Hábitos alimentares do periquito cara-suja Pyrrhura griseipectus Salvadori,1900 (AVES: PSITTACIDAE)

Abstract

Most parrots are generalist foragers displaying seasonal changes in the ir diet. Pyrrhura gri seipectus (Grey breasted parakeet) is an endemic species to the North east of Brazil and is considered " endanger ed" by the MMA and "critically endangered" by the IUCN. Due to the importance of conserving the species, this study aims to clarify some aspects of the foraging habits of P. griseipectus that may contribute to management action s . The study was conducted in an enclave of rainforest in the city of Guaramiranga CE, where the larg est known population of P. griseipectus remains . Between May 2012 to Apri l 2013 the study area was visited for four days with intervals of 3 weeks. Overall, it was recorde d 157 encounters with g rey breasted parakeet s feeding on 19 plant species. Parakeets were found frequently on Spondias purpurea (24.20%), Inga ingoides (21.6 6%) and Psidium guajava (13.21%). During the rainy season, P. griseipectus diet was mostly made up of fruit and a sporadic intake of leaves. In the driest months, flowers bec a me an important resource for the species. The size of the flocks has varied over the months of the year with the smaller one s coinciding with the parakeet breeding season when couples separate from the flocks . The time spent foraging r egistered by feeding bouts also varied throughout the year with the longer feeding bouts occurring at the end of the rainy season and early dry season. The data presented here indicate that the avail ability of resources contribute s to the variation in P. griseipectus diet over the months of the year and the foraging strategies chosen by these birds.