Caio J. Carlos

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | UFRGS · Departamento de Zoologia

The South American Tern Sterna hirundinacea is a poorly known migratory seabird distributed along South American marine coasts, including the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). The species presents allochronic isolation (i.e., separation of populations by breeding time), with different populations occupying different environmental spaces during the repro...

Migratory shorebirds such as Calidris alba, C. fuscicollis, and Charadrius semipalmatus congregate in stopover areas like coastal wetlands to rest and feed, building up sufficient energy for their ongoing migration. To investigate the feeding ecology of these three shorebird species during their stopover, we conducted a comparative analysis of thei...

Understanding species habitat selection is crucial for informed conservation and management decisions, implementing measures to protect and preserve their preferred environments and developing targeted strategies that support the specific needs of the target species. In this study, we focused on the Chilean Flamingo (Phoe-nicopterus chilensis), an...

The Lagoa do Peixe National Park is one of the most important wetlands in southern Brazil, serving as a contranuptial or breeding site for several species of birds, including the Chilean Flamingo. Despite being the only area where Chilean Flamingo can be seen all year round, the population dynamics of the species in the area is still poorly known....

RESUMO O principal objetivo do nosso trabalho foi o levantamento da composição (riqueza e abundância) da avifauna em um remanescente florestal de Mata Atlântica em Santa Catarina, suscetível à ampliação e intervenção de uma pedreira para subsidiar futuras análises de impactos ambientais dessa atividade. Registramos 142 espécies de aves, distribuída...

Protected areas are essential conservation tools for mitigating the rapid decline of biodiversity. However, climate change represents one of the main challenges to their long-term effectiveness, as it induces rapid changes in the geographical distribution of many species. We used ecological niche modelling to predict the impacts of climate change o...

Optimizing foraging strategies for searching and handling food could be decisive in the survival of migratory shorebirds, which depend on the food supply they find at their stopover sites. Shorebirds are opportunistic feeders that can exhibit inter-and intraspecific variations in foraging behavior associated with bill morphology, the type of prey t...

The breeding traits of Sporophila seedeaters have been relatively well studied in recent years; nevertheless, a group of ten species in the genus, known as southern capuchinos, remain understudied. That is the case with Chestnut Seedeater (Sporophila cinnamomea), a species vulnerable to extinction, which breeds in the grasslands of southeast South...

The dataset includes data from bird surveys in a fragment of Atlantic Forest in east-central Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, between November 2019 and August 2020. We obtained data on bird richness and abundance using the point count method. We established three transects, “habitats A, B, and C,” with distances of 800 m, 400 m, and 200 m from the...

The southern lapwing Vanellus chilensis is a typical bird of South America, recognized by their coloration, strident vocaliza-tion, and aggressiveness, despite its behaviour still being poorly studied in their natural habitat. In this study, we identified the behavioural patterns in the agonistic interaction of V. chilensis, analysing how the relat...

Assessing animal behaviour is essential for understanding their relationship with the environment and assisting in the management and conservation of species in natural habitats, especially those that present large range distribution and occupy very dynamic environments. The Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis, Aves: Phoenicopteridae) breeds...

We present the first report of Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus in Brazil, an individual at Araruama, Rio de Janeiro state, in late November 2021 until at least early April 2022, and discuss hypotheses to explain its appearance so far from the species’ normal distribution. We believe that it was either an escapee from a captivity or a genuine...

Technical report on the results obtained during the period that the project was funded by the Rufford Foundation.

This study describes the diet of the Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis in Lagoa do Peixe lagoon, a contranuptial area. The diet was evaluated through the analyses of undigested structures present in 91 droppings collected in feeding sites around the lagoon. It was possible to identify 268 prey items that belonged to six taxa (Calanoida, Lae...

Fulmarine petrels are top predators in the Antarctic region preying mostly on squid, fish, and carrion. Their diets have been widely studied, but less is known about the role of skeletal structures in the processes they use to obtain food. Here, we comparatively describe the skulls of fulmarine petrels, namely, the Giant Petrels (Macronectes), the...

Defining a species’ ecological niche is not a trivial task particularly for marine taxa, since physical and biological constraints are not easily perceived in these environments. Yet, coastal habitats are divided into provinces, influenced by different environmental conditions, such as superficial marine currents, causing seasonality in marine prod...

Here we report observations of kleptoparasitism by White-rumped Sandpipers Calidris fuscicollis on Semipalmated Plovers Charadrius semipalmatus.

Migration encompasses a persistent, directed, often seasonal, redistribution of individuals beyond or between their home ranges, but is often incorrectly used to describe a wide range of other movement behaviours in several animal groups, including birds. Flamingos (Phoenicopteridae) are birds that are frequently, but not universally, classified as...

