Community structure and bird species composition in a caatinga of Pernambuco, Brazil

The present study aimed to survey the avian community in caatinga vegetation of Serra do Para massif within the "agreste" region of Pernambuco, Brazil. We recorded a total of 140 species of 43 families. Analyses of community structure and composition show that among the species listed, approximately 46% are non-passerines, and 54% are passerines, with Columbidae (n=7) and Tyrannidae (n=23) being the most representative families, respectively. The bird community in the Serra do Para massif is composed mainly by resident species, forest independent and of low sensitivity to the human disturbances, but also included endemic and migratory species. The region represents an important area for the local bird community and for the caatinga biome, and should be considered for effective protection.