Birds Ecuador is the country of birds, with 1,660 species. In its territory, covering 256,370 km2, are concentrated 17% of the world’s total bird species. As such, the country ranks fourth in the world, behind Colombia, Peru and Brazil, neighboring countries with territories much greater than Ecuador. Therefore, when establishing a relationship between the size of the country and the number of bird species, Ecuador ranks first by a wide margin. Definitively, Ecuador is the country of birds and Quito is the capital of the country of birds (Carrión, J.M., 2011). At an altitudinal gradient extending from 500 to 4,780 meters above sea level, the MDQ presents several ecological formations that are home to a large population of birds – it is estimated there are 542 species, including 64 endemic at the regional level and one that is exclusive to Quito. This supreme ornithological wealth is colorfully exemplified by hummingbirds, the natural emblem of Quito of
which there are 55 different species in the district. This is the land of hummingbirds (Carrión, J.M., 2011) (Infographic 3). There are 542 species from 59 families and 17 orders registered in the MDQ (MECN, 2010), demonstrating ESPECIES, ÓRDENES Y FAMILIAS DE AVES EN EL DMQ high diversity. Despite constant anthropic pressure and the state of fragmentation of ecosystems, virtually all groups are present. The most diverse orders are the Passeriformes, the Tyrannidae (flycatchers), Thraupidae 17 (tanagers), Trochilidae (hummingbirds) and Furnariidae (ovenbirds, ESPECIES, woodcreepers) (FigureORDERS 5a). ÓRDENES Y FAMILIAS DE AVES EN EL DMQ 59
BIRDS IN THE
MDQ
55
HUMMINGBIRDS SPECIES
FAMILIES
17
542 ORDERS 59
BIRDS IN THE
SPECIES
MDQ
FAMILIES
55
HUMMINGBIRDS SPECIES
542 SPECIES
5a.
Photo: Murray Cooper
DISTRIBUCIÓN DE AVES POR ECOSISTEMAS DISTRIBUCIÓN DE AVES POR ECOSISTEMAS
Low montane evergreen forest Low montane
185
185
evergreen forest
High piedmont High piedmont evergreen forest evergreen forest
294 294
Montane cloud forest
Montane cloud forest
5b.
627 0
0
100
100
200
200
300
300
400
500
400
600
500
627 700
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700
Figure 5. Identified birds in the MDQ
Fuente: MECN, 2010. Los datos corresponden al estudio realicado por MECN de 21.410 registros en 21 sitios estudiados en el DMQ. Las especies identificadas este estudio represental 43 % del total de especies registradas en el DMQ. Source:en(MECN, 2010, op. cit.)
Black-breasted puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis)
62
Part I
The data correspond to a study performed by the MECN on 21,410 records in 21 sites in the MDQ. The identified species in this study represent 43% of all the registered species in the MDQ.
Fuente: MECN, 2010. Los datos corresponden al estudio realicado por MECN de 21.410 registros en 21 sitios estudiados en el DMQ. Las especies identificadas en este estudio represental 43 % del total de especies registradas en el DMQ.