A disproportionate number of North America’s steeply declining or at-risk migratory landbirds migrate to South America. On route they also use multiple stopover areas in Central America and in northern Colombia that are essential to a successful migratory journey. Sadly, many of the habitats that migratory landbirds use along the way are currently at great risk.

Conserving the diverse array of habitats and regions occupied by migratory landbirds in Colombia and Central America is a challenge. Based on the priority setting exercises carried out in this project, we identified regions to initiate pilot conservation projects, deploying a range of actions in the conservation toolkit, such as environmental education, creation of private reserves and restoring quality habitat through the establishment of tree nurseries and the subsequent enrichment of priority landscapes.

To date, activities aimed at creating and enhancing stopover habitat have taken place in Costa Rica (El Corredor Azul) and in three regions of northern Colombia (Serranía de Abibe, Monteria dry forests, and on the lower Guajira peninsula). These have resulted in the establishment of six native tree nurseries and the planting of over 30,000 trees.