Home range of one Atlantic Florest mixed-species bird flocks

Studies on Atlantic forest mixed-species bird flocks have been focused on flock composition and in the role performed by the participants, such that their spatial ecology is still unknown. Assuming the flock home range is the extension traveled by the nuclear specie Habia rubica when it is associated with others species, a flock located in Blumenau, in the state of Santa Catarina, is currently being monitored. After the tagging with colored plastic leg rings, the flock’s participants were followed from March to May 2017, totaling 16 sampling hours. The geo localizer was obtained via handheld GPS by regular 30 seconds intervals. Until now, 43 species have participated of the flock, and its home range has covered 15.73 hectares (Kernel Density Estimator, isoplets 90%), being above the average found for tropical forests. This information, along with the concomitant presence of 5 individuals of Philydor atricapillus (Wied, 1821) during all sampling periods, and to the existence of one single group of Habia rubica in the remnant, suggests that local factors are acting in the association. Among these factors are the size, the relative isolation, and the well-conserved state of the vegetation of the remnant, which could be acting as antagonistic forces in local avian community structure and, in consequence, of the flock. It is expected that this study continuity allows for a comparative evaluation of area requirements between these species.