Volume 50(13):189‑201, 2010 Boracéia Biological Station: an ornithological review vagner cavarzere1 gaBriel Parmezani moraeS2 luíS FáBio Silveira3 AbstrAct Boracéia Biological Station, near the city of Salesópolis, SP, is located in one of the most well- defined centers of endemism in eastern Brazil – the Serra do Mar Center. While the station was established only in 1954 under the auspices of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, the avifauna of this locality had already attracted the attention of ornithologists by the 1940s, when the first specimens were collected. Here we describe the ornithological history of the Boracéia Biological Station with a review of all the bird species recorded during more than 68 years, including recent transect and mist-netting records. Boracéia’s records were found in museums, literature and unpublished reports that totaled 323 bird species when recent data is also considered. Of these, 117 are endemic to the Atlantic forest and 28 are threatened in the state. Although there are a few doubtful records that need to be checked, some species are the only sightings in the state. Boracéia includes a recently discovered species near the station site and is extremely important for the conservation of Atlantic forest birds. Keywords: Montane Atlantic forest; Transect counts; Mist-net; Richness; Ornithological collection. IntroductIon 1998), in which is found an important biogeographi- cal region that is also a well-defined center of ende- The region of Brazil that is considered Atlan- mism for many taxa, including birds (Müller, 1973; tic forest originally comprised an almost continuous Haffer, 1974, 1985; Cracraft, 1985). At least 660 spe- zone of several forest types along the Brazilian coast cies of birds breed in the nonmarine Atlantic Forest from the state of Rio Grande do Norte in the north Region, 200 (30%) of which are considered endemic to the state of Rio Grande do Sul in the south (Silva (Goerck, 1997). et al., 2004). The coastal mountains of the states of The greatest levels of endemism in the Atlantic Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná and Santa Catarina forest are found in the Serra do Mar (Haffer, 1985) are known as the Serra do Mar (Almeida & Carneiro, where the complex of mountains has influenced bird 1. Corresponding author. Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo. Rua do Matão, Travessa 14, nº 101, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected]. 2. Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista. Rua Engenheiro Luiz Edmundo Carrijo Coube, nº 14-01, 17033-360, Bauru, SP, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected]. 3. Departamento de Zoologia Universidade de São Paulo. Rua do Matão, Travessa 14, nº 101, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brasil e Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Caixa Postal 42.494, 04218-970, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected]. 190 Cavarzere, V. et al.: Birds of Boracéia species composition (Silva et al., 2004). About 140 Minas Gerais. Unpublished reports were also in- endemic species are passerine forest birds (Haffer, cluded and the visitor’s registry book at the station. 1985) of which 88 species are in monotypic genera Unpublished data from collaborators and visits con- with no close relatives (Willis, 1992). Endemism is ducted by colleagues of the Departamento de Zoolo- probably even greater because several putative subspe- gia (USP), among others, were included and cited in cies may prove to be biological (BSC) and/or phylo- the acknowledgements. genetic (PSC) species once detailed taxonomic studies have been carried out (Silveira et al., 2003). Bird inventories are fundamental and valuable recent records sources of information for conservation and often such knowledge can influence the creation of reserves All birds we found during systematic field sur- and other conservation units as well as justify their veys were also included. As part of a larger on-going existence. Therefore these areas may be the last hope study, here we only included information from tran- for preservation of the rich and diverse Atlantic forest sect counts and mist-netting that were carried out avifauna (Develey, 2004). from August 2008 – February 2010. Transects with While over 60 years have passed since the ear- unlimited distance were walked slowly beginning at liest formal ornithological studies in the area of the dawn along dirt roads running through the station. Boracéia Biological Station, no concise summary of Mist-nets (10; 12 m x 2.5 m x 30 mm) were placed on the avian fauna of the region yet exists, which makes five different 1.5-4 m wide trails at least 1 km apart. such a summary long past due. Here, we describe the Nets were open around 6:30 AM and closed