Satellite view of the Motagua Valley, Guatemala Photograph by USGS   Guatemala Deserts and Xeric Shrublands   900 square miles (2,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Rhode Island Critical/Endangered

· Life in a Low, Dry Valley
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Life in a Low, Dry Valley

If you want to experience a dramatic change in climate and habitat, you might consider traveling from the high, moist cloud forests of Guatemala down into the Motagua Valley. This valley is one of the driest areas in all of Central America. Spiny cacti, thorny shrubs, and acacia trees dominate the native vegetation, eking out a life despite the extremely short growing season.

Special Features

This ecoregion lies in southeastern Guatemala, near the border with Honduras. Only about 20 inches (500 mm) of precipitation falls over the Motagua Valley each year, while the surrounding mountains receive as much as 118 inches (3,000 mm) per year. Rich gallery forests grow along the banks of the Motagua River, which flows through the valley and into the Atlantic Ocean. Otherwise, the region is arid and warm, with temperatures reaching up to 106° F (41° C).

	When perched, the russet-crowned motmot often swings its racket-like tail from side to side, making it fairly easy to identify in the field.

Wild Side

About 75 bird species inhabit the Motagua Valley Thornscrub ecoregion, including the buff-collared nightjar and the russet-crowned motmot. In fact, this is one of the few places in all of Central America where russet-crowned motmots dwell. All of the animals of the ecoregion--including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians--are adapted to survive month after month with little or no rainfall.

Cause for Concern

Human activities have already altered much of this region. Irrigated agriculture covers most of the broad central valley floor. Fruit trees, corn, beans, and other crops have replaced native trees along the rivers. Cattle, goats, and sheep graze on the lower, drier hillsides, while coffee and cardamom are now grown on many of the higher hillsides. All of the remaining native habitat is threatened with development, and there are no protected areas in the ecoregion.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.