Just four hours from Caracas, and with over 350 species recorded so far, this area has only recently begun to find its way onto standard birding itineraries. The 11,852 ha Cuare Faunal Refuge was created in 1972 to protect saline coastal lagoons and was inscribed as a Ramsar Site in 1988, while the 32,090 ha Morrocoy National Park was formed in 1974 to protect marine and coastal habitats including mangroves, coastal xeric scrub and coral keys. Together these two areas form the heart of a birding enclave in eastern Falcón State. Long popular amongst beach lovers, they have been firmly put on the birding map through the work of Peter Boesman and the rediscovery a few years ago of Plain-flanked Rail by Dave Willis, David Ascanio and Bob Ridgely.

For most visiting birders the chief attraction of this area is waterfowl. Several thousand American Flamingos can often be seen feeding in coastal lagoons near Chichiriviche. The same habitats are home to a variety of ducks and migratory shorebirds, whilst mangroves hold Scarlet Ibis, Plain-flanked Rail and Bicoloured Conebill. Coastal scrub is good for Bare-eyed Pigeon and Buffy Hummingbird while deciduous woodland holds Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Russet-throated Puffbird, Scaled Piculet, Black-backed Antshrike, Pale-tipped Inezia and Glaucous Tanager. Just a few kilometres inland, slightly more humid limestone forests provide habitat for Red-legged Tinamou, Black-and-White Hawk-eagle, Horned Screamer, Red-and-Green Macaw, Dwarf Cuckoo, Yellow-knobbed Curassow, Caribbean Hornero, Hooded Tanager, White-eared Conebill and a host of other birds, while nearby wetlands are the domain of Stripe-backed Bittern and Rusty-flanked Crake.

In fact this area provides attractions for both specialist birders hoping to see rare endemics as well as those who just enjoy seeing large numbers of species and relishing the huge variety of the tropical avifauna. With nearby beaches and excellent lodges, there is plenty of distraction for non-birding spouses too.

Specialities and endemics

Full bird checklist

Lentino, M. and M.L. Goodwin. 1991. Lista de las Aves del Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Refugio de Fauna Silvestre de Cuare y áreas aledañas, Estado Falcón, Venezuela. Sociedad Conservacionista Audubon de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela. 47 pp. 352 spp. Available from SCAV (http://www.audubondevenezuela.org).
Boesman, P. 1997. “Campo Lindo” Bird List. Peter Boesman, Caracas, Venezuela. 32 pp. 400 spp.

Links

MARNR: http://www.marnr.gov.ve/direcciones/fauna/dirprotegida/mapa.htm
Wetlands International (Ramsar database): http://www.wetlands.org/RDB/Ramsar_Dir/Venezuela/VE001D02.htm