The birds of Fazenda Brejão: a conservation priority area of Cerrado in northwestern Minas Gerais, Brazil

Authors

  • Luciene Carrara Paula Faria Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Lucas Aguiar Carrara Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Frederico Queiroga do Amaral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Marcelo Ferreira de Vasconcelos Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Mauro Guimarães Diniz Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Christiane Duarte Encarnação Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente, SUPES-MG
  • Diego Hoffmann Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Henrique Belfort Gomes Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Leonardo Esteves Lopes Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia
  • Marcos Rodrigues Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências, Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia

Keywords:

avian inventory, biodiversity, Cerrado, São Francisco river

Abstract

The Cerrado is now considered the most threatened biome of South America. Northwestern Minas Gerais state, in southeastern Brazil, still harbors large areas of extreme importance for biological conservation of the Cerrado. The current study provides the first thorough assessment of the avifauna of a large remnant of Cerrado vegetation in this region, the Fazenda Brejão. Data are based on a bird survey conducted from November 1998 to January 2007. This area is a private property of 20.000 ha preserved that lies in a region recognized for its palm groves, a pristine Cerrado (savannah-like vegetation) and gallery forests. Bird censuses were carried out through random transects censuses, mist-net captures and recording bird vocalizations. It was recorded 273 species, belonging to 56 families. This represents 32% of all 857 bird species recorded for the Cerrado. Palm groves held approximately 42% of all recorded species. We also recorded endemic species of Cerrado as well as adjacent biomes such as the Atlantic Forest and the Caatinga. Regional threatened species were also recorded such as the Greater Rhea Rhea americana, the Chestnut-bellied Guan Penelope ochrogaster, the Bare-faced Curassow Crax fasciolata, the Black-and-white Hawk-eagle Spizastur melanoleucus, the Blue-and-yellow Macaw Ara ararauna, the Yellow-faced Parrot Alipiopsitta xanthops and the Minas Gerais Tyrannulet Phylloscartes roquettei. This species diversity reveals the biological importance of the region. The establishment of a natural reserve in the region will be an essential measure to guarantee the biological conservation of one of the best preserved areas of Cerrado to date in southeastern Brazil.

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Published

2009-09-01

How to Cite

Faria, L. C. P., Carrara, L. A., Amaral, F. Q. do, Vasconcelos, M. F. de, Diniz, M. G., Encarnação, C. D., Hoffmann, D., Gomes, H. B., Lopes, L. E., & Rodrigues, M. (2009). The birds of Fazenda Brejão: a conservation priority area of Cerrado in northwestern Minas Gerais, Brazil. Biota Neotropica, 9(3). Retrieved from //www.biotaneotropica.org.br/BN/article/view/538

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