Wallace Rodrigues Telino-Júnior

Interspecific behaviour between Callithrix jacchus (Linnaeus) (Callitrichidae, Primates) and some birds of the Atlantic forest, Pernanbuco State, Brazil

The observations cover a period of two years, monitoring groups of marked common marmosets in eight hour/day periods. Six types of events were recorded: marmoset predation; bird predation; foraging competition; food sharing; use of avian nest for nocturnal marmoset rest and mutual pursuit. All pooled events showed highly significant differences between season and vegetation strata.

Estrutura trófica da avifauna na Reserva Estadual de Gurjaú, Zona da Mata Sul, Pernambuco, Brasil

O estudo da estrutura trofica da avifauna da Reserva Estadual de Gurjau (8o14’S, 35o03’W) envolveu 225 especies de aves identificadas, das quais, 220 registradas por meio de observacoes in situ e capturas, quatro por meio de entrevistas com moradores da area do entorno e uma atraves de consulta a Colecao Ornitologica da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. As familias que se destacaram com o maior numero de especies foram Tyrannidae (N = 43) e Emberizidae (N = 36). Dentre as guildas, os insetivoros (N = 99) e onivoros (N = 59) englobaram a maioria das especies.

Monitoramento do maçarico-branco, Calidris alba (Pallas) (Aves, Scolopacidae), através de recuperações de anilhas coloridas, na Coroa do Avião, Igarassu, Pernambuco, Brasil

Programas de marcacao de especies migratorias vem sendo desenvolvidos desde a decada de 1980, dentre eles o PASP Pan-American Shorebirds Programs, o qual, consistia na marcacao de aves migratorias nearticas com aneis e bandeirolas coloridas possibilitando formacao de codigos individuais permitindo a observacao das aves marcadas sem que necessitasse capturar. Esta pesquisa objetivou a recuperacao de codigos do PASP de individuos de Calidris alba (Pallas 1764) entre os anos de 1993 a 1995 na Coroa do Aviao. Essas recuperacoes visuais demonstraram a fidelidade de Calidris alba ao seu sitio de invernada, a Coroa do Aviao. O alto percentual de recuperacoes de Calidris alba, bem como, as recuperacoes de individuos anilhados na Lagoa do Peixe e em algumas areas de invernada nos Estados Unidos, demonstram a utilizacao da rota do Atlântico e reforca a ideia de que bandos provenientes da costa leste do Alaska migram por esta rota. A idade maxima estimada para Calidris alba durante esta pesquisa foi de 11 anos, nada se tem sobre a idade desta especie em bibliografias especificas no estudo de Scolopacidae.

Biologia de aves capturadas em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica, Igarassu, Pernambuco, Brasil

We carried out a study about the biology of the avifauna of Refugio Ecologico Charles Darwin, a 60 ha fragment of Atlantic Forest in the town of Igarassu, Pernambuco. To obtain information about species of this bioma, observations were done between August, 1996 and July, 1997 and monthly captures using mist nets were conducted between July, 2003 and June, 2004. Among observations, captures, recaptures and recovers, 151 species (31 families) were registered in the study area, and 456 birds (from 53 species and 25 families) were trapped in the nets. Ten species had been recovered (life span from six to eight years). The amount of captures was greater during months with higher temperatures. The majority of captured species (52,8%) had frequency of occurrence less than 25%; Manacus manacus (Linnaeus, 1766), Arremon taciturnus (Hermann, 1783), Neopelma pallescens (Lafresnaye, 1853), and Turdus leucomelas Vieillot, 1818 were the most frequent. We observed significant correlation between average body mass and sex; length of the wing and tarsus and diameter of tarsus with sex, and of molt with seasons. The main period with molt associated with the brood patches was from March to May (with a peak in May). The findings reinforce the unpredictability of the effects of alterations in the structure of bird community in long term. The population unbalance can increase the possibilities of extinction, highlighting the need of new alternatives for the protection of biodiversity, specially in forest fragments.

