Population status of the Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) in Chile: initial survey

Abstract

The Peruvian Pelican (Pelecanus thagus) is an endemic seabird of the Humboldt Current System in South America, inhabiting the Pacific coast from the south of Ecuador, Peru to the south of Chile. In Peru it is classified as an Endangered species, while globally it is considered Near Threatened. Although more than 50% of the habitat used by the Peruvian Pelican occurs on the coast of Chile, its population trends and conservation status remain unknown in this country. For this reason, the objective of the present work was to diagnose the population situation of the Peruvian Pelican in Chile, through the analysis of databases and perceptions of local ornithologists. Between the years 2010 and 2015 the abundance of Peruvian Pelican in Chile decreased significantly in the central zone of the country. There is seasonality in its presence, with greater abundances during the winter season. The perception of local ornithologists indicated a population increase towards the south of the country. Along the Chilean coast, 24 nesting sites of the Peruvian Pelican have been described, of which 29.1% are located inside of protected areas. Finally, we identify future research questions, suggest the need to apply a meta-population approach, and establish international collaboration frameworks for the study and conservation of the Peruvian Pelican.