Assessment of avian roadkill in an important endemic area in western Ecuador
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Keywords

Asio clamator
heat maps
roadkill
Tyto alba
Tumbesian ecorregion

How to Cite

Larreátegui-Palma, Michael D., and Jaime A. Salas. 2025. “Assessment of Avian Roadkill in an Important Endemic Area in Western Ecuador”. El Hornero 40 (1). https://doi.org/10.56178/eh.v40i1.1508.

Abstract

Western Ecuador is a heterogeneous region with diverse economic activities that require road infrastructure. However, these roads impact bird populations in this biogeographically significant and threatened area. Our main objective was to assess bird mortality on roads connecting several population centers in the provinces of Guayas and Santa Elena. Fieldwork was conducted between July 2021 and June 2022, consisting of 43 surveys along roadways to identify and georeference bird carcasses. We estimated roadkill rates and identified high-incidence areas using heat maps. During this study, we recorded 329 road-killed birds belonging to 43 species, with the most common being Crotophaga sulcirostris, Tyto alba, and Asio clamator. We identified 13 high-incidence roadkill hotspots, where we recommend implementing mitigation measures, with ongoing monitoring, educational programs, and environmental awareness initiatives for local communities and road users. Roadways represent an anthropogenic barrier for birds, negatively affecting their movement and dispersal. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate their medium and long-term impacts on the Ecuadorian coastal region.

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