D. Veríssimo, email verissimodiogo@gmail.com, or R. J. Smith, email R.J.Smith@kent.ac.uk Paper submitted August 3, 2012; revised manuscript accepted May 4, 2013.

Rebouças, M. M. CATROXO, M. H. B.; PONGILUPPI, T.; MELO, N. A.; MILANELO, L.; PETRELLA, S.; MARTINS, A. M. C. P. F. & REBOUÇAS, M. M. Identification of poxvirus under transmission electron microscopy during outbreak period in wild birds, in São Paulo, Brazil. Int. J. Morphol., 27(2):577-585, 2009. SUMMARY:Avianpox is a highly contagious disease infecting both commercial and wild birds, causing great damages to breeders and breeding. Caused by DNA viruses of the family Poxviridae, genus Avipoxvirus, if manifest through 3 forms, cutaneous, diphtheric and septicemic. In June 2003, during illegal commercialization of Brazilian birds, 800 wild birds (Paroaria dominicana, Sporophila caerulescens and Sporophila albogularis) were apprehended and being forwarded to the CRAS (Wild Animals Recovery Center), Tietê Ecological Park. After one month, birds presented cutaneous lesions in the beak and feet and anorexia, emaciation, locomotion difficulties, diarrhea, dehydration and death. Among the 800 birds, 500 died and 40 these (15 Paroaria dominicana, 15 Sporophila caerulescens and 10 Sporophila albogularis) were sent to the Electron Microscopy Laboratory of the Biology Institute of São Paulo, SP, to investigate viral agents. Scabs and fragments of skin lesions collected of theses birds were processed for transmission electron microscopy utilizing negative staining (rapid preparation), resin embedding and immunocitochemistry techniques. Under the transmission electron microscopy in all the analyzed samples it was visualized two types of poxvirus particles, M form, with regular spaced thread-like ridges comprising the exposed surface, measuring 280 x 230 nm; C form or stain-penetrated particle showing the dumbbell-shaped core surrounded by the outer envelope, measuring 360 x 330 nm. In the ultrathin sections obtained, three types of intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were encountered: type A or Bollinger body, outlined by membrane, containing in its interior a great number of mature particles, measuring 200 x 300 nm, revealing the inner dumbbell-shaped core, two lateral bodies and an external envelope. In the type B electron dense inclusions bodies, viral particles budding of dense amorphous material were observed. Fibrillar inclusions constituted by groups of fibrils or lamellae were disposed in groups witch vary from 2 up to 5 e sometimes showed cross striations. A great number of vesicles, on the average measuring 1000 x 650 nm, containing in its interior granular material were also visualized. The nuclei were deformed and showed a marginalized chromatin. In the immunocytochemistry technique, the antigen-antibody was strongly enhanced by the dense gold particles over the viruses. CATROXO, M. H. B.; PONGILUPPI, T.; MELO, N. A.; MILANELO, L.; PETRELLA, S.; MARTINS, A. M. C. P. F. & REBOUÇAS, M. M. Identification of poxvirus under transmission electron microscopy during outbreak period in wild birds, in São Paulo, Brazil. Int. J. Morphol., 27(2):577-585, 2009.

