ANÁLISE COMPORTAMENTAL DE CARACARA PLANCUS(MILLER, 1777) EM ÁREA ANTROPIZADA NO CENTRO DE ESTUDOS SUPERIORES DE PARINTINS DA UNIVERSIDADE DO ESTADO DO AMAZONAS

Abstract

Birds of prey, such as the caracara (Caracara plancus), are important ecological indicators, but their behaviors in anthropized areas of the Amazon are still poorly understood. This study aimed to analyze the behavior of Caracara plancus in an anthropized area, using an ethogram as a recording tool. The work was carried out on the campus of the Center for Higher Studies of Parintins (CESP/UEA), Amazonas, between November 2025 and February 2026. Observations took place in the morning (8 am - 11 am) and afternoon (2 pm - 5 pm) shifts, totaling 126 hours of sampling effort, distributed over 21 days of observation throughout the period. The ethogram was developed from a test phase with ad libitum recording, followed by systematic observations of behaviors, which were categorized into maintenance, locomotion, resting, feeding, and interaction. 724 behaviors were recorded, resulting in an ethogram with 12 distinct behaviors. The resting category was the most frequent (27%), followed by feeding (24%) and locomotion (23%). Perching behavior was the most expressive individually. The morning period concentrated most of the activities, especially locomotion, feeding, and interaction, while the afternoon stood out for maintenance behaviors. Proximity to the municipal garbage dump and the campus configuration directly influenced the availability of resources and the opportunistic behavior of the species. It is concluded that Caracara plancus demonstrates high adaptability to the anthropized environment, strategically using the study area for foraging, surveillance, and resting. The generated ethogram fills a gap in the ethology of the species in the Amazon, providing support for management and conservation studies in urbanized environments.