Seasonal distribution and movements of the Campo Miner Geositta poeciloptera

Geositta poeciloptera is a rare, endemic to the Cerrado, and globally Vulnerable passerine, whose movement ecology is still unclear. We investigated whether this Neotropical grassland specie performs seasonal migratory movements (long distance and altitudinal) based on secondary sources (literature review, photo and sound archives, online databases, and museum collections). We also investigated the occurrence of local movements in a color-banded population (46 specimens monitored) studied for two and a half years (July 2014 to December 2016) in the municipality of São João del-Rei, Minas Gerais, Brazil. We gathered 325 records of the species from secondary sources, which were distributed in the Brazilian states of Tocantins, Goiás, Distrito Federal, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo, as well as in Bolivia and Paraguay. The majority (66%) of the secondary records available are from August to November, coinciding with the species’ breeding season. Records from February to May (8%), when the detectability of the species is reduced, are scarce. We found no evidence of seasonal long-distance or altitudinal migration. Data obtained in São João del-Rei indicates that the specie is recorded in the region throughout the year, but that it may performs local movements, especially because birds usually leave their territories whenever there are significant changes in the structure of the grass cover (e.g. several years without fire or grazing). Seasonal changes in the species detectability (e.g. changes in vocalization rates and playback responsiveness) may also lead to misperceptions about seasonal variations in their abundance.