Owl assemblages in fragments of atlantic forest in Brazil.
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Date
2018
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Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation is recognized as one of the main causes of global biodiversity declines. Birds of prey are considered
good environmental bioindicators because they are sensitive to changes in the environment and can suffer local extinctions due to habitat
fragmentation. In this study, we aimed to determine whether forest fragment area is correlated with the richness and abundance of owl
species, and whether owl species recorded exhibit preferences for fragment edge or interior. The study was undertaken in six remnants of
southeastern Atlantic Forest located in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Six species of owls were recorded: Buff-fronted Owl (Aegolius harrisii),
Tropical Screech-Owl (Megascops choliba), Tawny-browed Owl (Pulsatrix koeniswaldiana), Striped Owl (Asio clamator), Mottled Owl (Strix
virgata), and Rusty-barred Owl (Strix hylophila). Megascops choliba was the most abundant species. The richness and abundance of species
were higher at the edge when compared to the interior of the fragments. The owl species recorded did not seem to prefer the forest interior,
while M. choliba had a preference for forest edges. This study adds new empirical knowledge on the effects of fragmentation on Neotropical
owl communities.
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Keywords
Community composition, Habitat use, Species richness, Strigiformes, Aegolius harrisii
Citation
CLAUDINO, R. M.; MOTTA JUNIOR, J. C.; ANTONINI, Y. Owl assemblages in fragments of atlantic forest in Brazil. Ornitologia Neotropical, v. 29, p. 281-288, 2018. Disponível em: <http://journals.sfu.ca/ornneo/index.php/ornneo/article/view/327>. Acesso em: 12 fev. 2019.