The Las Balsas wetland, located in Gibara Bay, is a key ecosystem for the conservation of waterbirds in Cuba. As part of a project supported by the James Kushlan Research and Conservation Fund, and in collaboration with specialists from the Gibara Natural History Museum, an updated inventory of the avifauna was conducted, together with an assessment of the principal impacts caused by human activity within this protected area.
The project included the review of the historic collection of naturalist Joaquín de la Vara, which documented 83 bird species, as well as extensive field monitoring carried out alongside a local birdwatching club established through the project itself. Through these combined efforts, and with the use of the eBird platform, a total of 181 bird species were recorded, significantly expanding scientific knowledge of the site’s biodiversity.
The project also contributed through training workshops focused on waterbird identification and by promoting the integration of local communities through citizen science initiatives. These efforts helped establish new lines of work for the conservation of the wetland while also promoting its potential as a destination for nature tourism and birdwatching.
