Maurício B. Vecchi

Birds, Ilha Grande, state of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil

We provide a list of bird species from our primary surveys and secondary data for an island (Ilha Grande) in southeastern Brazil. The information derives mainly from primary data collected since 1995, particularly in the oceanic side of the island. The methodologies included capture-mark-recapture studies using mist nets, transects (visual and vocal records) and supplementary observations. Our total species list from primary data is 175 species (127 captured) and 47 species were added from secondary data. This represents 222 species from 58 families. Of this total, 44 are endemic to Atlantic forest and nine are threatened with extinction. Our results are discussed comparing our study area with another large island included in the Serra do Mar corridor (Ilha de Sao Sebastiao), and also a nearby continental area (Paraty). The results indicate the importance of Ilha Grande as a reservoir of bird species of Atlantic forest.

Abundance, distribution and conservation of the Restinga Antwren Formicivora littoralis

The Restinga Antwren (Thamnophilidae: Formicivora littoralis ) is endemic to a small region on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state in southeastern Brazil. Currently, it is considered ‘Critically Endangered’ by IUCN due to continuing habitat loss within its very small and severely fragmented range. Data available to assess its conservation status, however, are scarce. From 2005 to 2007, we conducted bird surveys to produce more rigorous estimates of geographic range limits, available habitat, local population density, and global population size. We used these data and IUCN criteria to reassess the conservation status of the Restinga Antwren. We recorded the species in a new locality (Tucuns, Armacao dos Buzios), expanding its range by 5 km from the easternmost known limit. The species was present in 65% of the points surveyed within its range, in restinga fragments that cover an area of c . 42 km 2 (84% of the total restinga within the species’s range). We estimated that this bird has an Extent of Occurrence of 233.5 km 2 , an Area of Occupancy of 148 km 2 , and a global population size

Intersexual differences in the foraging behavior of Formicivora littoralis (Thamnophilidae), an endangered Neotropical bird

ABSTRACT Sex differences in foraging can be explained by avoidance of competition, reproductive strategies or breeding roles. We investigated foraging behavior and potential intersexual differences in the Restinga Antwren over the year, recording foraging tactics, their timing, substrate and their height above the ground. We found significant differences between sexes in foraging tactics, substrates and height of foraging. Females foraged mostly on the ground while males in the middle and top of the vegetation. Smaller differences in foraging height between sexes in the breeding season compared with non-breeding season support the reproductive strategies model, although the avoidance of competition cannot be excluded.

First Documented Records of White Plumage Aberration in the White-necked Thrush (Turdus albicollis)

ABSTRACT Aberrations of plumage coloration are caused by hereditary and environmental factors and are not rare in wild birds, but few studies have estimated their frequency in natural populations. Here, we provide the first report of a white plumage aberration in an insular population of the White-necked Thrush (Turdus albicollis) on Ilha Grande, in southern Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Four (two males and two females) of the 123 individuals examined in 2013–2015 presented unusual white feathers on some part of the body (especially the hindneck), which may represent progressive graying or the result of injury. The frequency of the white plumage aberration recorded in our study (3.25%) is approximately three times higher than that expected in natural bird populations, and three of the four aberrant individuals were captured in the most disturbed forest site sampled. Further studies will be necessary to identify the true causes of the high frequency of white plumage aberrations detected in the study population, which may include diet, longevity, behavior, parasitism or other environmental factors.

New records of bird species from Ilha Grande, state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil

We add 32 new records of species to the existing checklist of birds of the coastal island of Ilha Grande, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Notably, seven of these species are endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Sporophila falcirostris is globally Vulnerable and Haematopus palliatus is Near Threatened in Brazil. We also report the second record of Agelaioides badius from Rio de Janeiro state. We also compare our species list with lists of birds of Ilhabela and Anchieta islands. While some of the newly recorded species are probably non-resident to Ilha Grande or represent range expansions, most species occur in Rio de Janeiro throughout the year. Thus, our records may be a consequence of the surveying new sites on the island but also recent colonization. Our study increases the number of bird species known to occur on Ilha Grande from 222 to 254, which is one-third of the species reported from Rio de Janeiro state. We recorded 13 species threatened by extinction at regional, national or global levels.

First records of the Gull-billed Tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (Gmelin, 1789) (Aves: Sternidae), from Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil

Here we report the first documented records of the Gull-billed Tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (Gmelin, 1789), from Rio de Janeiro state, on the coast of southeastern Brazil. The species was recorded in Sepetiba Bay, in Rio de Janeiro municipality, in August and September 2014 and September 2015. In all cases, the birds had full nuptial plumage, which suggests breeding in the austral spring and summer. This is inconsistent with the possibility of a migrant from the Northern Hemisphere. The regular monitoring of the coastal environments of this region should provide more conclusive insights into seasonal patterns and the migration routes of this species.

Color Aberration in a Ruddy Ground Dove Columbina talpacoti (Aves: Columbiformes) in a Coastal Island of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Color aberrations in birds are well documented, but frequently their terminology is misinterpreted. We report a record of color aberration in an adult ruddy ground dove Columbina talpacoti in Rio de Janeiro State, observed foraging with other conspecifics with normal pattern coloration. The color aberration was similar to a previous record of this species from the Rio de Janeiro municipality, but differed substantially from a third anomalous-colored specimen recorded in Venezuela. We suggest that the two Brazilian reports are cases of a non-phaeomelanin schizochroism based on the absence of the reddish-brown colors despite the presence of black and grey colors in feathers. We highlight the importance of using the right terminology for a better understanding of the frequencies of each color aberration type.