Sub-Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus tropicalis, are widely distributed in the southern hemisphere, breeding on islands north of the Antarctic Convergence in the South Atlantic, South Indian, and Southwestern Pacific Oceans. At their breeding grounds, sub-Antarctic fur seals feed on a variety of fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and occasionally, o...

The Southern Lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) is a typical bird from southern Brazil, but it is widely distributed across South America. It is well-recognized by its characteristic colors, imposing vocalization and aggressive behavior. The species inhabits grasslands, which can vary locally and regionally. The aim of this study is to evaluate how South...

The Lagoa do Peixe National Park in southern Brazil is an important contranuptial site for many bird species, including Chilean Flamingos that come from Andean highlands and the South Atlantic coast, mainly during the southern hemisphere winter, and is the only site where Chilean flamingos can be seen all year long. Despite that, the information ab...

We present information on the nests, eggs, clutch size, and nestlings of the Chestnut Seedeater (Sporophila cinnamomea), a migratory, globally vulnerable species restricted to the natural grasslands of South America. Despite its vulnerability, there is currently a remarkable lack of basic information on this species. We searched for nests from Octo...

We provide a systematic review of the current scope of published behavioral research on flamingos (Phoenicopteridae), to answer the following questions: (1) what is the profile of ethology and behavioral research on flamingos, (2) which are the behaviors displayed by flamingos already observed and described in nature and captivity, and (3) what are...

We present information on the nests, eggs, clutch size, and nestlings of the Chestnut Seedeater (Sporophila cinnamomea), a migratory, globally vulnerable species restricted to the natural grasslands of South America. Despite its vulnerability, there is currently a remarkable lack of basic information on this species. We searched for nests from Octo...

Shearwaters are among the most diverse groups of Procellariiformes, and the systematics of genera Calonectris, Ardenna and Puffinus (sensu stricto) is particularly complex. Here we present the first morphology-based phylogenetic hypothesis for the group, using 104 osteological characters (23 continuous and 81 discrete) scored for 20 extant species...

Os flamingos formam um clado de aves aquáticas que inclui seis espécies viventes nos gêneros Phoenicopterus, Phoenicoparrus e Phoeniconaias. São aves de grande porte, com pescoço e pernas longas, plumagens de tons róseos, cinzas e/ou avermelhados e um bico cujas mandíbulas são encurvadas na porção média possuindo estruturas internas (lamelas) espec...

The Southern Lapwing Vanellus chilensis (Molina, 1782) is a common bird in Rio Grande do Sul state, south Brazil, but is widely distributed across South America. It inhabits grasslands and other open habitats and it is known by a distinctive black, grey, and white coloration, a conspicuous vocalization and both aggressive and territorial behaviors....

A finalidade deste trabalho foi desenvolver um diagnóstico ambiental dos atores sociais e da fauna de vertebrados do estuário do rio Tramandaí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Esse diagnóstico foi elaborado a partir de (1) entrevistas com atores sociais e monitoramen-to das atividades antrópicas, (2) inventariamento da ictiofauna, avifauna e mastofauna...

Southern Brazil is an important area for migrant shorebirds and seabirds from the NorthernHemisphere and Antarctica. We present data on seabirds and shorebirds ringed outside Braziland recovered in the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2009 and2019. Recoveries came from beached birds and those received at the Wildlife Rehabi...

Communities that depend upon fishing resources combine information about fish behavior with oceanographic features and ecological interactions. This knowledge is defined as traditional: a complex formed by historical and practical knowledge and beliefs, which evolve through adaptive processes and are transmitted over successive generations. On the...

We report a documented record of a Great Frigatebird Fregata minor at Fernando de Noronha, 360 km of the coast of northeast Brazil in the equatorial Atlantic. We presume that the bird at Fernando de Noronha originated from Trindade Island, c.1,800 km to the south, since it is the species’ nearest breeding site, and we hypothesise that it moved with...

Sporophila cinnamomea é uma espécie ameaçada de extinção que se reproduz no Pampa e migra para o Cerrado no período contranupcial. O presente estudo, desenvolvido no Pampa e no Cerrado está em seu primeiro ano de execução (2018-2022) e visa investigar a biologia reprodutiva: sucesso reprodutivo, tamanho de ninhadas, cuidado parental e tamanho de te...

Registros de mandrião-do-sul Catharacta maccormicki para o Rio Grande do Sul, sul do Brasil, são apresentados, circunstanciados e discutidos. Indivíduos dessa espécie foram fotografados ao largo da costa do estado em novembro de 2011 e maio de 2013. Ainda, em março de 2011, um indivíduo de plumagem atípica debilitado foi registrado na praia de Xang...

