The hummingbird community and their floral resources in an urban forest remnant in Brazil

AC. Araujo,LC. Rodrigues

doi:10.1590/s1519-69842011000400005

Abstract

The temporal and spatial resource use among hummingbirds was studied over 13 months in an urban forest remnant (Prosa State Park: PSP) in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Hummingbird visitation was recorded at three ornithophilous and eleven non-ornithophilous species. Flower density was roughly constant during the study period, with the density of non-ornithophilous flowers being higher than that of ornithophilous ones. Mean values of nectar volume and concentration were similar between ornithophilous and non-ornithophilous species. Eight hummingbird species were observed at PSP: Amazilia fimbriata, Anthracothorax nigricollis, Chlorostilbon lucidus, Eupetomena macroura, Hylocharis chrysura, Florisuga fusca, Thalurania furcata and an unidentified species. Hummingbird visit frequencies to ornithophilous and non-ornithophilous flowers were similar. However, some non-ornithophilous species received a higher number of visits, which seems to be related to their large number of open flowers per plant per day. The number of feedings bouts of hummingbirds increased with the total number of flowers observed per focal plant. All recorded species of hummingbirds visited non-ornithophilous flowers, predominantly melittophilous and generalised entomophilous flowers. Hummingbird species recorded at PSP may be viewed as generalists, visiting a large number of non-ornithophilous species. Despite being an urban forest, PSP is relatively rich in hummingbird species, suggesting that it provides important shelter and foraging sites for hummingbirds in such an environment.

Highlights

Hummingbirds depend on nectar to supply most of their energy requirements, and these birds are morphologically, physiologically and behaviourally adapted to visit flowers in search of this resource (Diamond et al, 1986)
Flowers adapted to hummingbird-pollination are an important component of neotropical plant communities, comprising 2-15% of angiosperm species in a given community (Feinsinger, 1983; Machado and Lopes, 2004; Ramírez, 2004)
The number of hummingbird-visited species and of ornithophilous species at PSP is lower than those reported for Neotropical communities with less seasonal climates (e.g. Stiles, 1978; Feinsinger et al, 1982; Snow and Snow, 1986; Araujo, 1996; Sazima et al, 1996; Cotton, 1998b; Buzato et al, 2000; Dziedzioch, 2003)

Summary

Introduction

Hummingbirds depend on nectar to supply most of their energy requirements, and these birds are morphologically, physiologically and behaviourally adapted to visit flowers in search of this resource (Diamond et al, 1986). Araujo, 1996; Sazima et al, 1996; Buzato et al, 2000; Araujo and Sazima, 2003) These Brazilian studies have shown some differences from those reported in Central America and the Andes Feinsinger, 1976; Snow and Snow, 1980; Feinsinger et al, 1982), especially with regard to families of ornithophilous plants In this sense, additional studies in Brazil might reveal different hummingbird-flower community structure (Fischer et al, 1996)

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