Brazil is considered the country with the greatest animal biodiversity in the world, with thousands of species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, insects and other animals. One of the most common orders are birds, which can be found on all continents in the world, from urban to rural environments, beaches to forests, wild and domesticated species.
According to data from the Brazilian Ornithological Records Committee, Brazil has 1,971 species of birds, of which 236 are threatened, with different degrees of threat. Because they are found in all four corners of the country and in all biomes, birds can be evaluated as bioindicator species of environmental quality.
A bioindicator species is one that can be related to certain environmental conditions in which it occurs. Some species are typical of urban areas, others occur only in forested areas, some species tolerate human presence more and others do not tolerate interaction with people.
We can use this knowledge to get an idea of how the environment in which we operate is being conserved. We can divide birds as tolerant of human presence and their actions, which often ends up benefiting these tolerant and undemanding species in environmental conditions. We can mention species such as lapwing ( Vanellus chilensis ), orange thrush ( Turdus rufiventris ), domestic dove ( Columba livia ), sparrow ( Passer domesticus ) with species that are not very demanding on environmental conditions and that benefit from human action, being easily found in degraded areas and cities.
However, list other species that are more demanding in terms of environmental quality and are not tolerant to major impacts on their natural habitat. Considering the continental dimension of Brazil, we list some species of birds that indicate the good environmental quality of the place where they live, availability of resources, shelter, food and that can be easily recognized:
- Emu ( Rhea americana ) – the largest bird species in Brazil, has a wide distribution in the country and occurs in fields and savannas, does not tolerate human presence and is one of the first species to disappear with the increase in population.
- White-winged teal ( Dendrocygna autumnalis ) – a species of teal that occurs throughout the country, usually lives in large flocks and can even be seen in urban parks.
- Jacuaçu ( Penelope obscura ) – very common species in the South and Southeast, can be found on edges and forests and feeds mainly on fruits
- Green-billed toucan ( Ramphastos dicolorus ) – one of the most beautiful species of Brazilian fauna with colorful feathers and a yellowish-green beak. It lives in forests of the Atlantic Forest and is a great disperser of fruits and seeds.
- True parrot ( Amazona aestiva ) – usually lives in flocks or pairs, is found throughout Brazil and suffers from habitat loss and smuggling to be raised as pets.
- Variegated Surucuá ( Trogon surrucura ) – is an extremely colorful bird and feeds on insects and fruits. It can be found in well-maintained urban forests and parks. It is one of the first species to disappear in cases of forest degradation.
- King vulture ( Sarcoramphus papa ) – the largest of the Brazilian vultures, it is completely white, which makes identification easier. It is never seen in urban areas, can be seen flying high with other vultures and occurs in fields, forests and mountains.
Bioindicator birds and species tell us the environmental quality of a given location, but their mere presence is no guarantee that they will not suffer prices. In addition to presence, it is necessary to evaluate the size of populations, if these birds are abundant in an area, this is a good indication of environmental preservation, little pressure for hunting and good access to resources.
References:
Find out what indicator species are and what they are for – eCycle
Urban birds as indicators of Environmental Quality (minasbioconsultoria.com)
AvesBiomonitorasQualidade.pdf (ufu.br)
CBRO – Brazilian Ornithological Records Committee
