Contribution à l’étude de l’avifaune de l’île Santay, Equateur

The avifauna of the Santay island (Guayaquil, Ecuador) has been studied during a six-months period from September 2000 to February 2001. Nearly half covered by mangrove forest, the island (2 200 ha) has recently been put on the list of the Ramsar Convention. However, very few data exist about its natural resources. The present results are compared to a previous study carried out in 1994. On the whole 130 birds species have been listed in Santay (48 new for the island) among which 20 Emberizidae, 18 Tyrannidae, 16 diurnal raptors, 20 endemic species to Ecuador, Colombia or Peru, 12 migrating species and 10 species both resident and migrating. Some of these species present abundant populations. Several taxa are considered as threatened. These results confirm the high biological value of the island and involve an important potential for the development of ecotouristic activities.