Biology of birds captured in an Atlantic Forest fragment at Igarassu, Pernambuco, Brazil

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 leucomelasVieillot, 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.