Resumen

SANDOVAL, Jorge Correa  y  REYNOZA, Xanny Lenisse García. Distribution and abundance of Snail Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) and Limpkin (Aramus guarauna), and its interaction with Apple Snail (Pomacea flagellata) at the Laguna Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico. Huitzil [online]. 2019, vol.20, n.1, e457. ISSN 1870-7459.  https://doi.org/10.28947/hrmo.2019.20.1.395.

Bird populations are limited by internal factors such as immigration and migration as well as external factors such as competing for food with other species. The Snail-Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis) and the Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) share their habitat both of them feed almost exclusively in Apple-Snails (Pomacea). In this document we report on the distribution and abundance of both species, as well as their preferred size of prey at Laguna Bacalar in Quintana Roo, Mexico. From June 2012 to August 2013 we conducted 10 field expeditions and surveyed 36 transects of 500 m each. Snail-Kites and Limpkins were always present in Laguna Bacalar. We observed 319 Snail-Kites; 181 adults, 87 juvenile and 66 indeterminate sex birds. Of the adults 67% were males and 33% female. Their monthly average abundance was 63.3 ± 46.2 individuals. As for the Limpkins, 339 were recorded; their monthly average abundance was 73.3 ± 82.8 individuals. We found evidence of prey selection by size compared with the snails available in the lagoon. Average siphonal length (LS) of snails consumed was 37 ± 0.56 mm. (n= 4312). The smallest LS depredated was 17 mm and the largest of 55 mm. Of snails available in the environment, the average LS was 33 ± 2.82 mm. We recommend further research be conducted on diet and reproductive ecology of both species and on the human consumption of snails in order to provide advice for their management and conservation.

Palabras llave : Sweet water; urban growth; riverbanks; wetlands; inland lagoon.

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