Neotropical Owls

This book presents a comprehensive biological and ecological information about owls in the neotropic area. In addition the book covers topics such as threats and conservation strategies for these nocturnal birds of prey from 18 Neotropical countries. Owls are a good example of diversification processes and have developed evolutionary characteristics themselves. These species are found almost everywhere in the world but most of them are distributed in tropical areas and about a third of them live in the Neotropics. This biogeographic region has a high biodiversity and even share lineages of species from other continents because at some point all were part of Pangea. Although we still have much to know and understand about this diverse, scarcely studied and threatened group this work aims to be a precedent for future and further research on the subject. 

Paula L. Enriquez received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from the National University of Mexico (UNAM), her Master’s Degree in Wildlife Management from the National University of Costa Rica (UNA), and her Doctorate Degree in Animal Science from the University of British Columbia in Canada.  Her main focus has been on the ecology and conservation of terrestrial birds, especially nocturnal raptors. She has collaborated with other scientists on several projects in Southern Mexico, Veracruz, Quintana Roo and Chiapas concerning both aquatic and terrestrial birds, and has published several scientific papers and outreach papers. She has presented papers on her research in both international and national congresses, guided and supervised undergraduate and graduate students in studies of bird ecology and habitat selection, studies of hummingbirds’ distribution in different habitats, diurnal raptors ecology, and biology of endangered bird species in the highlands, and studies of owl communities in tropical natural reserves. She has several projects about the study of endangered eagles as well as other endangered avian mountain species.  Her projects have been funded by USFWS, Idea Wild, CONABIO, CONANP, and others.  Since 1996 she has been a researcher and professor in the Department of Biodiversity Conservation in El Colegio de la Frontera Sur.  She has been a recognized as a national researcher since 2010 and recently has become the Chief Editor for a Mexican Ornithologist Journal.