Avifauna acuática de la Laguna del Laja (Andes de Chile)

Abstract

The acuatic environments of Laguna del Laja National Park have been included in the Directory of Neotropical Wetlands. This work describes the composition and relative abundance of the waterfowl from Laja lake, the largest natural pond in Chile that is located at 1.360 m above sea level. Acuatic vegetation is not very developed and snow falls in winter. Birds were counted for three summers, in different places of the area. Waterfowl with 25 species (including five Passeriformes) show a higher species richness than other andean lakes. Only five species are tipically andean and the other species are widely distributed along the country. The anatids are the most important group with eight species. They reach higher densities although they are predated on by hunters. The national park encompasses only the southwest part of the lake, which has a low bird diversity and biomass, because waterfowl prefer the more isolated and vegetated places in the north of the lake.