Current view: Text account
Site description (2007 baseline):
Site location and context
Aux Bec-Croisé is situated in Plaine Boeufs on the Chaine Formond south of Duglacis, 1850 meters above sea level overlooking the Grande Ravine du Sud, near the area of Ti Chien. It is close to Kay Tilus, Kay Ogile and on the way to Duglacis where the small growing population grows staple food on state land since the 1950's. Several men in this region are timbermen.
Although as not rich as in the karstic zones areas, Aux Bec-croisés shelters Hispaniolan Crossbills and the Western Chat-Tanager. Species diversity also increased in winter months when migratory birds arrived from northern latitudes. Last inventory was on February 2004 which included mistnetting, sight counting and banding all day from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Bird species of special concern are Western Chat-Tanager (
Calyptophilus tertius), Bicknell's Thrush.
Non-bird biodiversity: The Chaine of Formond is the center of biodiversity for the genus Mecranium and shelters plants that are restricted there such as Ekmaniocharis. Due to frequent fires in the lower areas and absence of prescribe fires, metrological station and knowledge, many species might face threats, since one a forested area is opened or clear, farmers tend to appropriate these land.
It consists of pine forest and hardwoods on a mosaic of volcanic and limestone soils with much of the cutting bamboo (
Arthrostylidum haisiense), numerous endemics of the Melastomataceae, ferns, bromeliads, peperomia and orchids. Dominant trees are
Pinus occidentalis, Didymopanax tremulum, Tabebuia conferta, Meliosma recurvata, Rhytidophylium bicolor, Amyris apiculata and Wallenia ekmanii. Floristic studies of the mid 1980's reported a number of new species to sciences. In the lower slopes, Judd reported that fire were too frequent.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
Ephemerality of conservation program, Habitat destruction, Introduced animals, Fuelwood extraction, Lumber extraction, Demography, Land tenure, Erosion and Conversion to agriculture.
Conservation responses/actions for key biodiversity
From 1989 to 1994, this area was managed by the University of Florida. Three technicians were allocated to this area that served as a seed bank for many species of the reforestation program. Funding was provided by USAID and the MacArthur Foundation.
In 2004, Chris Rimmer of the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, financed in part by the Societe Audubon Haiti
It consists of the extreme southeastern tail of the core zone of the Macaya Biosphere Reserve.
Florence Sergile, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Aux Becs-Croisés (Haiti). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/aux-becs-croisés-iba-haiti on 22/11/2024.
