Diversity

[Hylophylax naevius, Spot-backed Antbird]

Diversity (n): the condition of having or being composed of differing elements. Synonym: variety.

Imagine some of the birds you know. Pretty easy when you start to. In the US, some of the following will come to mind: American Robin. Northern Cardinal. Mallard. Canada Goose. Black-capped (or another species of) Chickadee. Bald Eagle. Can you think of more than 20? 50? 100?

If I were to mention, that by current count, there are about 10.000 species (different variety) of birds on the planet, would you really understand what that means? That means of the classic bird "form" you know (wings, two legs, head, tail, etc), there are 10.000 different ways it is put together, and colored. North America has about 750 of these varieties.

Where does one go to see all this diversity? Well, everywhere! But a good place to appreciate the true amount of variety possible is the tropics, where I find myself at the moment. Every day, I see something that makes me go, wow, that's different (birds and other creatures, and plants, and fungi)!

I am fascinated every day by all the different forms life takes. I appreciate the variety of birds, of course, but everything else as well (check out my flickr sets to see everything). And every time I see a new bird, I wonder about what species I might see next. And where the next adventure could bring me.

Now, let's go back to the bird species of North America again. There are about 750 species or so found there. My world checklist now has about 1.350 species of birds on it, that I have seen. I have nearly seen twice as many species in the world than there are in North America. My list for North America is 430 birds or so; so in reality, I have seen two times as many species outside North America as I have in North America. And all because of the tropics.

I have traveled a nice variety of tropical areas the past few years. Costa Rica (with a trip to Panama thrown in). Australia. Ecuador. And now Peru. In Costa Rica, I have done some extensive travel (though the country is quite small), while in Australia, Ecuador, and Peru, my travels have been limited, while my time in one area has been long.

And I really get to appreciate the diversity of those places. Every time I think I have seen much of what there is to see, BAM!, I get something new. Whether it be a bird, a new flower, some wild looking insect, it's fascinating no matter what.

Here in Peru, though, I really am appreciating the variety I am seeing. Lets take one small group of birds, for example: Woodpeckers. Most of us are familiar with the type of bird these are. Thick strong bill. Round head. Powerful neck to hammer at wood. In North America, many of us would be familiar with the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers in our backyard, as well as perhaps the Pileated Woodpecker. There are also four species of sapsuckers (Williamson's, Red-breasted, Red-naped, and Yellow-bellied). The Northern Flicker. Lewis's, Acorn, White-headed, Red-headed, Black-backed, American Three-toed, Golden-fronted, Ladder-backed, and Strickland's Woodpeckers. I have seen all these. Did you know there were so many (and that there are a few more in North America)?

During my trip here, I have seen the Red-necked Woodpecker (Campephilus ruficauda), Lineated Woodpecker (Dryocopus lineatus), Crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos), Scale-breasted Woodpecker (Celeus grammicus), Chestnut-woodpecker (Celeus elegans [only in the hand]), Yellow-tufted Woodpecker (Melanerpes cruentatus), and Red-stained Woodpecker (Veniliornis affinis [only in the hand]). Pretty good variety.

During our walk out last trip, we walked through some fine forest, with oodles of bird activity. And wouldn't you know it, I still found a new species of woodpecker for my list, the Ringed Woodpecker (Celeus torquatus). Listed as "rare but widespread." Widespread, but rare would be right, knowing that I had been here, in ONE small area of the Amazon, for nearly 90 days at that point, and I hadn't seen it yet.

And still, there are numerous woodpeckers still to see here. Not to mention piculets as well, which are small diminutive woodpeckers. So all this begs the question.

When will I be back?

My trip here is drawing to a close. I finished my last field trip yesterday. Have I "birded" this area out? I got 2 new world species this past trip, and one more new species for Peru. But it's not birded out, not by a long shot. I have been in an area that is 58.000 hectares (143.000 acres). Comparisons to the US National Parks: twice the size of Crater Lake National Park, about three times the size of Acadia National Park, half the size of Grand Teton National Park, and about the same size as Zion. So big, but not by many standards.

And I still need to get some of the birds I have seen in the hand, but have not been able to sight flying freely. Like that lovely bird above, the Spot-backed Antbird. A couple of those woodpeckers (though I have searched often for them!). And numerous others. And I have not even really birded extensive Amazon rainforest yet.

So, yeah, I will be back.

Sometime.