BIRDS OF PREY ASSOCIATED TO TREE BOUNDARIES ADJACENT TO SUGAR CANE (Saccharum spp.) PLANTATIONS IN CHONTALPA, TABASCO

Abstract

In order to identify the species of birds of prey that are associated to tree boundaries that demarcate sugar cane (Saccharum spp.) plantations, twenty-six visits were carried out from May 2013 to November 2014 to a stretch of 5 km of tree boundaries, in the afternoon, with the aim of detecting birds with binoculars, and to photograph them for their identification compared with field guides. Eleven species included in four families and three orders were identified: Accipitriformes (Cathartidae: Coragyps atratus and Cathartes aura; Accipitridae: Elanus leucurus, Buteogallus urubitinga, Buteo magnirostris and Buteo plagiatus), Strigiformes (Strigidae: Glaucidium brasilianum) and Falconiformes (Falconidae: Caracara cheriway, Herpetotheres cachinnans, Falco sparverius and Falco femoralis). All of them have potential as agents for biological control of pest rodents, but it is considered that E. leucurus is the species with greatest potential to consume rats and mice, is a resident and was found in 46 % of the visits; it was followed by B. magnirostris, which despite being a generalist in its diet, is a resident and was found in 96 % of the visits.