Vegetarian Species in the Bird Community with an Emphasis on Frugivory and Seed Dispersal

Abstract

It is quite a common place to say that Neotropical forest bird communities are among if not the richest ones in the world. Though recognised since a long time (MacArthuret al. 1966, Pianka 1966, Orians 1969), and as well as global patterns of diversity, their high species diversity remains the subject of many debates (Thiollay 1991, and papers in Keast 1990 and Ricklefs & Schluter 1993). Guianese forest bird communities have already been presented and discussed (Erard 1986, 1989; Thiollay 1986, 1988, 1994; Tostain et al. 1992; Thiollay et al. Chapter 12); though still somewhat preliminary, these studies constitute good bases for future research. Compared to those found in African tropical forests and particularly to those of temperate forests, these Guianese bird communities include a high proportion of species feeding on vegetable material, particularly on fruits (Erard 1989) though temperate bird communities may display in autumn and winter an important increase of vegetarian species. An old-world observer is also struck by the high diversity of fruiting plants, a number of them (e.g. palms, figs, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae) being key species as food resources for birds, not to say vertebrates.