In this paper, we describe the skulls of Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens (Fregatidae) and Brown Booby (Sulidae) Sula leucogaster, with focus on the structures associated with the Musculi mandibulae. We discuss the results in the context of the feeding biology of the two species, which feed mainly on flying fish and squids. Frigatebirds...

Introduction: I here comment on the phylogenetic position and generic status of the rare and threatened Abbott's Booby Papasula abbotti. I argue that the current genus name of this species was erected from an incorrect interpretation of a phylogenetic hypothesis and a straightforward decision about its generic placement cannot be made, given the co...

This study, conducted between September 2008 and August 2009, documents species occurrence, annual abundance and prey of Nearctic-nesting shorebirds at two sites in NE Brazil: Ilha Grande and Cajuais Bank in the state of Ceará. At Ilha Grande, 14 shorebird species were recorded. The most abundant were Blackbellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola, Ruddy...

On 13 November 2011, an immature female White-capped Albatross Thalassarche steadi (identified using discriminant functions and molecular techniques) was found alive on a beach in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. Its complete skeleton was prepared and deposited at Museu de Ciências Naturais da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do S...

In this contribution I comment on the generic taxonomy of skuas, Stercorariidae, based on the currently available hypotheses of phylogenetic relationships for the group – i.e., the cladograms. Specifically, the different cladograms were examined following Hennig's principle of reciprocal illumination, in which a given hypothesis is evaluated by the...

The Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens has a pantropical distribution, nesting on islands along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. In the Caribbean, there is little genetic structure among colonies; however, the genetic structure among the colonies off Brazil and its relationship with those in the Caribbean are unknown. In this study, we use...

Bayesian ancestry estimates based on K = 2 excluding locus Fmin17. (PDF)

Structure analysis for K = 2 based on different assumptions. (PDF)

ΔK estimate of the best number of genetic clusters in Structure. (PDF)

Pairwise FST and RST for STR data excluding locus Fmin17. (PDF)

Genotypes observed for all sampled individuals. (PDF)

Haplotype diversity and distribution in all sampled populations. (PDF)

Migration rate estimates using BayesAss. (PDF)

Genetic diversity values for STR data excluding locus Fmin17. (PDF)

A neotype is designated for Pelecanus aquilus Linnaeus, 1758 (currently Fregata aquila; Aves, Fregatidae) to fix the identity of this nominal species.

We report on three aberrantly plumaged White-chinned Petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis from the Brazilian Economic Exclusive Zone in the south-west Atlantic Ocean – the first reports based upon tangible evidence for the region. Two of them showed a low degree of colour aberration (some white around the eyes and on the upper-wing coverts), whereas...

The type locality of the South American Tern, Sterna hirundinacea, has long been considered to be the state of Santa Catarina in South Brazil. This conclusion was probably based on two syntypes, from the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, France, one from Laguna and the other from an unspecified locality. The latter was probably shot on...

We review existing data on the distribution of the Least Tern, Sternula antillarum along the Brazilian coast, based on the literature and museum specimens, and present results of a year-long study (October 2008 to September 2009) on the seasonal abundance of this species on a large tidal flat area, Cajuais Bank, in the State of Ceará, north-eastern...

We demonstrate that the recently described Charadrius wilsonia brasiliensis Grantsau & Lima, 2008, is a junior synonym of Charadrius crassirostris Spix, 1825. The type locality of the latter taxon is 'Brasilia' [=Brazil] and most probably was collected at Ilhéus in the state of Bahia, north-east Brazil.

Although today there are ornithologists working in all parts of Brazil, no consensus has been reached on a basic methodology for elaboration of bird checklists for the country's states. Such a situation has long been causing disagreements of results, which arise mainly due to the lack of uniformity in processing data on records of the species occur...

ABStRACt: Distribution, abundance and seasonality of Laughing Gulls, Leucophaeus atricilla (Charadriiformes: Laridae) in Brazil.

Here, we present a review of existing information along with newly collected data on the distribution, abundance and seasonality of Laughing Gulls, Leucophaeus atricilla, in Brazil. This work combines a literature survey, examination of museum specimens and recent fieldwork. Based on survey data carried out along the coast of northern Brazil (in th...

This report has been divided into two main Parts: PART 1 (SHOREBIRDS AND THEIR PREY) presents the results of the actual shorebird research (i.e., nearctic shorebird species richness and seasonal abundance, prey consumed by migratory shorebirds, and benthic invertebrate species richness and abundance), while PART 2 (SHOREBIRD HABITAT LOSS) estimates...

This paper presents a review of the current knowledge on seabird diversity in Brazil. The term 'seabird' is applied ro members of the Orders Sphenisciforrnes (penguins). Procellariiformes (albatrosses. petrels, shearwaters and allies), some Pelecaniformcs (boobies, gannets, pelicans and frigatebirds) and some marine Charadriiforrnes (skuas, gulls....

