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The Neotropical Zone
General Information
Birdwatchers often discuss Neotropical Migrant birds. What exactly are the they, and
what is the Neotropical Zone? More than 3,000 species of birds make their home in the
Neotropical Zone. This represents about one-third of the birds species in the world, and
is more bird species than in any other zoogeographical region.
Each spring, more than 150 species of Neotropical birds leave their Central and South
American homes to make their way to North America (the Nearctic Zone) to nest and rear
their young.
These migrants represent many groups of birds, including flycatchers, warblers,
tanagers, hawks, orioles, hummingbirds, swallows, swifts, hawks, and falcons. Those birds
that make this long and hazardous journey are the Neotropical migrants.
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The Neotropical Region is one of the 6 major
zoogeographical regions of the world. It extends from Central Mexico south to the southern
most tip of South America. This is the most biologically diverse region on Earth. More
species of plants and birds occur here than in any other region. Many diverse habitats
occur in the Neotropics, and not all of these habitats are tropical. Let’s take a
look at this region as it occurs in the South American country of Ecuador.
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Figure 1 - The Neotropical Region
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Figure 2 - Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands
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Ecuador, about the size of Nevada, is located
on the northwest coast of South America. Although small in size, its diverse habitats are
home to more than 1,500 species of birds. This is an amazing number of species when one
considers that only 800 to 900 bird species occur in all of North America.
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Ecuador is located right on the equator. The
Andes Mountains form its backbone. These geographical features combine to provide a
diverse range of habitats extending from the Pacific Coast through tropical and temperate
forests to the Arctic-like conditions that occur high in the Andes Mountains, and on into
the western Amazon basin.
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Figure 3 - Ecuador
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Figure 4 - The Equator
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At the Globe Monument northwest of the
capitol city of Quito, a yellow line marks the actual location of the equator. Even though
Ecuador lies on the equator, its range of altitudes from sea level to over 20,000 feet
create a diversity of climate from tropical to polar. As one travels higher, the
progression of these life zones is similar to those seen as one travels north from the
equator the North Pole.
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At lower elevations, rugged terrain is
blanketed by virgin primary rainforest. The forests shown here, near the village of Mindo
in northwest Ecuador, have more than 430 species of birds. This is more than half the
number of species that occur in all of North America. This small area supports one of the
greatest diversities of birds in the Neotropical Zone.
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Figure 5 - Pacific Slope Tropical Wet Forest
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Figure 6 - Cloud Forest
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Even though on the equator, increasing
elevations make for cooler climates. At higher altitudes, the forests of the tropics give
way to subtropical or temperate pre-mountain and mountain cloud forests. |
At higher elevations, mountain cloud forests
give way to the Páramo, the wet, windswept grasslands locate above the treeline. These
occur from northern Peru through Ecuador and Columbia to southwestern Venezuela.
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Figure 7 - Páramo - High Elevation Grassland
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Figure 8 - Alpine Habitat Above 14,000 Feet
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Still higher, grasslands give way to the
stunted vegetation and moss covered ground of tundra-like habitats. Even at these
altitudes, many bird species can be found, including the Rufous-bellied Seedsnipe,
Stout-billed Cinclodes, Many-striped Canastero, Plumbous Sierra Finch, and the Chimborazo
Hillstar hummingbird.
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At the highest elevations, glaciers crown the
volcanic peaks along the Andes Mountain chain. These peaks are some of the highest in the
world. Cotapaxi, at 19,342 feet, is the highest active volcano in the world. These high
altitudes are the home of the famed Andean Condor.
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Figure 9 - Cotapaxi Volcano
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Figure 10 - Quito, The Capitol City of Ecuador
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The Capitol city of Ecuador is Quito. Located
in the north central part of Ecuador, it is nestled in the valley between the volcanic
mountain ranges at an altitude of 10,000 feet. More than 1.2 million people reside in this
valley where the altitude produces a spring-like climate all year round.
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Most of the original forest in the Quito area
has been replaced by introduced Eucalyptus. Fortunately, this Eucalyptus forest supports a
number of interesting birds, including the Giant Thrush, Southern Yellow Grosbeak, Hooded
Siskin, Band-tailed Seedeater, Black Flowerpiercer, Blue and Yellow Tanager, and
Crimson-mantled Woodpecker. Several species of hummingbirds can also be found here
including the Giant Hummingbird, Sparkling Violet Ear, and the spectacular Black-tailed
and Green-tailed Trainbearers.
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Figure 11 - Eucalyptus Forest
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Figure 12 - Turdus fuscater
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One of the common birds in the Eucalyptus
forest is the Great Thrush. In habit and song, this bird is reminiscent of the American
Robin. |
The Vermillion Flycatcher is also common in
some areas, and can easily be found breeding in this region. |
Figure 13 - Phyrocephalus rubinus with Young
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Figure 14 - Zonotricha capensis
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The Rufous-collared Sparrow is one of the
most common birds found in Ecuador, especially around human habitations. |
Final Comment
Ecuador represents only a small part of the region we know as the Neotropics. In the
Neotropical Zone, many other habitat types can be found with names like Caatinga, Puna,
Pantanal, Pampas, Matorral, Cerrado, Campo, Chaco, Llanos, Patagonian Steppe, Várzea and
Yungas. These range in climate from the hot dry Atacama Desert of Chile and the vast
grasslands of Argentina through the humid tropical rainforests of the Amazon Basin to the
cold grasslands and barren rocky landscapes at the highest elevations.
This great diversity of habitats, and the ocean realm that surrounds them, provide the
habitats necessary to support this vast assemblage of species. As in other parts of the
world, growing human populations place increasing pressure on remaining natural areas.
If the Neotropical Zone is to continue to support this vast diversity of species, we
must work as partners together in our global world to instill the interest and desire to
conserve natural areas. Only then can we assure the survival of ourselves and the species
that share our planet.
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All images are courtesy of CWBO. All image copyrights are owned by CWBO.
Any use of these images must have permission of CWBO. |
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