Birds of prey (Cathartiformes, Accipitriformes, Strigiformes e Falconiformes) in the Perobas Biological Reserve, Parana, Brazil, and its surroundings

Abstract

In recent decades, the northwest of the state of Paraná, Brazil, has undergone a dramatic suppression and fragmentation of its primary vegetation, currently there remains small and sparse forest fragments. From this perspective, this study aimed to do an inventory of and analyze the assembly of birds of prey (Cathartiformes, Accipitriformes, Strigiformes, and Falconiformes) in the Perobas Biological Reserve, a conservation area of 8,716 ha, which represents one of the last remnants with significant extent of semideciduous seasonal forest in Paraná. The counting method by fixed sites, as well as hearing sites and playback, was used to sample the bird of prey species in the reserve, from June 2009 to January 2012, with a total sampling effort of 210 h. Altogether 25 raptor species were surveyed, a value corresponding to 37% of the species richness known for Paraná. Among the records, 3 species are worth highlighting, Spizaetus melanoleucus, Asio flammeus, and Strix virgata, listed in the current Red Book of Endangered Fauna in Paraná and poorly documented in the region. About 70% of the observed species have habits associated with forest environments, while 30% are associated with open areas, such as pastures and farmland surrounding the forest. These results reaffirm the importance of this reserve for the conservation and preservation of many bird species, especially those rare and regionally endangered.