Birds of the Botanical Garden ‘Rey Nezahualcóyotl’ of the Benemérita Universidad Aguascalientes, Mexico

Abstract

Botanical gardens play an important role as a refuge for wildlife and represent ideal areas for birdlife conservation. The objective of the present work was to generate a list of birds present in the botanical garden ‘Rey Nezahualcoyotl’ of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, in Aguascalientes City, Mexico. To achieve this, 44 bird observation samplings were carried out from February 2015 to September 2019 and an inventory of the species that inhabit the area was prepared. The local birdlife is represented by 30 families, 55 genera and 60 species. The best represented families are Tyrannidae with nine species, followed by Columbidae, Parulidae and Passerellidae with four each. Of the registered birds, the Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus) and the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus), are listed as subject to special protection, and the Mexican Duck (Anas diazi) as threatened. The botanical garden ‘Rey Nezahualcoyotl’ is an important area not only for its value as a scientific collection but for its role as a refuge for various species of birds.