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House Sparrow {Passer domesticus) populations have been negatively affected in various regions of the world because of the urbanization process, although in Brazil the factors involved are still poorly understood. Through standardized sampling, our study aimed to assess the effects of an urbanization gradient on the abundance of House Sparrows in the city of Campo Grande, in central-western Brazil. We recorded House Sparrow and Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola) abundance and the percentage of urbanized area (impervious surface) in 61 hexagons of 16 ha each. We surveyed sparrows by using fixed-radius (50 m). 10-min point counts (4 points/hexagon). We recorded 897 House Sparrows and 408 Saffron Finches in all sampled hexagons, with abundance ranging from 0 to 68 House Sparrows'hexagon (-1 individual/ha) and from 0 to 22 Saffron Finches/hexagon (0.42 individual/ha). We found a significant relationship between House Sparrow abundance and the proportion of hexagon impervious surface according to a quadratic equation, as well as more birds in areas that exhibit moderate to high urbanization than in low urbanization. Multilevel Structural Equation Models showed that House Sparrows were negatively (but nonsignificantly) affected by buildings and trees >5 m in height, positively affected by buildings Key words: Saffron Finch. Sicalis flaveola. urban birds. urban planning, vacant lots. As populacoes de pardais (Passer domesticus) tern sido afctadas negativamente em varias regides do mundo devido ao processo de urbanizacao. embora no Brasil os fatores ainda sejam ma! compreendidos. Por meio de amostragem padronizada. este estudo teve como objetivo veriticar os efeitos de um gnidiente de urbanizacao sobre a abundancia de pardais na cidade de Campo Grande, na regiiio ccntro-oesle do Brasil. A abundancia de pardais c canarios-da-terra (Sicalis flaveola) e a porcentagem de area urbanizada (superficie impenneavel) foram registradas em 61 hexagonos de 16 ha cada um. As amostragens foram feitas por pontos de escuta por 10 rain em 4 ponlos/hcxagono. considerando-se um raio de 50 m. Registramos 897 pardais e 408 canarios-da-terra em todos os hexagonos. com abundancia variando de 0-68 pardais hexagono (-1 individuo/ha) e de 0-22 canarios-da-terra/hexagono (0.42 individuo/ha). Encontramos uma relacao significaliva entre a abundancia de pardais e proporeao da superficie impenneavel no hexagono de acordo com uma equac&o quadratica. bem como mais aves cm areas que aprescntam niveis de gradiente dc urbanizacao moderado a alto do que em niveis altos. Modelos de Equates Estruturais Multinivel mostraram que pardais foram negativamente (mas nao significativamente) aletados por edificios com altura superior a 5 m e arvores e positivamente afetados por edificios Palavras-chave: aves urbanas, canarios-da-terra, plancjamenlo urbano, Sicalis faveola, terrenos baldios., Urbanization is a dynamic process that changes natural ecosystems into places that meet human needs. Urban landscapes are characterized as a heterogeneous environment, where native green areas are associated with [...]

