The Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens has a pantropical distribution, nesting on islands along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. In the Caribbean, there is little genetic structure among colonies; however, the genetic structure among the colonies off Brazil and its relationship with those in the Caribbean are unknown. In this study, we used mtDNA and microsatellite markers to infer population structure and evolutionary history in a sample of F. magnificens individuals collected in Brazil, Grand Connétable (French Guyana), and Barbuda. Virtually all Brazilian individuals had the same mtDNA haplotype. There was no haplotype sharing between Brazil and the Caribbean, though Grand Connétable shared haplotypes with both regions. A Bayesian clustering analysis using microsatellite data found two genetic clusters: one associated with Barbuda and the other with the Brazilian populations. Grand Connétable was more similar to Barbuda but had ancestry from both clusters, corroborating its “intermediate” position. The Caribbean and Grand Connétable populations showed higher genetic diversity and effective population size compared to the Brazilian population. Overall, our results are in good agreement with an effect of marine winds in isolating the Brazilian meta-population.

RESUMO O quero-quero Vanellus chilensis (Molina, 1782) é uma ave típica do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, mas possui ampla distribuição geográfica nos campos da América do Sul, sendo conhecido pelo canto imponente e pelos comportamentos relacionados com a agressividade e a territorialidade. Apesar de ser reconhecido como animal símbolo do estado, nenhum trabalho acerca dos comportamentos dessa ave foi desenvolvido no estado. Este trabalho teve como objetivo qualificar e quantificar o repertório comportamental de V. chilensis. Observações dos comportamentos dessa ave foram feitas em uma área de campo com oito hectares, no município de Torres, RS, entre dezembro de 2017 e novembro de 2018, totalizando 143 horas de observação. Utilizou-se a metodologia de observação de todas as ocorrências e observação de animal focal, coletando-se dados de frequência de ocorrência e duração de cada comportamento. Com os dados construiu-se um etograma. Registrou-se 23 comportamentos divididos em cinco categorias: locomoção, manutenção, alimentação, social-agonista e reprodução. Identificaram-se três formas de vocalização distintas em sonoridade, duração e ocasião, o que sugere diferentes funções para cada uma. As análises comprovaram a variação da maior parte dos comportamentos ao longo dos meses do ano, tanto em frequência como em duração. Constatou-se o aumento dos comportamentos sociais-agonistas e reprodutivos durante a estação reprodutiva, enquanto outras categorias como alimentação e manutenção apresentaram diminuição nesse período, havendo maior empenho dos animais na proteção dos ninhos e filhotes. O trabalho permitiu a caracterização dos comportamentos de V. chilensis no sul do Brasil, auxiliando no entendimento das relações entre espécie e ambiente típico da região.

The forests north of the Sa˜o Francisco River, in northeastern Brazil, conform a centre of endemism for plants and animals. Currently only 5% of its original forest cover is left, following 500 years of human colonisation. Avian endemism is high, and during the 1980s four birds were described from these forests, Alagoas Foliage-gleaner Philydor novaesi, Orange-bellied Antwren Terenura sicki, Alagoas Antwren Myrmotherula snowi and Alagoas Tyrannulet Phylloscartes ceciliae. Their type locality, Murici Ecological Station, in the coastal mountains of Alagoas state, was the only site where the four species were known to occur together, and became the focus of much attention from conservation organisations. We here report on recent surveys at Reserva Privada do Patrimoˆnio Natural Frei Caneca, in the mountains of Pernambuco state, which found these 4 species and 27 other threatened and endemic birds, and a yet undescribed taxon. We propose that more thorough surveys are needed in the reserve and its vicinity, to locate fragments of suitable forest for these species. These should be regarded within a management plan for the reserve (including research and monitoring), and such work should be expanded to a regional level. An educational programme focusing on the values of these forests and the negative impacts of human activities is needed very much.

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We report on three aberrantly plumaged White-chinned PetrelsProcellaria aequinoctialisfrom the Brazilian Economic Exclusive Zone in the south-west Atlantic Ocean – the first reports based upon tangible evidence for the region. Two of them showed a low degree of colour aberration (some white around the eyes and on the upper-wing coverts), whereas the third exhibited the highest degree of plumage aberration so far reported for the species: a plumage mostly white with brown freckles on the upper- and under-parts, head and nape. We also commented on problems related to at-sea identification of aberrantly plumaged seabirds.