THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CARIBBEAN COASTAL WETLANDS OF NICARAGUA AND HONDURAS TO CENTRAL-AMERICAN POPULATIONS OF WATERBIRDS AND JABIRU STORKS (JABIRU-MYCTERIA)

During the middle of the dry season (February/March), we performed low -altitude aerial strip-censuses to estimate densities of waterbirds in the Atlantic coastal wetlands of Nicaragua and Honduras (Miskito Coas t and La Mosquitia, respectively), areas which are poorly known ornith ologically. We found 12.9 and 5.5 waterbirds/km(2) in 294.6 and 281.5 km(2) surveyed in Nicaragua and Honduras, respectively. Great Egrets ( Arden alba) were most common and widespread, representing 53% (Nicarag ua) and 46% (Honduras) of the sightings. Wood Storks (Mycteria america na) and Egretta herons were the next two most abundant groups. Breedin g colonies of Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja), and Great Egrets were found in both areas, most nests containing eggs and small chicks. We document a previously unrecorded population of Jabiru Stor ks (Jabiru mycteria) breeding in both areas, with densities of 0.05 an d 0.16 birds/km(2), respectively. The wetlands of both countries appea r to support a large proportion of the breeding Jabirus in Central Ame rica and should be given high priority for conservation.