Thraupidae, Cabanis, 1847

Somenzari, Marina, Amaral, Priscilla Prudente do, Cueto, Víctor R., Guaraldo, André de Camargo, Jahn, Alex E., Lima, Diego Mendes, Lima, Pedro Cerqueira, Lugarini, Camile, Machado, Caio Graco, Martinez, Jaime, Nascimento, João Luiz Xavier do, Pacheco, José Fernando, Paludo, Danielle, Prestes, Nêmora Pauletti, Serafini, Patrícia Pereira, Silveira, Luís Fábio, Sousa, Antônio Emanuel Barreto Alves de, Sousa, Nathália Alves de, Souza, Manuella Andrade de, Telino-Júnior, Wallace Rodrigues & Whitney, Bret Myers, 2018, An overview of migratory birds in Brazil, Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 58, pp. 1-66 : 33-34

Thraupidae

Tangara peruviana (MPR) : is endemic to southern and southeastern Brazil in the Atlantic Forest. During austral winter, it migrates to RJ and ES ( Hilty, 2011), as corroborated by photographic records (WikiAves, 2016) and banding data (SNA, 2016). Records for these states are centered in the period between April and September, while those for SP, PR and SC are in all months of the year, which suggests that part of the population is resident. Sparse records in May, August and September for RS and one localized record for BA in July seem to confirm the austral migration. In addition, there is also evidence of breeding activity in SP and PR (WikiAves, 2016).

Tersina viridis (MPR) : occurs from Panama to eastern Brazil and northeastern Argentina, represented by resident populations as well as migratory populations that move short distances. Populations from the extreme south of the distribution (northern Argentina and southern Brazil) are migratory and fly north during austral winter ( Hilty, 2011). In Brazil, it is present in RS only between September and April ( Belton, 1985) and there are records of breeding activity in lowland Atlantic Forest areas in SP between September and March, which suggests that the species leaves this region between April and August ( Aleixo & Galetti, 1997). Groups of 100 individuals or more have been reported between March and August in MG ( Hilty, 2011). In the region of Garanhuns/ PE, the species can be observed from May to September, which coincides with mistletoe fructification (W. Telino-Júnior, pers. obs.) and with the hypothesis of migration north during austral winter. In the region of Alter do Chão/ PA, it is recorded only during the rainy season between January and June ( Sanaiotti & Cintra, 2001). Photographic records (WikiAves, 2016) and banding data (SNA, 2016) do not confirm such patterns available in the literature, but in GO, MG, SP, PR, SC and RS the species presents breeding activity (September-December) related to the elevation: most records (78% or 18 out of 23) are from localities with an elevation of over 600 m. Breeding data from lower elevations need to be confirmed by the respective authors, because they may have been obtained in areas that are higher than the altitude of the center of the municipality (which is the available coordinate). The same altitudinal pattern has been observed for most of the young (72% or 8 out of 11) remaining over 600 m even though their records were more dispersed during the year. In the Amazon, its presence seems to be distributed in the months of the year, which suggests a pattern of regular occurrence, even though there are no records of breeding activity (WikiAves, 2016). This way, the species was classified as partially migratory due to its tendency of altitudinal restriction in breeding activity of the Atlantic Forest population and it needs to be studied further.

Dacnis nigripes (MPR) : is endemic to Brazil and occurs in coastal areas in the southeast from BA to SC. It is an altitudinal migrant that can roam widely in its distribution ( Hilty, 2011) as reported for the region of Magé/RJ ( Gonzaga, 1983), where flocks were recorded at sea level during winter ( Sick, 1997). Photographic records of breeding activity are restricted to the period between November and February in localities over 600 m high in SP, which suggests that the species tends to occupy higher elevations during the breeding season and that it moves to lower areas in all other months (from March to October). However, this pattern is not observed in other states in which the species occurs, perhaps as a reflection of poor sampling. In RJ, records are centered in the period between March and September (MPEG; MNRJ; WikiAves, 2016) without an apparent altitudinal pattern. In SC and RS, records have elevations lower than 400 m and are centered in the period between June and January (WikiAves, 2016).

Sporophila lineola (MPR) : occurs in Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and Brazil and there are two different populations. The first one occurs in the south and nests in southeastern Brazil, northern Argentina and Paraguay between November and February, crosses through Central Brazil and Eastern Bolivia and reaches central and western Amazonia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia between May-June and September-October. The other breeds in the Caatinga region between January and May- June, migrates to the region of the Llanos in Venezuela and the Guianas through eastern PA and Suriname from June to December, apparently determined by the rainfall regime. Despite these patterns, the species is recorded during almost the entire year in central and western Amazonia ( Silva, 1995, 1999; D’Angelo-Neto & Vasconcelos, 2007) and it is not clear whether this is a resident population or individuals from different populations that visit this area at different times ( Jaramillo & Kirwan, 2015). Photographic records are distributed in all months of the year (WikiAves, 2016). The migratory pattern in the Caatinga is corroborated by data from WikiAves: records are centered in the period between December and June. In RS, the few available records are centered in the period between December and May (WikiAves, 2016) and there is evidence of breeding activity ( Maurício et al., 2013). There is also a possibility that there is a resident population in the Amazon, so the species was classified as partially migratory and further studies are necessary to confirm these patterns.

