists expect this figure to break the 1000 mark in the
near future as remoter areas of the reser-ve are explored. There are
a little under 9000 species in the world, therefore, Manu holds one
in eve-ry nine species found on the planet. No other protected area
on the earth con-tains so many birds. The explanation for so many avian
diversity is that the Manu Biosphere Reserve contains a great variety
of altitudinal zones and habitat types. Altitudes vary from over 4000
mts above sea level in the high Andes down to 350 mts in the lowland
amazonian rain forest, and every 1000 mts gained or lost, the structure
of the bird community differs.
This, coupled with the variety of forest types, grasslands, lakes and
microha-bitats such as bamboo stands, reed-beds and treefalls, has produced
the highest bird count for any area in the world.
Manu is a birdwatchers' paradise and many ecotourists visit the reservation
specifically to watch birds. On a 2 /3 week birding trip to Manu from
the highlands to the lowlands, birdwatchers
regularly record 450 to 500 species per trip, a staggering number.
At 4000 mts, a stunted forest holds se-veral Tanagers, Flowerpierces
and a Thistletail found nowhere else in the Reserve. At 3400 mts below
the high grasslands (down to 2500 mts), the hu-mid temperate forest
characterized by tree-ferns and chusquea bamboo |
stands,
is the home of the Gray-Breasted Mountain Toucans, Swallow-tailed Nightjar
and Collared Jay. Below 2500 down to 1500 mts there is the humid subtropical
forest, the home of Manu's most well known and spectacular birds; like
the Andean cock-of-of-the-rock. A visit to a lek (a traditional display
site) is a must, as up to 20 brightly colored males sing and display
in an attempt to attract the seemingly indifferent females. Here too
are Quetzals, Toucans and a wide variety of Tanagers.
A mornings birdwatching here can be a fantastic experience as mixed
species flocks containing several dozen species of birds move through
the cloud forest, some sally-gleaning, some probing crevices, others
cllimbing tree trunks or limbs. Between 1500 and 900 mts is the humid
upper tropical forest where some of the difficult to see birds of Manu
exist. The forest at this altitude is under much pressure in the rest
of South America due to cutting for the growing of tea-coffee and cocoa.
In Manu it remains intact. Here, mixed species flocks may contain Orange-fronted
Plushcrown, Versicolored Barbet, Chestnut-breasted Wren, Woodcreepers,
Tanagers, Peruvian piedtail and many more. Leaving the Andes behind
with it's rushing streams the visitor to Manu suddenly finds him or
herself in a flat, humid tropical forest with sur-prising white sand
beaches. They provide a valuable nesting habitat and are loaded with
visiting birds. Here, they can breed unmolested.
In short, the Manu Biosphere Reserve is home to some of the most important
and varied birdlife found anywhere and indeed certain species such as
Black- faced Cotinga can only be seen here !
Truly, a paradise for the birdwatcher and a much needed protected area
for the birds... |
.net
