Impacts on migratory avifauna from the perspective of fishermen in the far north of Píauí

Abstract

The loyalty of migratory birds to their wintering grounds enables traditional populations to acquire a vast knowledge of the species, and this knowledge can and should be put to good use in scientific circles. With this in mind, this study aimed to record the ethno-ornithological knowledge of artisanal fishermen from the community of Macapá, located in the north of the state of Piauí (Northeast Brazil), including their perception of the ecology and possible impacts on migratory birds in the estuaries of the Cardoso and Camurupim rivers. The data was collected through interviews with 32 fishermen, using the “snowball” methodology. The interviewees reported the occurrence of 13 species of migratory birds, present from December to March. Around 90% of the fishermen say that the population of migratory birds in the region is declining, with the increase in the flow of people, hunting and habitat loss being identified as the main causes for this decline, which is in line with the results revealed by scientific research in various parts of the world.