only after local community of birds and summarize the history 5:00 PM, though earlier during inclement weather. of bird studies at the station. Collected specimens were deposited at the MZUSP and tape recordings with Panasonic RQ-L31, at the Arquivo Sonoro do Laboratório de Ornitologia da MAterial And Methods Universidade de São Paulo. study Area results And DiscussIon Boracéia Biological Station (23°38’S, 45°52’W), established in 1954 (Travassos Filho & Camargo, During 68 years, 323 bird species were found at 1958), is now administered by the Museu de Zoologia Boracéia Biological Station. Non-passerines account- da Universidade de São Paulo (MZUSP). It is located ed for 117 species in 32 families while Passerines com- near the city of Salesópolis, in the state of São Paulo, prised the remaining 206 species in 26 families. Forest southeastern Brazil (Camargo, 1946). The station in- species were > 60% of all bird species, 116 (36%) of cludes 96 ha of montane Atlantic forest (750-900 m) which are endemic to the Atlantic forest (Parker et al., and is within the Casa Grande Reserve, which belongs 1996; Appendix). Boracéia has about 18% of all bird to Departamento de Águas e Esgotos (DAEE) do Es- species recorded in Brazil (CBRO, 2008), 41% in tado de São Paulo, part of the Serra do Mar State Park. the state of São Paulo (Silveira et al., 2009) and 48% Climate is wet tropical (Cfa; Köppen’s classification), in the Atlantic forest (Goerck, 1997). This diversity with uniform rainfall (average 2010 mm y-1) through- and endemism is similar to that found elsewhere in out the year and a hot summer (average temperature the Serra do Mar of São Paulo (Höfling & Lencioni, 17.9°C; Custódio Filho, 1989). 1992; Goerck, 1999; Develey, 2004) and in other nearby mountain ranges, such as Serra de Paranapia- caba (Vielliard & Silva, 1994). The difference in the data collection counts at Boracéia is the smaller elevational gradient (200 m). reviews We searched for all specimens that were collect- registry for Visitors ed in “Boracéia” and “Casa Grande” in the MZUSP collection as well as those of the Museu de Zoolo- Investigators and birdwatchers who wrote their gia da Universidade Estadual de Campinas and the observations in the station comment book included Coleção Ornitológica da Universidade Federal de 34 species. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia, 50(13), 2010 191 specimens collected Table 1: Number of species recorded by and years in which investigators conducted bird surveys on Boracéia Biological Station, The first specimens collected in the station state of São Paulo, Brazil. (housed at MZUSP) were from 1942 by J.L. Lima Number of Source Years and E. Dente on 13 April and 17 September. Follow- species reported ing this early start, several researchers have worked Camargo (1946) 1945 84 at the station and a fine collection has been amassed Willis & Oniki (1981) 1977 132 over the years. The first extensive collections were by R. Parrini & J. Minns 1998-2000 130 H.F.A. Camargo and E. Dente in the mid 1940s. Im- J. Minns 1987-1998 163 portant contributors were D. Seraglia, L. D’Amico, D.F. Stotz 1987 233 L. Travassos Filho, M. Ventell, W. Bokermann, E.X. C. Gussoni & L. Carlos 2002 80 Rabelo, F. Novaes, J.L. Silva, P. Schwartz, D.F. Stotz, CEO 2003 79 and others who collected from 1945 through 1992. Willis & Oniki (2003) 1977-2002 11 Departamento de Zoologia, USP 2006 144 No collections date from the 1980s. After the contri- Registry book at Station 1991-2009 34 butions of D.F. Stotz in 1992, F.S.R. Amaral and V. Museums 1942-2009 159 Cavarzere both added to the collections. Today, the This study 2008-2010 242 MZUSP collection includes 784 specimens of a total of 147 species. Adding specimens collected in Casa Grande from the other museums, the total Boracéia collection includes 906 specimens in 159 species. Numbers of species recorded during such expedi- A.M. Olalla collected four individuals at “Bora- tions and years they were conducted are presented in céia, Estado de São Paulo” on 30 January and 7 Sep- Table 1. tember 1963 and on 23 May 1964 which might have come from Boracéia Beach, in the city of Bertioga, and were thus excluded from our analyses. doubtful records Four species were each reported only once and Publications need to be checked. While climbing down the slopes of the Serra do Mar, E. Dente was said to have heard Birds from Boracéia first entered the scientific the fading whistle of the Black-and-gold Cotinga (Ti- literature with a study by Camargo (1946), with col- juca atra; Camargo, 1946). This species, known from lections dating from 1-12 November 1945. This first higher altitudes and found only in northern São Pau- bird list included 84 species, of which 62 were sent lo, has never been seen or heard since. Instead, per- to MZUSP.