Sporophila caerulescens (MPR) : occurs in Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and almost all of Brazil. Its movement pattern is not fully understood. Some populations are resident, while the ones further south of its distribution migrate north during winter and are record- ed only seasonally in some areas such as eastern Peru and Central Brazil ( Jaramillo, 2011a). In Argentina, large numbers of males are captured alone in November and December. It has been suggested that they leave first for winter migration north in February, since only females and their young that had yet to molt into full adult plumage were observed in the end of summer and beginning of fall. Populations from northeastern and northwestern Argentina are also peculiar: they migrate in different directions and for different distances ( Ortiz & Capllonch, 2007). In Brazil, the species flies over the Pantanal when moving from the south to the north of the country especially in April, as well as when returning south in September ( Sick, 1997). However, photographic records for the Pantanal show its presence in MT between May and December and in MS from April to November and in February (WikiAves, 2016). In RS, most individuals seem to disappear during winter ( Belton, 1985). There is evidence of breeding activity between September and May and it is restricted to GO and other states from the Southeast and South ( Belton, 1985; Maurício et al., 2013; WikiAves, 2016), which suggests that the species is partially migratory. Further studies are still necessary to fully comprehend its movements.

Sporophila bouvreuil (MPR) :occurs in Suriname and Brazil, from AP to northeastern SP ( Machado & Silveira, 2010). It is resident in most of its distribution, but migratory in the south ( Rising, 2011). Populations that breed in the Amazon seem to fly to the Cerrado or Caatinga, where they join resident populations that breed in these dominions and probably migrate only short distances. In the Atlantic Forest, part of the population is resident and remains all year round in this biome ( Machado & Silveira, 2010). This species has been observed as part of flocks of over 1,000 individuals foraging in pastures in the Araguaia River Basin in southeastern PA, as reported in mid-September 2009, 2010 and 2013 ( Cavarzere et al., 2015).

Sporophila hypoxantha (MPR) : occurs in eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil ( Grantsau, 2010). Four populations were recently identified based on vocalizations (dialects): two of them are resident, one is partially migratory, and another completely migratory. It moves between Corrientes and Entre Ríos in Argentina and southern Brazil, where it breeds from mid-October/November to March/April ( Areta & Repenning, 2011). The movement pattern of this species in Brazil is not fully understood, but it is known that populations move to the north and center of its distribution (SP, MG, GO, MT and MS) after the breeding season, where they join other Sporophila species ( Machado, 2009) . This species has been observed in interspecific flocks together with their Amazonian and Central Brazilian congeners ( Sick, 1997), and composing mixed flocks – mainly represented by Sporophila bouvreuil – foraging in pastures in the Araguaia River basin in southeastern PA in mid-September 2009, 2010 and 2013 ( Cavarzere et al., 2015). The most northern limit of its wintering grounds is southeastern PA ( Somenzari et al., 2011) and TO ( Dornas et al., 2013). In PR, it performs migratory movements and there are more individuals during spring and summer, even though there are other resident individuals all year round in this state ( Straube et al., 2004), as well as breeding populations.Banding data shows the species in SC from November to March, and in RS in December and January (SNA, 2016), but there is also evidence of breeding activity in April and November ( Belton, 1985).

Sporophila ruficollis (MPR) : occurs in northern and eastern Bolivia, western and central Paraguay, northern Argentina, northern and western Uruguay and Brazil ( Jaramillo, 2011b). It arrives on the breeding site in late November and remains there until December; a large part of the population overwinters in the Cerrado in MT and in other hotter, more humid regions on the continent ( Jaramillo, 2011b; Azpiroz et al., 2012). In Brazil, it breeds only in a restricted area on the western border of RS (FZBRS, 2013). It has been observed in interspecific flocks together with their Amazonian and Central Brazilian congeners ( Sick, 1997) and composing mixed flocks – mainly represented by Sporophila bouvreuil – foraging in pastures in the Araguaia River basin in southeastern PA in mid-September 2009, 2010 and 2013 ( Cavarzere et al., 2015). For southeastern PA and southern TO, there are also records in July, August and September ( Somenzari et al., 2011; Dornas et al., 2013; MZUSP). Photographic records show a sparse presence of this species for AM, RO, MT, MS, GO, ES, SP, PR and RS between August and April (WikiAves, 2016; MZUSP; MPEG), and also an influx of individuals that come from outside Brazil in the winter (FZBRS, 2013). Records for AM in September and November contradict the migratory pattern described in the literature, since the species is expected to be restricted to its breeding area (RS) during this time, which allows us to assume the existence of a resident population for this species. Because of this, further studies are necessary to unveil its movements and properly delimit its breeding grounds.