Use of rapid surveys for student training and the inventory of poorly-known sites in northeastern Brazil

Rapid surveys are largely known as an important tool in scientific research, mainly in poorly studied areas. Here we present the use of rapid ornithological survey in a mosaic of Atlantic Forest in Sergipe and subsequently propose the importance of such approach in training students/new researchers. For the rapid survey, we use complementary methods: capturing-marking birds (12 mist net; 12 m x 2.5 m); and MacKinnon’s Lists, at eight different points in the mosaic. The students were alternated between methods, in order to perform both. With 3,240 hours/net and 60 lists, 118 species were identified, 13 exclusively from mist nets and 51 by MacKinnon’s Lists. The most representative families were Thraupidae (n=18) and Tyrannidae (n=11), while the most abundant species were Manacus manacus (Linnaeus, 1766) (n=72) and Dacnis cayana (Linnaeus 1766) (n=44). Omnivores were the most abundant guild (n=301), followed by insectivores (n=236), frugivores (n=146), granivores (n=94), nectarivores (n=68), carnivores (n=24), scavengers (n=9) and piscivores (n=1). The richness represents 42.75% of the species recorded in the Atlantic Forest of Sergipe, which indicates the great potential of the mosaic for conservation. We highlight the presence of Pyriglena atra (Swainson, 1825), Crypturellus noctivagus (Wied, 1820), Pseudastur polionotus (Kaup, 1847) and Herpsilochmus pectoralis Sclater, 1857, considered as Endangered by the IUCN. The students performed a broad-scale review concerning bird diversity, applied in the development of a manuscript, describing the community of the forest mosaic. This experience shows the potential of disciplines in the development of new researchers, followed by scientific production.