Red-ruffed Fruitcrow (Pyroderus scutatus scutatus) occurs in humid forests of Brazil. Paraguay, and Argentina. The bird has disappeared from many regions of Brazil due to deforestation but is still found in well-preserved forests as well as fragments surrounding large urban areas. The reproduction of the P. s. scutatus subspecies is not well known, with only 1 nest described. Given this scenario, we provide another nest description and information on this subspecies' reproduction and chicks, and document insect and small vertebrate feeding at a location near the largest urban area in South America. This record was made in 2018. in an Atlantic Forest reserve next to the city of Sao Paulo. We found 2 large chicks at a nest that differs from a previously described nest in having a simpler structure. Our record is remarkable because this nest was found in the degraded area of a forest fragment close to the large urban area, which is very different from the well-preserved areas of Atlantic Forest where the previously known nest was found. Since this reserve is close to a continuous and well-preserved region of Atlantic Forest, and has areas that are in good condition, we speculate that the location of this nest may have been chosen due to an available food supply. The discovery of this nest highlights the importance of forest fragments for the conservation of this cotingid. Received 21 September 2020. Accepted 17 September 2022. Key words: Atlantic Forest, behavior. Brazil, Cotingidae. natural history. O pavo {Pyroderus scutatus scutatus) ocorre nas matas limidas do Brasil. Paraguai c Argentina. Dcsapareccu de muitas regides do sudeste do Brasil devido ao desmatamento. mas ainda e encontrada tanto em regides florestais preservadas, como fragmentos do cntorno de grandes areas urbanas. A reproducao do P. s. scutatus e pouco conhecida. tendo apenas um ninho descrito. Com base neste cenario, apresentamos a descricSo de um novo ninho. informacoes sobre reproducao. filhotes e alimentaeao de insetos e pequenos vertebrados dessa subespecic em Lima Iocalidade proxima da maior area urbana da America do Sul. O registro foi feito em 2018. cm uma rescrva de Mata Atlantica ao lado da cidade de Sao Paulo. Encontramos dois filhotes grandes cm um ninho difcrcnte de um anterior conhecido, por ter uma estrutura mais simples. Nosso registro e notavel porque este ninho foi encontrado na area degradada de um fragmento florestal proximo da area urbana. bem difercnte das areas bem preservadas de Mata Atlantica onde os ninhos antcriormente conhecidos foram encontrados. Pcla reserva estar proxima dc uma regiao continua e bem prcscrvada da Mala Atlantica e ter areas em mclhor estado de conservacao. cspeculamos dc que o local pode ter sido escolhido devido a otcrta de alimentos disponiveis. A descoberta deste ninho mostra o potencial dos fragmentos florestais para a conservacao desta especic de eotingideo. Palavras-chave: Brasil. comportamento, Cotingidae, historia natural, Mata Atlantica., Species of the family Cotingidae are Neotropical forest birds that occur widely in South America. Among the existing genera, the monospecific Pyroderus is represented by the Redruffed Fruitcrow (Pyroderus scutatus), [...]

The Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens (MAFR) has the largest area of occurrence of any species in the Fregatidae family, with a large nesting colony in Southeast Brazil. However, studies with birds that occur on the coastal plain and in other areas of the continent are lacking. We organized information obtained in the field, from the literature, and from online ornithological platforms, and we evaluated the occurrence of MAFR on the plateau of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo (MRSP), the largest urban area in South America. A total of 31 records were obtained dating back to 1960. Twelve of the records are concentrated near large reservoirs. The records indicate homogeneous seasonality over the years and occasional occurrence in a little-known extra-marine domain on the MRSP plateau. This occurrence has been detected in medium- and long-term field studies and by both photographers and bird watchers. Occurrence can be attributed to the proximity of this region to the coast and to the high flight capacity of these birds, in addition to the female and juvenile behavior of flying great distances, although these hypotheses need to be tested with new information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary contact between species often results in the formation of a hybrid zone, with the eventual fates of the hybridizing species dependent on evolutionary and ecological forces. We examine this process in the Amazon Basin by conducting the first genomic and phenotypic characterization of the hybrid zone formed after secondary contact between two obligate army‐ant‐followers: the White‐breasted Antbird (Rhegmatorhina hoffmannsi) and the Harlequin Antbird (Rhegmatorhina berlepschi). We found a major geographic displacement (∼120 km) between the mitochondrial and nuclear clines, and we explore potential hypotheses for the displacement, including sampling error, genetic drift, and asymmetric cytonuclear incompatibilities. We cannot exclude roles for sampling error and genetic drift in contributing to the discordance; however, the data suggest expansion and unidirectional introgression of hoffmannsi into the distribution of berlepschi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albatrosses mostly forage for fish, squid, and crustaceans (including discards from fishing vessels), but