Ciclo de mudas e atividade reprodutiva de aves em caatinga arbustiva- arbórea no semi-arido pernambucano

Abstract

Within the bird life cycle, feather moulting and reproductive activity play crucial roles in the survival and reproduction of avifauna in any location. However, both activities require considerable energy investment. The purpose of this study is to highlight and describe the annual biological cycle of the molting cycle period and reproductive activity of birds in an area of Caatinga. Data collection was conducted in Serra do Pará, in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pernambuco, in the Brazilian semi-arid region, from June 2012 to May 2013. 218 individuals were captured, including 96 recaptures, covering 43 species of birds distributed in 19 families. The most representative families in terms of species were Tyrannidae, with 10 species (23.26%), Thraupidae, with 6 species (13.95%), and Columbidae, Rhynchocyclidae and Thamnophilidae, each with 3 species, corresponding to 6. 98%. Records are concentrated over 11 months, covering the rainy (2 months) and dry (9 months) seasons, with 21% (42) of individuals captured during the rainy season and 19.5% (179) of individuals captured during the dry season. In which during the dry season the number of largest species captured was obtained with 39 species. The occurrence of molting was observed in 93 individuals, while reproductive activity was identified in 89 individuals. Both events, the seedling cycle and reproductive activity, occurred during the rainy season