Watch over a migrating bird in Central America!

Dear Friend,

Each year, more than three hundred bird species undertake a perilous journey from North America to Central America, arriving at the end of the rainy season when fruits and insects around. Unfortunately, storms and habitat loss along their route mean that half, or more, of these birds may perish before they reach their wintering grounds. Thanks to your support, Paso Pacifico is hard at work protecting these critical habitats and giving migratory birds a fighting chance!

Habitat Protection

This spring, we stewarded over 250 acres of dry tropical forest at the Reserva Mono Bayo and Reserva Quelantero. These forests provide essential shelter and foraging grounds for wintering migrants, helping them refuel and rest after their long flights. Your generosity made the continued protection and restoration of these reserves possible, creating safe havens where birds can thrive.

Scientific Monitoring

We just wrapped up our tenth season of monitoring birds' survival using MoSI bird-banding stations. At Reserva Mono Bayo and Reserva Quelantero, our teams set mist nets, carefully band each bird, then release and recapture them. The resulting data are analyzed by statisticians at the Institute for Bird Populations to estimate overwinter survival rates. It's particularly rewarding to see individual birds, like the ovenbird featured above, return year after year, a testament to the life-saving impact of habitat protection you help us provide.

Citizen Science & Community Engagement

This spring's Global Big Day was a tremendous success in Nicaragua. Across the country, 91 participants, including 30 Paso Pacifico staff and student volunteers, documented 402 species. These observations feed directly into the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's databases, informing population estimates and confirming the presence of rare species. By participating, our local birders generate data that shapes conservation strategies region-wide.

Your partnership makes all of this possible. Because of you, migratory birds find refuge here in Central America, and communities learn to value and protect their feathered visitors. Thank you for standing with Paso Pacifico and for helping these remarkable travelers survive another season in our care.

Warm Regards,

Sarah Otterstrom

David Attenborough once said, "Everyone likes birds", and we agree with him. Whether they are gracing our morning with joyful song or giving us a sense of wonder when we observe that nesting behaviour, birds are an important part of our lives.

Thanks to your support, our efforts to document and protect migratory birds in Central America is underway.  Here are a few updates on your impact. 

 Bird-banding stations for survivorship at two locations in Nicaragua

• Since November, our team has visited the stations every 4 weeks to capture migratory and resident birds gathering data about their survivorship. The monitoring activity generates valuable information. For example, using our data the Institute for Bird Populations has a scientific paper about migratory bird survival under review. We have been included as co-authors.

Christmas Bird Count

• This was the 10th annual bird count. 21 participants using 10 routes identified 160 species. We held the event in early January 2025.

Willow flycatcher monitoring across three sites in El Salvador

• This is our 3rd year monitoring flycatchers in Eastern El Salvador. During the winter season we've been documenting the habitat of this significantly threatened migratory bird. The survey found 13 additional migratory bird species of conservation concern in these same habitats including the American Redstart, Sulpher-bellied Flycatcher and Summer Tananger

Management of MOTUS station for radio telemetry tracking of birds

• We have been busy planning the deployment of two MOTUS stations for radio tracking migratory and resident birds. This involved meeting with government officials, landowners and technical experts.

It is a privilege to study birds and to work with communities and landowners to protect their habitat. We are so grateful to you for making this work possible. 

Links:

• Species Results from our participation in Christmas Bird Count