Location of IBAs identified for restricted-range species

Analysis of data held in BirdLife’s World Bird Database 2004

The Ecuador–Peru East Andes Endemic Bird Area (EBA) is defined by the overlapping distributions of 17 restricted-range species—species whose individual breeding ranges are smaller than 50,000 km². The key habitats of this EBA are tropical montane and lowland evergreen forest, which are threatened by agriculture, logging and conversion to pastureland (Stattersfield et al. 1998). The size of this EBA is estimated to be 28,000 km², a large area in which conservation efforts must be targeted in order to conserve the key species. A network of 18 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) has been identified in Peru and Ecuador which holds all 17 of the restricted-range species, such as the globally threatened White-necked Parakeet Pyrrhura albipectus, Coppery-chested Jacamar Galbula pastazae and Bicoloured Antvireo Dysithamnus occidentalis (all Vulnerable, BirdLife 2004; see figure). The distributions of many restricted-range species are still poorly known and the boundary of this EBA is necessarily approximate. However, the conservation of this IBA network will go far towards protecting these forests and their unique birds.