First record of Charadrius melodus Ord (Aves Charadriiformes) in Brazil

Abstract

The Piping Plover, Charadrius melodus Ord, 1824, is an shorebirds species of Central America and Eastern North America, showing two populations: a coastal and other in the Great Lakes Region. VOOUS (1983) reported the species to South America. It uses sandy beaches environments, areas traditionally occupied by man. It carries through reproduction from May to August in New Scotland, USA and is present throughout the year in North Carolina, USA. It prefers beaches with little vegetation for nesting and raising their nestlings (CAIRNS 1982). Shows declining population in the Great Lakes Region and Atlantic coast. The identification is made mainly by the color of the leg feathers and the shining orange beak base, close to red (CAIRNS 1982, RUSSEL 1983, HAYMAN et al. 1986, BROWN et al. 2001). Through a monitoring program of shorebirds involving census, captures and recaptures in sandy habitats of Diamante Branco saline, it was possible to make this record.