Territory size of three Antbirds (Aves, Passeriformes) in an Atlantic Forest fragment in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Territory size is an important ecological attribute of populations that has been considered a factor determines population density. Antbirds is a large group of mainly insectivorous Neotropical passerines, usually well represented in bird communities from forested landscapes in Neotropical region. Territory sizes for three Antbirds, Thamnophilus caerulescens (Vieillot, 1816) (Variable Antshrike), Dysithamnus mentalis (Temmink, 1823) (Plain Antvireo) e Pyriglena leucoptera (Vieillot, 1818) (White-shouldered Fire-eye), were mapped and their area estimated by the convex polygon method in a 50 ha forest fragment, in southeastern Brazil. The three species presented small territories of similar sizes (< 2 ha) both during the non-reproductive and the reproductive seasons of 2000-2001. Territories overlapped considerably among species but not intraspecifically. Territory sizes increased with body mass of the three species studied (P. leucoptera > T. caerulescens > D. mentalis). We failed to find any effect on territory size for the three species associated with forest edge or distance to the dirt road.

Fine-scale movement decisions of tropical forest birds in a fragmented landscape

“…We calculated home ranges for two antshrikes that returned at 0.58 and 0.30 ha (mean ¼ 0.44 ha, radius if circular ¼ 37 m) and for four wrens at 0.33, 0.31, 0.36, and 1.20 ha (mean ¼ 0.55, radius if circular ¼ 42 m) (Gillies and St. Clair 2010). These are similar to published results for congeners of both species, where home range radius was ;60 m for a congener to the antshrike in Brazil (T. caerulescens; Duca et al 2006) and ;75 m for a congener to the wren in Venezuela (Campylorhynchus nuchalis; Yaber and Rabenold 2002). Riparian corridors were typically 50-150 m wide.…”

Defaunation as a trigger for the additional loss of plant species in fragmented landscapes: considerations on the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil

“…Most studies about nesting success have included territorial, insectivorous species that are easier to study precisely due to their territoriality (Robinson et al 2000;Duca & Gonçalves 2001;Wikelski et al 2003;Roper 2005;Duca et al 2006;Duca & Marini 2011, 2014Marques-Santos et al 2015;Lima & Roper 2016;Mathias & Duca 2016). While insectivorous birds may influence plant species through predation on herbivorous insects, plant dynamics will be more strongly influenced by birds that pollinate plants and that disperse seeds.…”

Territory size ofFormicivora rufa(Wied, 1831) (Passeriformes, Thamnophilidae) in southeast Brazil

“…Em uma análise dos tamanhos de territórios em um fragmento de 50 ha da Mata Atlântica, a menor média de território encontrado por (DUCA, 2006) foi de 0,7 ha da espécie Dysithamnus mentalis (TEMMINCK, 1823) (Passeriformes, Thamnophilidae) não variando entre a época reprodutiva e não reprodutiva, assim como o tamanho de 1,4 ha da espécie Pyriglena leucoptera (VIEILLOT, 1818) (Passeriformes, Thamnophilidae) como a média do maior valor encontrado. Esses valores medidos contrastam com a área média de 0,05 ha encontrados neste trabalho.…”

“…Levando em consideração o tamanho reduzido dos territórios encontrados quando comparados a outros trabalhos (DUCA, 2006;REINERT et al, 2007), uma das formas de explicá-lo seria entender que estes "pequenos" territórios são altamente eficazes. Uma das explicações para tal eficiência seria inferir sobre a alocação de recursos (BEGON et al, 2007) Os territórios menores podem estar influenciados pela existência, por exemplo, de um ninho e todos seus cuidados envolvidos.…”