Use of different types of artificial perches on forest recovery

Artificial perches are low cost nucleating methods, which attract bird fauna and increase seed dispersal. The objectives of the project are applied to the artificial perches as a mean of recovering the forest regeneration area at the Instituto Federal Farroupilha – Santa Rosa Campus, RS, identify the birds that use the artificial perches and evaluate the effectiveness of the different types of non-aid poles seed dispersal. Twenty-seven perches of three different types were constructed: with «x» (A) rods, with multiple cables (B) and with twigs (C). These perches were arranged randomly and arround five feet apart. The type of bird that uses the perch, the type and the identification of the perch and the time of permanence were recorded. A total of 53 observation hours were carried out between November 2016 and May 2017. A total of 30 birds species were classified in 12 families. The perch C was more used by birds, regarding the number of visits and permanence time, being visited by 21 species. The perch A was visited by 21 species and the perch B by 13 species, however, there are five species unique to this type of perch. The C perch was the most visited, as a result of its similarity with trees and for offering more landing points. Considering that most of the observed species are omnivorous or frugivorous, the perches are considered efficient for the project’s purpose.