Conhecimento ecológico de marisqueiras sobre aves limícolas migratórias em Icapuí (Estado do Ceará, Nordeste do Brasil)

Abstract

Nearctic shorebirds constitute one of the most threatened bird taxa in the world, with the largest population declines on record. Every year, they migrate longitudinally through the American continent, along defined routes and stopover sites. One of these sites, called Banco dos Cajuais, stands out for the record of 22 species of shorebirds. It is located in the Northeast of Brazil, more precisely inside the APA of Manguezal da Barra Grande, in Icapuí, State of Ceará. The stopover site has a great biodiversity of mollusks and crustaceans, important for the diet of these birds, and for the local shellfishing activity practiced mainly by women. In fact, in coastal areas of Ceará, the main economic activity is usually artisanal fishing and the environments explored are also often occupied by birds. Thus, local communities become key stakeholders in proposals for the conservation of fauna and ecosystems. For this study 19 shellfish collectors from Icapuí were interviewed about their ecological knowledge on migratory shorebirds, through semi-structured questionnaires, in June 2021. The responses obtained showed a restricted knowledge about migratory shorebirds, but a relevant knowledge mainly about molluscs, even reporting a population decline over the last 20 years, in addition to environmental impacts, which can affect the bird species that depend on this ecosystem.