Frugivory of Euterpe edulis and Archotophoenix cunnighamiana at the Serra do Mar State Park – Caraguatatuba nucleous

The Serra do Mar State Park – Caraguatatuba Precinct Parque Estadual Serra do Mar Núcleo Caraguatatuba – PESM has been considered a Conservation Unit – CU of full protection since 1977. The juçara palm Euterpe edulis is deemed to be of great environmental importance for the Atlantic Rainforest and is nowadays vulnerable to extinction. The seafórtia palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) is considered an invasive alien species in the state of São Paulo. The objective of this study was to describe the behaviour of the flock of birds which visits these palms. 10 individuals from each palm species were GPS-tagged and observed between October/2015 and May/2016, beeing watched with the help of a 8×40 binoculars and photografic records. The birds were classified according to the 2014 Brazilian Ornithological Records Committee. There were 141 birds sighted, distributed in 8 families and 19 species. In Euterpe edulis there were records of only Baryphtthengus ruficapillus, Pyrrhura frontalis, Tytira cayana in mixed flock with Pteroglossus bailoni, with prominence of the migratory Pyroderus scutatus and Procnias nudicollis. The Turdus flavipes species was found very frequently, as noted by other authors, together with Turdus albicollis. With Archontophoenix cunnighamiana there was an exclusivity of Ramphocelus bresilius, Tangara cyanocephala, Tangara seledon, with emphasis to Selenidera maculirostris. The birds that fed from both palm species were Rhampastos dicolorus, Turdus rufiventris, Tangara ornata and Tangara palmarum. The Areas of Strategical Importance of the PESM’s Management Plan mentions the need of a survey of the local birdlife and also studies about the E. edulis ecology and invasive alien species inside the CU.