they also scavenge animal carcasses, a behavior still poorly characterized for some albatross species. In July 2021 during a pelagic birding trip off the coast of São Paulo State, Southeast Brazil, three Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche chlororhynchos were spotted feeding on the floating carcass of a Loggerhead Sea Turtle Caretta caretta. This behavior had not been previously documented in the literature, on-line citizen science platforms, or by personal observations. We believe this to be an uncommon feeding strategy for this albatross species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The municipality of São Paulo was visited by different naturalists in the 19th century, including the Austrian Johann Natterer. One of the regions explored by these naturalists, and later by other researchers, is known as Santo Amaro, and is located in the southern part of the city. However, the ornithological data produced during this period was never fully organized.Based on this scenario, we present a compilation of ornithological data from a period of 200 years, highlighting the importance of one of the last remaining forest in this region of the city of São Paulo. Based on bibliographic consultation, collections of natural history museums and field work carried out in the last 22 years by the authors, we present a total of 154 species of birds for the Santo Amaro region. From this total, at least 13 species have extinct local populations, due to habitat destruction, but the remaining avifauna is still representative and includes birds from little altered forest environments, migratory, winter visitors and a threatened taxon. The three protected areas in the region comprise 59% of the regional avifauna, but it is still necessary to protect other existing natural areas. One of these areas is Jardim Alfomares, a 60,000 m2 forest fragment with large trees that still maintains a relictualanurofauna and avifauna, with species that are uncommon in urban green areas. This fragment is threatened by the construction of a high-standard residential condominium in its direct surroundings, which will generate several environmental impacts, leading to its total degradation. The natural area of Jardim Alfomares is of extreme environmental, historical and cultural relevance for the Santo Amaro region and for the municipality of São Paulo, and needs to be fully protected in the form of a municipal protected area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uma parcela da avifauna do Brasil, do estado de São Paulo e do entorno da cidade de São Paulo, a maior área urbana da América do Sul, é composta por espécies de ambientes naturais úmidos. Devido a acelerada destruição destes ambientes, muitos táxons encontram-se ameaçados de extinção, sendo habitat de extrema relevância ambiental e ainda pouco conhecidos ornitologicamente, principalmente no entorno de grandes centros urbanos. Com base neste cenário, produzimos e organizamos dados ornitológicos de um período de 20 anos, de uma região úmida onde se encontram as maiores praias fluviais da cidade de São Paulo, sudeste do Brasil. Foram consideradas 423 amostragens e 339 dias de campo. Foram registradas 151 espécies de aves, representando 45 famílias, das quais duas são ameaçadas de extinção, e 26 migratórias, com destaque para 17 migrantes de longa distância, incluindo nove representantes das famílias Charadriidae e Scolopacidae. Outro grupo relevante é formado por aves que realizam deslocamentos regionais pouco conhecidos. Os dados de campo mostram a importância das áreas úmidas, incluindo as praias fluviais urbanas do entorno da cidade de São Paulo, para as espécies residentes ou que utilizam a região em alguma época do ano, incluindo aves típicas do litoral. Estes ambientes precisam ter sua proteção legal definida e ampliada, sua avifauna monitorada e no caso das unidades de conservação já existentes, a implantação e realização de atividades de educação e conscientização ambiental com visitantes e moradores da região. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city of São Paulo has more than 100 municipal parks, important refuges for birds. The ornithological knowledge of some parks is still low and has not been organized, preventing effective conservation actions. Based on this, we produce and organize data for a period of 20 years on the birds of the Parque Municipal do Laguinho - Jacques Cousteau, located in the city of São Paulo, southeastern of Brazil. Field inventories, spot observations and data available on online platforms were carried out. The samplings add up to 232 field days, with 131 recorded bird species, nine of which are endemic to the Atlantic Forest and ten migratory. The region has forest birds, migratory birds and winter visitors. The park has serious environmental problems, such as silting and the increase of aquatic plants in the lake and the death of birds due to the presence of garbage. Because the area is closed to the public, its potential for bird watching and environmental education is not being used, preventing new information from the field and direct community contact with local biodiversity. There is an urgent need to resolve environmental issues, make new ornithological field inventories and implement an environmental education program that includes bird watching for the community and visitors, fundamental actions to preserve, promote and integrate society in the protection of this unit of conservation so important for the city of São Paulo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]