Cycle of feather molt and breeding of birds (Passeriformes) of Murici Ecological Station, Alagoas

Knowing a bird’s life cycle help us answer such questions such as habitat conservation status, since these animals are excellent bioindicators. Non-migratory birds, which require high energy demand to molt and reproduce, would be selected to accomplish those activities when fruits and insects are more abundant, but without overlapping such activities. The availability of food resources is generally influenced by precipitation. The seasonality of molt and the breeding season of Passeriformes of the Murici-AL Ecological Station, located in the Pernambuco Center of Endemism, one of the most important areas of Atlantic Forest, was investigated, as well as whether there exists a correlation with local rainfall. During five years, monthly expeditions were carried out in a fragment of the Fazenda da Bananeira Forest, using mist nets opened for 20h during each expedition. The precipitation averages and frequencies of birds that were undergoing different life cycle activities were tested with a Pearson correlation. The complete molt, when birds molted all feathers of flight and contour, occurred between March and April, at the beginning of the rainy season. Breeding occur between September and December in the spring, just after rainy season, and in April, at the beginning of the rainy season. Overlaps between activities were very rare; however, the molting period began soon after the first breeding period. Also, no correlation was found between average rainfall and these life cycle activities. The low sample number and the methodology applied may have influenced the results, which means that more effort is needed to make a more informed statement.