The purpose of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (hereafter ‘the Code’) is to promote nomenclatural stability. If the Rules are changed every tenth year or so, Zoological Nomenclature will have to adapt each time to the new rules, which will be a source of instability. Another thing will be that the taxonomists will have to consider...

Here we report the first documented records of the White-rumped Sandpiper for the states of Piauí and Ceará in northeast Brazil. The first record was of a single bird photographed on 24 April 2008 at ‘Lagoa de Santana’ , a coastal lagoon in the municipality of Cajueiro da Praia, northern Piauí. On 11 March 2009, another single White-rumped Sandpipe...

This year-long study (October 2002–September 2003) documented the seasonal occurrence of Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) and 'Cayenne Tern' (S. sandvicensis eurygnathus) at the Coroa do Avião, a barrier islet located in an estuarine complex of the State of Pernambuco, in northeast Brazil. Common Terns were present in the area almost all year round, ex...

We present new records, based on museum specimens and/or photographs, of five species of Sternidade for the State of Ceará in northeast Brazil, namely, Black Noddy Anous minutus (apparently the first from Brazilian mainland), Least Tern Sternula antillarum, Black Tern Chlidonias niger, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea, and Sandwich Tern Thalasseus san...

The purpose of this application, under Articles 33.2.3 and 33.3 of the Code, is to rule that the name of the Black-browed Albatross Diomedea melanophris Temminck, 1828 (currently Thalassarche melanophris) is confirmed as the correct original spelling. Since 1839, half of authors have used melanophris and the other half melanophrys, following Temmin...

Resumo: uma visão crítica acerca dos supostos registros brasileiros do albatroz-de-nariz-amarelo-do-índico Thalassarche carteri, com comentários sobre a identificação de albatrozes pequenos no Brasil (Procellariiformes: Diomedeidae). Este trabalho apresenta uma revisão crítica a respeito dos recentes registros do albatroz‑de‑nariz‑amarelo‑do‑índico...

Documented records of five terns (Charadriiformes: Sternidae) new for the State of Ceará, north-east Brazil. We present new records, based on museum specimens and/or photographs, of five species of Sternidade for the State of Ceará in north- east Brazil, namely, Black Noddy Anous minutus (apparently the first from Brazilian mainland), Least Tern St...

The two similar-looking species of giant petrels, the Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli and the Southern Giant Petrel M. giganteus, are renowned for being difficult to identify. In this paper we review and offer new guidelines on identification of these birds at sea, on land, and as dead specimens. Criteria for identifying giant petrels are a...

PalavRas-chave: Procellariiformes, Diomedea exulans, Diomedea dabbenena, albatroz‑errante, albatroz‑de‑tristão, Brasil, taxonomia, conservação. abstRact: Recently, the genus Diomedea has undergone several taxonomic changes, resulting in the split of D. exulans (lato sensu) and D. epomophora (lato sensu) into six different species. Of these, D. exul...

Recebido em 17 de outubro de 2006; aceito em 25 de agosto de 2007. Resumo: A garça-negra Egretta gularis no Brasil (Ciconiiformes: Ardeidae). Em fevereiro de 2006, pesquisadores visitaram o Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo e avistaram/fotografaram duas garças com plumagem escura. A partir da análise das fotos, as aves foram identificadas como E...

In this note we present a historical review and evaluate the current status of Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus in the Atlantic forest of northeast Brazil. This species was firstly noted in the region during the 17th century by the German Naturalist J. Marcgrave, and more than 200 years later H. F. Berla sighted the species in Pernambuco. Depend...

The history of the Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus ornatus, in the Atlantic forest of northeast Brazil. In this note we present a historical review and evaluate the current status of Ornate Hawk-Eagle Spizaetus ornatus in the Atlantic forest of northeast Brazil. This species was firstly noted in the region during the 17 th century by the German Natura...

We report records, and comment on the identification, of giant petrels, Macronectes, from Rio Grande do Sul (RS), in southernmost Brazil, based on previously unidentified specimens in the seabird collection of the Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande.

Here we review existing, and present new, data on seabird distributions in Alagoas and Sergipe States, north-east Brazil.

The forests north of the So Francisco River, in northeastern Brazil, conform a centre of endemism for plants and animals. Currently only 5% of its original forest cover is left, following 500years of human colonisation. Avian endemism is high, and during the 1980s four birds were described from these forests, Alagoas Foliage-gleaner Philydor novaes...

O único registro documentado de P. vittata no Brasil é de um espécime encontrado na Praia do Cassino, Rio Grande do Sul, o qual foi subseqüentemente perdido. Este espécime foi reencontrado na coleção de aves da Fundação Universidade Federal do Rio Grande. A identificação dos faigões Pachyptila spp. baseia-se principalmente nas medidas e estrutura g...