Seasonal variation of the richness and relative frequency of aquatic birds in "La Picasa" Lake, Santa Fe, Argentina

Abstract

́La Picasa ́ lake is a wetland located in the south of the Santa Fe province. It is notable for the presence of sensitive and vulnerable conservation birds, and is considered a Valuable Grassland Area. On several occasions, censuses of neotropical aquatic birds and grassland plovers and shorebirds have taken place at ́La Picasa ́. Here I document, for the first time, the seasonal variation of the richness and relative frequency of aquatic birds at this lake. I registered 69 species from 18 families, of which 49 were residents, 18 were visitors (7 in winter and 11 in summer), and 2 were sporadically observed. In addition to the large number of birds with permanent residence, this lake is important for migrant birds, both in summer (nearctic plovers and shorebirds and southern migrants from the north) and in winter (southern migrants from the south of Argentina, as well as Parina Grande, west longitudinal migrant, a threatened species). These observations highlight the importance of ́La Picasa ́ lake, and the need to formalize the protection of this great Santa Fe wetland.