New information of stopover sites for Chloephaga geese in central Patagonia: potential implications for Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps) conservation

Three migratory species of sheldgeese (Chloephaga spp.) make seasonal movements across a large portion of the Argentine territory. All three of these species have been affected by anthropogenic actions which have caused dramatic population drops, especially for the Ruddy-headed Goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps). Although telemetry techniques have rapidly advanced, knowledge of the migratory routes of many Neotropical birds is still incipient. The study of migration routes should be a top priority, especially when conservation and management actions are necessary along the main migratory routes. The goal of this work is to present new evidence of important stopover sites and concentration areas of migratory sheldgeese in eastern Patagonia. We conducted fieldwork during the fall, winter and spring of 2017, all of 2018 and the summer of 2019 in Chubut province, Argentina. We identified one stopover area for sheldgeese within a recently created protected area, the Parque Interjurisdiccional Marino Costero Patagonia Austral (PIMCPA), that could be a key site for the protection of the three species, in particular for the Ruddy-headed Goose. Results will provide input for decision-making processes during the design of future infrastructure projects already planned in eastern Patagonia along the migratory route of several species.