Birds of the Totare River basin, Colombia

The Totare River Basin is one of the largest and most important river basins in the Department of Tolima, Colombia. Despite its rich and diverse fauna, little is known about the bird species that inhabit this region. This study presents a list of birds compiled from field surveys along the river basin (from 270 to 3642 m a.s.l.) conducted between February and March 2007, plus a review of literature published so far, and complemented by opportunistic records during eight consecutive years. The checklist is comprised of 410 species, of which 11 are Colombian endemic, seven semi-endemic, 36 migratory, and 12 endangered species. Fourteen species are new records for the municipality of Ibagué, and 10 are new and noteworthy records from the east slope of the Cordillera Central. This checklist identifies as sites of conservation priority to Clarita Botero and Ambala