DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF COASTAL BIRDS ON THE BEACHES OF MONGAGUÁ, COAST OF THE STATE OF SÃO PAULO Rodolfo Gimenez Lima, João Alberto Paschoa dos Santos

Abstract

Urbanization and human occupation, together with recreational and tourist activities along the coast, alter the natural conditions of coastal ecosystems and alter the abundance, diversity, and behavior of the organisms that inhabit or temporarily use them, such as shorebirds. This study was carried out on a 3.46 km stretch of sandy beach in the municipality of Mongaguá on the South Coast of the State of São Paulo. Data collection took place from March to May 2023 during the daytime period with a total sampling effort of 12:30 h. Eight species were recorded, belonging to five orders and six families, totaling 677 individuals. The family with the greatest abundance was Laridae, with 481 individuals. The study suggests that the beaches of Mongaguá serve as habitat for a group of coastal birds and seabirds, where Larus dominicanus and Thalasseus acuflavidus occur in homogeneous, well-distributed flocks, possibly using the beaches to obtain resources and rest. Therefore, it is recommended that data collection in this region continue in order to support more precise analyses in relation to these bird populations, and their relationship with this environment and its abiotic and anthropic variables.