This EBA comprises the Atlantic coastal forest in north-east Brazil, mainly in the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas, but also in Paraíba, and embraces the narrow coastal slope and low-lying mountain ridges (up to 1,000 m) such as the Chapada de Borborena in Alagoas. The main habitat is tropical evergreen forest, which is similar to the Atlantic forest lowlands of south-east Brazil (see EBA 075). These forests are characterized by species-rich biotas and high levels of endemism (Dinerstein et al. 1995).

All the restricted-range species inhabit forest or forest edge, but Curaeus forbesi is the only one whose preferred habitat is forest edge and freshwater marsh. Mitu mitu is the only species found exclusively in flat lowland forest. A distinct group of species- Philydor novaesi, Myrmotherula snowi, Terenura sicki and Phylloscartes ceciliae-is confined entirely to the tropical evergreen forest on the slopes of Alagoas and Pernambuco, mostly above 500 m. Remarkably, all these species were first discovered in the last 15 years at the same locality, Fazenda Pedra Branca, which is located on the Chapada da Borborena.

Four of the restricted-range species (Myrmeciza ruficauda, Iodopleura pipra, Xipholena atropurpurea and Curaeus forbesi) are shared with the Atlantic forests lowlands (EBA 075), and one (Picumnus fulvescens) also occurs in the North-east Brazilian caatinga (EBA 070). Additionally, there are isolated populations of Hemitriccus mirandae in the Serras da Baturite and Ibiapaba (Secondary Area s033) in northern Ceará state. White-collared Kite Leptodon forbesi, treated as a species by Sibley and Monroe (1990), is confined entirely to this EBA. However, much evidence indicates that this is not a valid taxon (N. J. Collar verbally 1997).

It is estimated that only 2% of the original forest cover remains in Alagoas and Pernambuco states and just 6% in Paraíba (Brown and Brown 1992), and other recent figures show that these last forests are severely fragmented: estimates of the remaining area of Atlantic forest and associated habitats are 878 km² in blocks averaging 1.5 km² for Alagoas and 1,524 km² in 1.3-km² blocks for Pernambuco (Conservation International et al. 1995).

Sugar-cane plantations have replaced virtually all the lower-altitude forest in Alagoas and Pernambuco. The remaining forest in the higher parts of the EBA, although not under threat from this industry, is affected by other pressures such as selective logging, firewood removal and small-scale cultivation (e.g. of bananas), which are steadily eradicating forest remaining on steep mountain slopes (Teixeira and Gonzaga 1983, Teixeira 1986).

The massive deforestation which has taken place throughout this EBA has certainly had a major impact on its restricted-range species, their current distributions being now heavily fragmented, with most lowland forest localities cleared or under pressure, and even reserves (see below) being insecure. Alarmingly, all of the restricted-range species are considered threatened, and a further five widespread threatened species occur in the EBA: White-necked Hawk Leucopternis lacernulata (classified as Vulnerable), Red-browed Amazon Amazona rhodocorytha (Endangered), Golden-tailed Parrolet Touit surda (Endangered), Black-headed Berryeater Carpornis melanocephalus (Vulnerable) and Yellow-faced Siskin Carduelis yarrellii (Vulnerable).

The extensive habitat destruction has already produced one casualty, Mitu mitu, which is now considered Extinct in the Wild. This curassow was rediscovered in 1951 and, although it was apparently fairly easily found then, its extinction was forecast by its finder (Pinto 1952). Destruction of its habitat for sugar-cane duly proceeded, it was ceaselessly hunted, and no conservation measures were taken at the local level despite continued concerns that it would soon become extinct (e.g. Coimbra-Filho 1970, Sick 1972, King 1978-1979). It was still found in Alagoas in the late 1970s and the last sighting of a wild bird was probably in early 1987. A captive population has been kept privately since 1977.

The forest at Pedra Branca is an extremely important site in this EBA (and probably one of the most important forests in the world), being the type-locality for four of the restricted-range species (and still the only known place for two of them, Philydor novaesi and Myrmotherula snowi), and holding another 11 threatened species (including eight of the restricted-range birds). It covered c.70 km² in the late 1970s, but has largely disappeared, such that in 1990 just 15 km² remained in an area called Bananeira. Although this remnant forest is included within the Murici Biological Reserve (30 km²), indiscriminate small-scale logging was evidently still occurring in 1992 (Collar et al. 1992), and the area is further threatened by fires spreading from adjacent sugar-cane plantations (Wege and Long 1995).

Another very important area in this EBA is Pedra Talhada Federal Biological Reserve (45 km²), which holds 12 threatened species and is one of the last remaining upland Atlantic forests in Alagoas. Five other Key Areas for threatened birds have been identified in the EBA (Wege and Long 1995), and a workshop in 1993 recognized a further 30 priority areas for biodiversitry conservation (Conservation International et al. 1995), most being unprotected.

Stattersfield, A. J., Crosby, M. J., Long, A. J. and Wege, D. C. (1998) Endemic Bird Areas of the World. Priorities for biodiversity conservation. BirdLife Conservation Series 7. Cambridge, UK: BirdLife International.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Endemic Bird Area factsheet: Atlantic slope of Alagoas and Pernambuco. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/eba/factsheet/67 on 22/12/2024.