Condição corporal das aves : análise e implicações

Abstract

Habitat fragmentation and the effects of anthropogenic actions at different levels tend to influence the phenotype and welfare of birds and also the development of organisms having a direct relationship with their fitness. Body condition evaluations through the Relative Mass Index (RMI) is one of the effective and non-lethal nutritional reserve analysis tools for assessing body condition. The present study aims to analyze the body condition of birds from three fragments of Montane Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, relating them to factors such as trophic guild, habitat dependence, disturbance sensitivity, climate season, ectoparasitism and subcutaneous fat, as well as verifying if they interfere with RMI of understory birds. The analyzes were made for all captured individuals in a general way as well as for species which met the premise of a minimum of five captured individuals in all fragments and in different seasons. Of all birds captured (N = 711) by ornithological nets, 553 individuals were evaluated for body condition using the Relative Mass Index. RMI differed significantly among bird species, and among food guilds, average biomass, presence of incubation plate. However, there was no difference between fragments either according to the presence of ectoparasites or fat level, reflecting the variation specificity of the RMI in each species. This study showed significant results of species evaluation in anthropized forest fragments; it is suggested for the monitoring of bird health and conservation in such environments, and can also be applied in any vegetation or climatic conditions of the globe.