Restored corridors as potential habitat for resident bird species in the central andes of Colombia

The restoration of habitat corridors and the conservation of remnant forest strips or riparian habitats have been proposed as tools to enhance connectivity in fragmented landscapes. To determine corridor effectiveness some studies have evaluated species presence and movements, but life cycle activities are rarely used as measurements of success. In this study we gathered molt and breeding evidences for 20 individuals of 15 bird species in three corridors that were actively restored between 2003 and 2006 to reconnect two Andean forest fragments. Overall, 25% of the captured individuals displayed overlap between molt and breeding. Our findings indicate that restored corridors that improve connectivity in fragmented landscapes are highly important, not only for the movement of individuals but also as habitat to perform important life cycle activities, like molt and breeding. We propose that recording those life cycle activities for bird species is a reliable indicator to determine whether restoration efforts have been successful.