Ixodid diversity and detection of spotted fever group Rickettsia spp. in ticks collected on birds in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

•The life stages of ticks have a seasonal distribution over Atlantic Forest birds throughout the year.•Temperature negatively correlates with the amount of collected ticks and infested birds.•Rickettsia rhipicephali is associated with Amblyomma spp. and this association appears to occur in the Atlantic Forest biome.