Do Farmers Using Conventional and Non-Conventional Systems of Agriculture Have Different Perceptions of the Diversity of Wild Birds? Implications for Conservation.

Farmers’ perceptions of birds’ interactions with agricultural production systems are fundamental to species conservation efforts. In the present study, we evaluated the perceptions of birds held by farmers who engage in conventional and non-conventional agricultural production processes and the implications of potential differences in these perceptions on species conservation. To accomplish this, data were collected using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and other complementary sources of information gathered from 191 farmers in northeastern Brazil. Although some similarities were identified among the farmers in their perceptions and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of birds, differences existed between the conventional and non-conventional farmers in their attitudes toward, conflicts with, and usage of bird species. Compared to the conventional farmers, the non-conventional farmers could identify more bird species, possessed more favorable attitudes toward birds, and engaged in practices more beneficial to the conservation of avifauna. The perceptions that were identified were related to the type of agriculture practiced, and such perceptions may affect the conservation of bird species. Therefore, the adoption of certain agricultural practices has important implications for conservation. Our results indicate the need for investment in public policies, programs and actions that account for farmers’ knowledge and perceptions. Such investments will contribute to the development and adoption of practices supporting wild bird conservation in agricultural areas.

Richness, composition and trophic groups of an avian community in the Pernambuco Endemism Centre, Alagoas, Brazil

In northeastern Brazil, the reduction of the natural forest cover to a series of small, isolated fragments has had negative consequences for the local avian fauna, in particular, a loss of the more specialized species, while the populations of some generalists have tended to increase. The present study focuses on the composition and trophic groups of a bird community on a farm in the northeastern Brazilian state of Alagoas. Monthly surveys were conducted between November 2008 and October 2009, based on mist-netting and systematic observations. Overall, 112 species were recorded, of which 76 were associated with the two forest fragments surveyed, while all the others were observed exclusively in the surrounding matrix of pasture and orchards. The bird community presented a predominance of insectivorous species, followed by omnivores. However, specialized trunk-creeping and understory insectivores accounted for only around 15% of the species in this feeding category. The reduced diversity of other guilds and species with more specialized diets, and the complete absence of sensitive species such as large parrots and raptors, reflects the severe fragmentation and degradation of the local forests, which has greatly reduced the availability of dietary resources and breeding sites.

An overview of migratory birds in Brazil

We reviewed the occurrences and distributional patterns of migratory species of birds in Brazil. A species was classified as migratory when at least part of its population performs cyclical, seasonal movements with high fidelity to its breeding grounds. Of the 1,919 species of birds recorded in Brazil, 198 (10.3%) are migratory. Of these, 127 (64%) were classified as Migratory and 71 (36%) as Partially Migratory. A few species (83; 4.3%) were classified as Vagrant and eight (0,4%) species could not be defined due to limited information available, or due to conflicting data.

Do artisanal fishers perceive declining migratory shorebird populations

BackgroundThis paper discusses the results of ethno-ornithological research conducted on the local ecological knowledge (LEK) of artisanal fishers in northeast Brazil between August 2013 and October 2014.MethodsThe present study analyzed the LEK of 240 artisanal fishermen in relation to Nearctic shorebirds and the factors that may be affecting their populations. We examined whether differences occurred according to the gender and age of the local population. The research instruments included semi-structured and check-list interviews.ResultsWe found that greater knowledge of migratory birds and the areas where they occur was retained by the local men compared with the local women. Half of the male respondents stated that the birds are always in the same locations, and most of the respondents believed that changes in certain populations were caused by factors related to habitat disturbance, particularly to increases in housing construction and visitors to the island. The main practices affecting the presence of migratory birds mentioned by the locals were boat traffic and noise from bars and vessels. According to the artisanal fishermen, the population of migratory birds that use the area for foraging and resting has been reduced over time.ConclusionsChanges in the local landscape related to urbanization and tourism are most likely the primary causes underlying the reduced migratory shorebird populations as reported by local inhabitants. Thus, managing and monitoring urbanization and tourism are fundamental to increasing the success of the migration process and improving the conservation of migratory shorebird species.