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ISSN (impresso) 0103-5657 ISSN (on-line) 2178-7875 Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia Volume 19 Número 3 www.ararajuba.org.br/sbo/ararajuba/revbrasorn Setembro 2011 Publicada pela Sociedade Brasileira de Ornitologia São Paulo - SP Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 19(3), 358-363 ArtIGO Setembro de 2011 Evaluation of the status of conservation of the Cabot’s Tern (Thalasseus acuflavidus) in Brazil Márcio Amorim Efe1,2 and Sandro Luis Bonatto3 1. Setor de Biodiversidade e Ecologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (ICBS), Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Avenida Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro do Martins, CEP 57072‑970, Maceió, AL, Brasil. Corresponding author. E‑Mail: [email protected] 2. Seção de Ornitologia, Museu de História Natural, Universidade Federal de Alagoas. Avenida Lourival Melo Mota, s/n, Tabuleiro do Martins, CEP 57072‑970, Maceió, AL, Brasil. 3. Centro de Biologia Genômica e Molecular, Faculdade de Biociências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul. Avenida Ipiranga, 6.681, Partenon, CEP 90619‑900, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. E‑Mail: [email protected] Recebido em 13/03/2011. Aceito em 29/06/2011. RESUMO: Avaliação do estado de conservação do trinta-réis-de-bando (Thalasseus acuflavidus) no Brasil. O trinta‑réis‑de‑ bando, Thalasseus acuflavidus é considerado uma das mais vulneráveis espécies costeiras do Brasil. Sua distribuição está limitada ao Caribe, costa atlântica da América do Norte e América do Sul. No Brasil, seus ninhos em pequenas ilhas costeiras estão suscetíveis aos distúrbios humanos. Historicamente suas colônias tem sofrido intensiva coleta de ovos por parte de pescadores, o que contribui severamente com o decréscimo de seu sucesso reprodutivo. A população brasileira está confinada principalmente na costa do Espírito Santo. Este artigo avalia o estado de conservação da população de T. acuflavidus no Brasil e discute sua categorização. Nossa avaliação do estado de conservação desta espécie segue os critérios e categorias adotados pela IUCN. Aqui nós revisamos vários parâmetros incluindo o nível taxonômico, as principais ameaças, as áreas de extensão e ocorrência e o tamanho atual da população. Uma vez que o Trinta‑réis‑de‑bando vem perdendo áreas de reprodução em diversas áreas da costa brasileira, nós recomendamos que esta espécie seja considerada como “Vulnerável” no nível nacional. Ele também pode ser considerado “Em Perigo” em nível estadual. Finalmente, nós sugerimos que esforços de pesquisa e conservação sejam ampliados na costa do Espírito Santo e que ações de conservação semelhantes sejam implementadas ao longo da costa brasileira. PalaVRAS-CHAVE: Trinta‑réis‑de‑bando; Thalasseus acuflavidus; Estado de conservação; Brasil; Ave marinha; Critérios da IUCN. Abstract: Evaluation of the status of conservation of the Cabot’s Tern (Thalasseus acuflavidus) in Brazil. The Cabot’s Tern, Thalasseus acuflavidus is considered to be one of the most vulnerable coastal species in Brazil. Its range is limited to the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts of North and South America. In Brazil it nests on small coastal islands that are susceptible to human disturbance. Historically, its colonies have suffered extensive egg collection by fishermen, which has severely decreased its reproductive success. The Brazilian population is mainly confined to the coast of Espírito Santo state. This paper evaluates the population status of T. acuflavidus in Brazil and discusses its threat category. Our evaluation of the conservation status of this species follows the criteria and categories adopted by the IUCN. Here, we review several parameters, including taxonomic level, principal threats, area and extent of occurrence, and current population size. Because Cabot’s Terns have recently been extirpated from other areas of the Brazilian coast, we recommend that this species should be defined as Vulnerable at the national level. It may also qualify as Endangered at the state level. Finally, we suggest that research and conservation efforts should be increased on Espírito Santo coast, and that conservation actions should be implemented across the whole Brazilian coast. KEy-WORDS: Cabot’s Tern; Conservation status; Brazil; Seabird; IUCN criteria; Thalasseus acuflavidus. The ornithological literature contains scarce infor‑ the Caribbean. A recent mtDNA analysis of this species mation on Cabot’s Tern (Junge and Voous 1955). One complex (Efe et al. 2009) has helped to the phylogenetic of the remaining taxonomic uncertainties in the Sternini relationships of the group. was the classification of the species complex of the Sand‑ Cabot’s Tern (now Thalasseus acuflavidus; Efe et al. wich/Cabot’s/Cayenne tern (Efe et al. 2004). Within this 2009) breeds on the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts of North complex, there are three forms classified either as sub‑ and South America. Its range extends from the southern species or species: Sandwich tern (T. s. sandvicensis) that USA, Caribbean along the coasts of Colombia, Venezuela, breeds on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts of Eu‑ Surinam, Brazil, and Uruguay south to Argentina as far as rope, Cabot’s tern (T. s. acuflavidus) breeding on the At‑ Puerto Deseado (Escalante 1973, Shealer 1999). lantic coasts of North America and the Caribbean, and Antas (1991) identified the Cabot’s Tern as the most Cayenne tern (T. s. eurygnathus) that breeds on the At‑ vulnerable coastal species in Brazil, due to extensive egg lantic coast of South America from Argentina north to collection by fishermen. Since then, this species has been Evaluation of the status of conservation of the Cabot’s Tern (Thalasseus acuflavidus) in Brazil 359 Márcio Amorim Efe and Sandro Luis Bonatto the focus of studies and conservation initiatives. The An‑ Area of occupancy is the area inside the extent of oc‑ dorinhas do Mar Project curtailed egg collection in Es‑ currence which is occupied by a taxon, excluding cases of pírito Santo State, mainly through protection and edu‑ vagrancy. This