Abstract:Proposed changes in the current Brazilian Forest Code can lead to the reduction of native vegetation (forests, grasslands and wetlands) impacting directly many bird species. In Brazil, 17 globally threatened species are dependent of riverine forests and eight of these are restricted to the Brazilian territory. A decrease in the width of the area that should be protected as Permanent Preservation Areas (Área de Preservação Permanente -APP) can lead to significant population losses that would put at risk the integrity of populations and, in some cases, the survival of species. In fragmented landscapes, the APPs function as corridors, allowing the dispersion of birds through the matrix. Legal Reserve (Reserva Legal) areas should be maintained complementary to APPs, as the avifauna composition varies in areas located near and far from water bodies. Environmental heterogeneity is crucial to the maintenance of the bird community integrity. Even small patches of forest are important to the avifauna, working as stepping stones that, like the corridors, enable forest birds to move across the landscape. Birds are important predators, dispersers, and pollinators in agricultural ecosystems: in the Tropical region, areas with high bird diversity are significantly correlated with the highest rates of arthropods' removal, including those considered pests. Thus, proposed changes in the current Forest Code may represent a negative impact not only in relation to biodiversity, but also in regarding the agricultural production. Resumo: As mudanças propostas no atual Código Florestal Brasileiro poderão levar a um aumento de desmatamentos e consequente diminuição de cobertura vegetal nativa (florestas, campos e banhados) que impactarão diretamente muitas espécies de aves. No Brasil, 17 espécies de aves globalmente ameaçadas são dependentes de florestas próximas a corpos d'água, sendo que oito destas só ocorrem em território brasileiro. Considerando os requisitos ecológicos dessas espécies, é possível prever que uma diminuição na largura da faixa que deve ser protegida na forma de Área de Preservação Permanente (APP) levará a perdas populacionais significativas que podem colocar em risco a sobrevivência das populações e, consequentemente, da espécie como um todo. Em paisagens fragmentadas essas APPs também funcionam como corredores, permitindo a dispersão das aves através da matriz. Do mesmo modo, áreas de Reserva Legal devem ser mantidas de forma complementar às APPs, já que a composição da avifauna varia entre as áreas de vegetação nativa situadas próximas e distantes de corpos d'água. A heterogeneidade ambiental é crucial para a manutenção da integridade das comunidades de aves. Mesmo pequenas manchas de floresta são importantes para a avifauna, funcionando como "trampolins ecológicos" que, assim como os corredores, possibilitam que aves florestais se desloquem através da paisagem. As aves são importantes predadoras, dispersoras e polinizadoras em agroecossistemas sendo que em áreas tropicais já foi demonstrado que uma mai...

Many studies have shown the positive and negative impacts of feeding wild birds using feeders; however, none of them considered case studies in Brazil. In 2020, social isolation measures imposed by COVID-19 boosted Brazilians’ interest in bird feeders, encouraging a group of birders to create an event (called JaneLives) to broadcast simultaneous live images of feeders across the country. Using the structure of JaneLives and relying on volunteers, we investigated which species visit Brazilian bird feeders, and discussed the effectiveness of our opportune citizen science initiative implemented during this event. Forty-eight feeders (19 urban and 29 non-urban) included in six biomes were sampled during nine JaneLives sessions (May–November 2020). The audience watched 133 species, 104 of which were visiting feeders. Non-urban feeders ( n = 94) had higher richness than urban feeders ( n = 68), but there were shared and unique species in both strata. Thraupidae, Turdidae, small, and medium birds (< 90 g) were the most common at the feeders. Owners of 23 feeders did data sampling at least once, while the other 25 feeders were sampled by 25 online birders (94.8% of their bird records were reliable). The narration that accompanied each JaneLives session enabled the audience to learn about Brazilian birds and increased environmental awareness. Audience numbers declined over the events, but the number of online birders was not affected. Ecolodges and parks that broadcasted their feeders received new clients afterwards. The events generated social interaction and pragmatic discussions about the usage of feeders, indicating that our citizen science initiative has potential for future research. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s43388-022-00094-1.

The Alagoas Tyrannulet Phylloscartes ceciliae is a Critically Endangered species with a restricted distribution to the Atlantic Forest of the Pernambuco Endemism Center.  It seems to specialize in using the sally-strike maneuver (68.85%) to catch prey on green foliage (50.82%) and in the air (34.42%).  We calculated a catch rate of 2.93 catches/minute, identified a new food item for this species (caterpillars), and included 12 species in the list of birds recorded in mixed flocks with the species.  Our results show that majority of the prey capture events by Alagoas Tyrannulet occurred inside tree canopies, thus we can infer that this species needs a more advanced stage of forest sucession, with higher trees, emphasizing the urgency for restoration programs in the region.