Distribution and Spatial Patterning of Flamingos in the Andean Altiplano

Abstract

A census of three flamingo species (Phoenicoparrus jamesi, P. andinus, Phoenicopterus chilensis) on 28 high-elevation lakes (2,300-4,500 m) in the central Andes (17°-27°S) was conducted during November and December 1975. Phoenicoparrus jamesi was observed at Salar de Pedernales, Chile (26°22′S), and, on a later expedition, at Laguna Parinacochas, Peru (15°18′S). These observations extend the known distribution of P. jamesi along the Andes by about 530 km. An additional nesting locality of this species is reported: Salar de Chalviri, Bolivia (22°31′S). All flamingos were absent from deep lakes and lakes with indurated sediments. The majority of lakes possessed all three species. Average densities (total birds/total lake area) were 0.24/ha for P. chilensis, 0.45/ha for P. andinus, and 3.1/ha for P. jamesi. Phoenicoparrus jamesi was the species most uniformly distributed over the lake area available, and P. andinus was the most patchily distributed. Between-lake distributional overlap was greatest between P. chilensis and P. andinus and least between P. chilensis and P. jamesi. Within-lake distributional overlap probably was greatest for P. andinus and P. jamesi. The absolute degree of interspecific crowding was least for P. chilensis on P. jamesi (0.2/ha) and greatest for P. jamesi on P. andinus (4.7/ha).