category reflects the fact that a taxon will cation (Efe et al. 2000); however, the long‑term survival not usually occur throughout its extent of occurrence, of the Cabot’s Tern remains uncertain. In the nearshore which may contain unsuitable or unoccupied habitats. In zone of South Carolina it is subjected to anthropogenic some cases the area of occupancy is the smallest area essen‑ disturbances including development pressure and recre‑ tial at any stage to the survival of existing populations of ation, natural disturbances such as frequent hurricane a taxon (BirdLife International 2001). For the estimate of and other biotic factors such as predation, parasitism, or the area of occupancy in this analysis we used the follow‑ food availability may affect population dynamics as well ing reasoning: according to Shealer (1999) most breeding (Jodice et al. 2007, Emslie et al. 2009). birds forage at a maximum distance of 15‑25 km from Conservation strategies and coordinated manage‑ their breeding sites (mean value of 20 km). Bugoni and ment actions at the regional scale require knowledge Vooren (2005) showed that Common Tern on their win‑ of tern breeding distribution, the relationships among tering ground in southern Brazil fed over water 10‑20 m populations, and of factors affecting them (Yorio and in depth, within 8 km of the coast. Therefore, we con‑ Efe 2008). This paper evaluates the conservation status sider the area of occupancy of the Cabot’s Tern in Brazil of T. acuflavidus in Brazil and discusses its current threat to be a circular area around the breeding sites 20 km in level. radius (e.g., area of 1,256 km2) and the feeding area a dis‑ tance of 8 km from the shore. Following the recommendations of Gärdenfors et al. METHODS (2001) for the evaluation Red List Criteria at the national and regional level, we analyzed: (1) contact of the national Our evaluation of the conservation status of the population with the neighboring populations, (2) disper‑ Cabot’s Tern follows the criteria and categories estab‑ sal capacity of the species, (3) abundance of and threats to lished by the IUCN (IUCN 2008). The IUCN catego‑ the species in the neighboring populations, (4) differenc‑ ries and criteria are defined for the global evaluation of a es in local adaptation between the national and neighbor‑ taxon. However, these definitions can also be appropriate ing populations, (5) the environmental conditions within for regional use (Gärdenfors et al. 2001). In this paper we each country or region and (6) environmental conditions review information on the conservation status, including necessary for the immigration and recolonization of the taxonomic level, main threats, area and extent of occur‑ species, within 100 years, should it be extirpated at the rence, and current population size in Brazil and follow country level. Gärdenfors et al. (2001) for the evaluation at the national and regional level. Likewise the Brazilian Ornithological Committee RESUlts AND DISCUSSION (CBRO 2010), we treat T. acuflavidus as a valid specie, following Efe et al. (2009), who showed, using a molecu‑ Using the above definition, the Cabot’s Tern is dis‑ lar phylogenetic analysis, that European and American tributed all along the Brazilian coast (~ 6.100 km). We T. “sandvicensis” are distinct species and proposed the estimate the extent of occurrence as the area contained treatment of the American acuflavidus/eurygnathus com‑ within the imaginary boundary of 6,100 km long and plex as Cabot’s Tern, Thalasseus acuflavidus. 25 km wide or approximately 125,500 km2. However, According to Birdlife International (2001), the ex‑ this area is not completely occupied by the Cabot’s Tern. tent of occurrence is defined as the area contained within A review of the historical nesting records indicates that the shortest continuous imaginary boundary which can Cabot’s Terns have bred in at least 16 different breeding be drawn to encompass all the known, inferred or pro‑ sites in Brazil (Table 1) and have been reported in four jected sites of present occurrence of a taxon, excluding foraging areas (Figure 1) during the non‑breeding period.
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  • Monitoring of Damara Terns at Mile 4 Salt Works, Summer 2014/2015

    Monitoring of Damara Terns at Mile 4 Salt Works, Summer 2014/2015

    Social and Environmental Impact Assessment for Rössing Uranium's Proposed Desalination Plant near Swakopmund BASELINE REPORT Bird assessment Additional study: Monitoring of Damara Terns at Mile 4 Salt Works, summer 2014/2015 Prepared by: Prepared for: African Conservation Services cc SLR Environmental Consulting (Namibia) (Pty) Ltd June 2015 1. Introduction The Damara Tern Sternula balaenarum is Near Threatened in Namibia (Simmons, Brown & Kemper in press 2015) and also globally Near Threatened (IUCN 2015). The species is little known and faces several conservation issues (Braby 2011). A recent review of all accessible information of breeding populations in Angola, Namibia and South Africa identified 70 breeding colonies globally for the species (Braby 2011). Most of the population (98%) breeds in Namibia, where overall breeding success (measured as the probability of fledging one chick per pair, per season) is estimated at only 0.36. A bird assessment study was completed for the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment for Rössing Uranium's Proposed Desalination Plant near Swakopmund, Namibia in August 2014. Although a literature search and local sources indicated that Damara Terns have been recorded and have bred regularly at this site (Braby 2011; Boorman M pers. comm.), more detailed and updated information was required on the present distribution, numbers and breeding success at this site, which according to the bird assessment study should be categorised as sensitive, together with a buffer zone. This study was therefore initiated to investigate and update the above aspects for the summer 2014- 2015 season. 2. Methods Figure 1. The site used historically for breeding by Damara Terns (red marker) and the present main study site at Mile 4 Salt Works; a roosting area was subsequently confirmed and investigated (yellow marker).