Se presentan los primeros registros del flamenco americano (Phoenicopterus ruber) para el piedemonte del departamento del Meta en la Orinoquia Colombiana. Se realizaron tres observaciones en vida silvestre de la especie en las zonas inundadas de un cultivo de arroz de riego (Oryza sativa) en los años 2008 y 2010. Estos registros podrían corresponder a la ampliación de rango de la especie, a la presencia de individuos vagabundos o a la introducción tipo trasplante de la especie a esta región del país. Se analizó la situación de P. ruber en la Orinoquia Colombiana, se proponen las posibles rutas de arribo de la especie a esta región del país (si fuese una ampliación de rango geográfico) y se discuten la tenencia de fauna silvestre en cautiverio.

1. Small wetlands are considered a refuge for biodiversity, but the importance of natural and man-made lentic wetlands for the maintenance of bird diversity in human-dominated landscapes is not well-known in the Neotropics.2. This study evaluated the influence of the types and origins (natural or man-made) of lentic wetlands on bird diversity of three guilds (aquatic, semi-aquatic and landbirds) in the Meta Piedmont, Colombia.3. The species richness and the structure and composition of each bird guild were estimated and compared between and within wetland types (swamps, heronries, rice fields, semi-natural lakes, constructed lakes and fish farms) and origins (natural, mixed and artificial).4. In total, 275 bird species were recorded (196 landbirds, 60 aquatic birds and 19 semi-aquatic birds). Local species richness had a wide variation (39 to 144 species), and total and mean richness were significantly different between among wetland types and origins. Semi-natural lakes were the most diverse wetland type, and heronries were the least diverse. Mixed-origin wetlands had the highest species richness. The cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) was the most abundant species, while heronries and rice fields showed the greatest total bird abundance. 5. Bird diversity is strongly related to type and origin of wetlands, with significant variations in species composition among different types, which show high local and landscape heterogeneity.6. It is suggested that small lentic wetlands, whether natural, mixed or artificial, are important for the maintenance of local and regional bird diversity. Conservation and management actions are required to preserve wetland heterogeneity and the birds associated with it.

Abstract:Here we present new records for four bird species to the Andean foothills of the department of Meta in Colombia, and we confirm the occurrence and document range extensions for these in the basin of the Orinoco river. These species are the Pied-billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps (Linnaeus 1758), the Yellowchinned Spinetail, Certhiaxis cinnamomeus (Gmelin 1788), the Yellow-browed Tyrant, Satrapa icterophrys