Peru

In February 2010 a group of Peruvian and international scientists led the first comprehensive ground-based census of shorebirds and other water birds along the coast of Peru. These surveys covered the entire Peruvian coastline with participation from more than 150 volunteer observers and resulted in counts of more than 100,000 shorebirds of 31 species. The data taken during the census, were centralized using a special eBird protocol designed specifically for the project.

After an arduous process of collecting, reviewing and analyzing data, the Atlas is ready to be published. The atlas is a comprehensive document with information on the results of these surveys. This atlas will be an indispensable tool for national and local government in Peru, land managers, scientists, conservationists and birdwatchers; it will also provide a template for future projects of this type in Peru and the rest of South America.

The authors, Nathan Senner (Cornell University) and Fernando Angulo (CORBIDI) present information on the history of shorebird research in Peru, describe the methods used, and present the results of two ways: by species and sites.

Finally, there is a discussion of the results and conclusions, with recommendations of key sites in need of protection. This comprehensive directory of the most important sites for shorebirds in Peru will hopefully promotes the conservation and protection of these key areas and ensure the continued importance of coastal Peru for a variety of species, including shorebirds.