Migration patterns and population connectivity of the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger intercedens) in South America: a continental approach
The South American subspecies of Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger intercedens, is an important neotropical bird, widely distributed from Venezuela to the southeastern coast of Argentina. Population information for this subspecies is scarce and restricted to local distribution sites, making their conservation status difficult to determine. In Argentina, anecdotal information on breeding grounds suggest small colonies of R. niger intercedens next to rivers, contrasting with the high numbers registered on non-breeding grounds on the southeastern coast of Argentina (up to 10,000 non-breeders in Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon). This observed contrast in bird abundances raises the question of the existence of a non-breeding mixture of birds from breeding colonies distributed throughout the main South American hydrological basins. In this study researchers analyzed the genetic differences between skimmers’ populations from Brazil and Argentina, sampling individuals at breeding sites in Brazil and Argentina, and the large non-breeding site at Mar Chiquita (Argentina). Read Project SummaryMigration patterns and population connectivity of the Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger intercedens) in South America: a continental approach