Composição da avifauna em uma parcela de vegetação perturbada na Baixada, em Majé, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Abstract

In a partially isolated, 36 ha woodlot located in the foothills of Serra dos Órgãos, and which has suffered greatly from human influence,126 species of birds were found from 1975 to 1984. About 40 percent of these most likely do not nest regularly in the area. Some are occasional visitors; others are seasonal, coming down from the nearby mountain slopes mainly in winter, from May to August. There is a large proportion of fruit-eating, forest edge species and individuals, belonging to the suborder Oscines and to the superfamily Tyrannoidea. These groups more typically represent the avifauna of temperate zones. There is a greater proportion of species endemic to eastern Brazíl among the forest interior birds than among the edge inhabitants. There are relatively more endemic species among nectarivores than among either frugivores or insectivores. Sixty-two of the 99 species recorded in the study area in 1982 were mist-netted in the forest undergrowth. The guild signature of this sample did not match that of the entire avifauna. There was a bias towards capturing more forest interior dwellers of proper size and behavior. The White-bearded Manakin (Manacus, manacus) alone contributed to over 40 percent of all the birds ringed. This species was also the only one caught in every net and on every day of sampling. One must recognize the importance of the use of combined methods in order to achieve better results in studies of forest bird communities. Notes on distribution and abundance of selected species are presented at the final chapter.