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Assessing methods for estimating minimum population size and monitoring andean condors (Vultur Gryphus) in Southern Ecuador

Abstract:

The Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) is a critically endangered species in Ecuador and is threatened at the global scale. We tested three methods (feeding stations, transects, and point counts) to estimate local population size of Andean Condors in Cajas National Park (CNP) in the southern Andes of Ecuador. We conducted 128 h of observations at two feeding stations, walked 24.8 km over 60 h along montane transects, and conducted 20 45-min point counts (total time = 15 h) located along these transects. In total, six different condors were observed, three at the feeding stations and at point counts, and three others at feeding stations only. No condors were recorded while walking transects. One of the individually identified birds was an adult male, while two more birds were adults of unknown sex. The low abundance of condors possibly results from ranching and fanning activities, especially at the southern border of Cajas National Park, and beyond the park borders where persecution and hunting of Andean Condors persist. Feeding stations are a powerful tool to monitor Andean Condor populations and such a protocol is recommended for CNP and elsewhere. © The Neotropical Ornithological Society.