Based on the report presented by the Venezuelan Motus Team and with the collaboration of Miguel Matta and Arne Lesterhuis.
The installation of a new MOTUS receiver station at the WHSRN Site Salina Solar de los Olivitos marks a significant milestone for shorebird monitoring in Venezuela and across the hemisphere.
Located in Zulia state, Salina Solar de los Olivitos is the only site in Venezuela designated as part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). This internationally significant site hosts more than 100,000 shorebirds representing 27 different species, including migratory species that rely on this high-quality habitat during their long journeys.
The site is adjacent to the Ciénaga de Los Olivitos Wildlife Refuge and Fishery Reserve, which is internationally recognized as a Ramsar Site and an Important Bird Area (IBA VE014). These attributes made it an ideal location for the installation of Venezuela’s third MOTUS receiver station—an advancement that will provide critical data on the migratory routes and connectivity of shorebirds along the Venezuelan coast and across the continent.
MOTUS is an international network of researchers collaborating through automated radio telemetry to simultaneously track hundreds of individuals from numerous species of birds, bats, and insects. MOTUS is a program of Birds Canada in partnership with researchers and other organizations. The system uses nanotags, small radio transmitters that send signals via amateur radio waves—similar to the radio stations used to broadcast music in a car. The transmitters used in the MOTUS network are designed to be as small and lightweight as possible, allowing scientists to tag small animals without harming them. There are more than 2,000 active MOTUS stations in 34 countries worldwide, most of which are located in the Americas.
Left: Salina Solar los Olivitos. Photo: Lermith Torres. Right: The technical-industrial, scientific, and community installation team is participating, and in the background are the pools of the Salina Solar de los Olivitos where the birds are observed in flocks. Photo: MOTUS en Venezuela.
Key Objectives Achieved
The project focused on:
- Installing the new MOTUS receiver station – This infrastructure will enable the tracking of shorebirds and resident birds in Zulia state, providing essential data for conservation efforts.
- Building local capacity – Through hands-on training, technical, scientific, and community knowledge was strengthened, supporting conservation efforts at Salina Solar de los Olivitos.
During the installation process, local personnel were trained in the operation and maintenance of the equipment, and its connection to the global MOTUS network server was verified, ensuring continuous monitoring with publicly accessible data.
A Snowy Plover at Salina Solar los Olivitos. Photo: Lermith Torres
Shorebird and Other Bird Species of Conservation Interest at the Site
Shorebirds and other waterbirds: Calidris pusilla, C. fuscicollis, C. canutus, C. subruficollis, C. himantopus, C. mauri, C. minutilla, Tringa flavipes, T. melanoleuca, Phalaropus tricolor, P. lobatus, Anarhynchus nivosus, Anarhynchus wilsonia, Haematopus palliatus, Himantopus mexicanus, Vanellus chilensis, Sternula antillarum.
Raptors: Falco peregrinus, F. femoralis, F. columbarius.
International Collaboration
This achievement was made possible through the collaboration of organizations, including five national and five international partners:
National partners: Unión Venezolana de Ornitólogos (UVO), PRODUSAL C.A., Movimiento Ambientalista No Gubernamental La Educación (MANGLE), the Ministry of Popular Power for Ecosocialism (MINEC), and the Central University of Venezuela (UCV).
International partners: Manomet Conservation Sciences, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Cellular Tracking Technologies, and Birds Canada.
The installation of this new MOTUS station represents a significant step forward in strengthening the hemisphere-wide migratory bird monitoring network and reinforces Venezuela’s commitment to biodiversity conservation.
For more information about the MOTUS Network, contact Arne Lesterhuis, Senior Shorebird Conservation Specialist.
For more information about the MOTUS Network in Venezuela, contact Miguel Matta, Laboratory of Bird Biology and Conservation, Central University of Venezuela.
The team installing the new MOTUS receiver station. Photo: Motus Venezuela
Cover Photo: The local team leading the installation of the Motus receiver station. Photo: Motus Venezuela.
