As urban areas expand, some species of diurnal birds of prey occupy these habitats, and many establish viable populations. The objectives of this study were to: (1) survey the species of birds of prey in the urban area located in the interior of the São Paulo state, Brazil, (2) to verify the proportion of generalist and specialist species in terms of habitat and diet, (3) determine the period that the species are more active during the time period of the point counts, and (4) to evaluate if there is a pattern of seasonality. Samples were collected monthly between October 2014 and September 2016 using the point counts method (four points; 4 hr duration each). We analyzed species richness, habitat and diet, number of contacts and frequency of occurrence, period of greatest activity, and seasonality. We recorded 19 species of birds of prey through 2555 contacts. Most of the registered species (61%) were habitat and diet generalists, and the same percentage of species classified as uncommon or rare. In relation to the period of greatest activity, falconids were more active in the first hour while accipitrids and cathartids were more active in the fourth hour. In addition, we did not observe a seasonal pattern in this community, but Gampsonyx swainsonii showed a seasonal trend. We verified that the urban area of the municipality of Pirajuí has a significant diversity of birds of prey, including specialist species of habitat and diet. This information obtained evidence the importance of urban environments for birds of prey and showed the ability of these species to use this environment. From our results, we suggest that future studies should evaluate the effects of urban areas of different sizes and degrees of urbanization on bird of prey communities.

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Camouflaged life in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest W hen walking through a tropical forest within the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome, it is important to always be aware of one's surroundings. This is not only due to the possibility of encountering physical obstacles or venomous animals, but also because various organisms, sometimes camouflaged, are almost always in your path.At the Caetetus Ecological Station -a preserve located between the cities of Gália and Alvinlândia, and one of the last substantial Atlantic Forest remnants in the interior of state of São Paulo -we observed a common pauraque (Nyctidromus albicollis) (left), a nightjar species, and its two young (right) camouflaged in the middle of the leaf litter.Nightjars are nocturnal birds that use camouflage to minimize detection by possible predators, especially during the daytime, as they have the habit of resting on the forest floor or on branches (Cleere N. 1999. Family Caprimulgidae [nightjars]. In: del Hoyo J, Elliott A, and Sargatal J [Eds]. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 5: barnowls to hummingbirds. Barcelona, Spain: Lynx Edicions).Popular thinking maintains that life forms in tropical forests are often characterized by vibrant colors and an exotic appearance. However, on the contrary, many animals in this habitat benefit from both cryptic coloration and behavior.

Mammals play an important ecological role and are related to several ecological processes. The objective of the study was to list medium and large-sized mammals species which occur in the municipality of Pirajuí, SP. The study was carried out in an urban area, roads that run through rural areas and in small fragments of Atlantic Forest.  The data were obtained during a period of three years by different methods: direct observation, footprints records and by camera traps. We recorded 18 medium and large-sized mammals species belonging to 13 families and eight orders, representing 40% of medium and large-sized mammals species that occur in the State of São Paulo. Carnivora was the order with the highest number of representatives, with seven species. Thereby, the study provides important data about the occurrence of certain species of mammals in these often-neglected environments, where the lack of knowledge may lead to a future local extinctions.

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