Bird

Ecuador hen reserve elevating funds to stay open

Story up to date July 19 at 9:15 EDT to mirror new donation complete.

A non-public hen reserve in Ecuador, which has a species checklist of 441 on eBird, is elevating cash from birders and different supporters world wide to guard the property for the long run.

The Paz Fowl Refuge (Refugio Paz de las Aves) positioned in Nanegalito, Ecuador, is well-known as a spot to see antpittas, particularly the shy Big Antpitta. Six antpitta species have been recorded on the refuge, however two Big Antpittas, referred to as Maria and Willie, are the celebrities of the refuge. They seem recurrently when they’re referred to as with a meal of worms by brothers Angel and Rodrigo Paz, who personal the property together with different relations.

Golden-headed Quetzal, one of many 440+ hen species on the refuge. Photograph by Roger Ahlman

A GoFundMe web page from the Paz household is amassing donations to help the refuge. Their purpose was to lift $155,000 by August 1, and on the night of July 18, they surpassed the overall! As of the morning of July 19, the fund has raised $155,395.

The GoFundMe web page states:

“After seventeen years of dedicating our lives to those birds and permitting others to share on this expertise, we now urgently want your assist.

“This previous yr, the beloved Matriarch of our household handed away leaving the property the place we originated the enterprise to her 9 youngsters. Nonetheless, Angel and his brother Rodrigo are the one relations who wish to protect this land and its forests so it might proceed to supply a refuge for these uncommon birds into the longer term. The opposite seven family members, who want to keep up their very own households, have indicated they want to promote the property within the industrial market, which implies it will likely be used to lift cattle and would destroy the habitat for these superb birds and additional deforest this already fragile space.”

Artist and author Lisa Brunetti, who wrote a narrative for BirdWatching a couple of uncommon wood-rail species in Ecuador, spoke with a number of different birders in her adopted nation in regards to the wonders of Refugio Paz de las Aves.

Roger Ahlman, a tour information and eBird reviewer for Ecuador, stated:

“A go to to Paz de las Aves is at all times the spotlight of any tour to the west slope of the Andes in Ecuador. So many good birds right here and seeing a number of species of elusive antpittas up shut is at all times a deal with.”

And Cullen Hanks, challenge leaders for the Macaulay Library on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, added:

“Angel is doing an incredible job defending habitat and connecting individuals with birds. Our time with Angel was probably the most distinctive and fulfilling experiences in Ecuador.”