Promoting community-based bird monitoring in the tropics: Conservation, research, environmental education, capacity-building, and local incomes

Long-term, locally-based biodiversity monitoring programs are essential for understanding and mitigating the effects of global change on tropical biodiversity while providing capacity-building, environmental education, and public outreach. However, these programs are lacking in most tropical countries. Birds are the best-known major group of organism, comprise excellent environmental indicators, are relatively easy to monitor, and are met with enthusiasm and interest by people worldwide. Bird monitoring programs using mist nets and bird banding (ringing) are especially valuable, as these well-established techniques enable the use of capture-mark-recapture (CMR) models to measure population change and other demographic parameters. Equally important for conservation, the ability to capture and release birds makes it possible to provide hands-on ornithological training and educational activities to students, conservationists, villagers, decision-makers, journalists, and other local people. Bird banding programs provide local jobs for research assistants, who often go on to productive careers in conservation, education, research, or ecotourism. Long-term bird banding stations also provide the nuclei, infrastructure, and staff for monitoring, education, and conservation programs focused on other taxa. As successful examples from Costa Rica and Ethiopia show, bird monitoring programs that integrate conservation, ecological research, environmental education, capacity-building, and income generation are cost-effective tools to achieve the goals of community-based biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction in the developing world. Therefore, locally-based and long-term bird monitoring programs should be encouraged, established, and funded throughout the tropics.

► Tropical biodiversity monitoring programs are essential for understanding and mitigating the effects of global change on ecosystems and ecosystem services.
► Birds are the best-known major group, excellent environmental indicators, easy to monitor, and receive widespread interest.
► Bird banding (ringing) is especially valuable for estimating population change and other demographic parameters.
► Bird banding provides hands-on training, capacity building, environmental education, local jobs, and public outreach activities.
► Long-term bird monitoring programs that integrate conservation, research, education, capacity-building, and income generation should be established and supported throughout the tropics.