Diet of Atlantic forest birds: an approach based on stomach contents

Diet of Atlantic forest birds: an approach based on stomach contents. - Considered one of the biomes that concentrates most of endemism in the world, the Atlantic forest is also one of the most fragmented and threatened biomes of the world. Knowledge on the remaining avifauna in this region is scarce, especially about trophic guilds that can help measure the vulnerability of these species in relation to the processes of habitats fragmentation and degradation. The aim of this study was to identify the food items which are consumed by the guilds of birds of this region and to evaluate the diet of some endemic species of this biome. The study was conducted by analyzing stomach contents (alcool-preserved) of voucher specimens deposited in the Ornithological Collection of the Zoology Department of the Federal University from Minas Gerais. From 98 bird species and 25 families we evaluated the stomach contents of 219 individuals. In the diet remainings 18 different food items were identified, most abundantly seeds and insects of the orders Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. The indicator species analysis showed that only Coleoptera and Hemiptera were indicators of the diet of insectivorous birds, while in omnivores plant remainings were predominant. Twenty-one endemic species which consumed 14 different food items were also included in the study. Considering the limited literature regarding the diet of the endemic species of Atlantic forest, the results contribute to a better knowledge about the diet of these species. The data summarized in this study show some of the food characteristics of various bird species which may serve as a basis for further research, conservation strategies, and future plans for managing the indigenous avifauna of the Atlantic forest.