Straight-billed reedhaunter  (Limnoctites rectirostris)

The major threat to the straight-billed reedhaunter is habitat degradation and clearance as a result of human development. This is particularly problematic in the heavily populated province of Buenos Aires, where house-building, rubbish dumping and water pollution are threatening to destroy the remaining areas of marshland that this species occupies. In other areas, its habitat is also threatened by intensive grazing, marsh drainage, and plantations of Eucalyptus and pine species, which have a drying effect on the surrounding land (2).

In order to gauge the current level of decline of the straight-billed reedhaunter population, further surveys must be undertaken. In addition, efforts should be made to increase protection of this species’ habitat, through the designation of protected areas (2).

The conservation organisation, Aves Argentina, is working to ensure that important bird habitats within Argentina are properly conserved and protected. This includes assisting in the management of Otamendi Nature Reserve, which contains the only known breeding population of the straight-billed reedhaunter, and is one of the few places in its range where it receives protection (6) (7).