Habitat and phylogeny, but not morphology, are linked to fruit consumption in the most ecologically diverse bird family, the Furnariidae

Abstract

The Furnariidae (Ovenbirds and Woodcreepers) are the most ecologically diverse family of passerines, occupying most terrestrial habitats across the Neotropics. Despite their high diversity, their diet is mainly composed of arthropods. Occasionally, furnariids consume fleshy fruits. However, the extent and drivers of frugivory in the Furnariidae remain poorly studied. We performed a systematic review on fruit consumption in the family and assessed whether frugivory was related to morphology (body mass, bill length, width and depth) and habitat type (forests, savannas, shrublands, grasslands, wetlands, rocky areas, coastlines, and artificial – terrestrial – landscapes) accounting for phylogenetic history among species and research effort (number of studies). We recorded 91 fruit-bird interactions between 33 bird and 38 plant species 10.8%, accounting for of the 304 species in the family). The probability of fruit consumption showed a strong phylogenetic signal, and was positively related to artificial landscapes, but not to morphology. Also, research effort largely explained variation in frugivory. Our results show that frugivory in the Furnariidae may be more common than previously thought, at least in certain genera (e.g. Asthenes, Pseudoseisura, Furnarius) and is partially explained by habitat type. The strong phylogenetic inertia in fruit consumption could be the result of physiological constraints linked to sugar metabolism, yet further studies are needed to test this hypothesis. It remains to be assessed the role of furnariids as effective seed dispersers in the light of fruit handling behaviour, gut passage and seed viability. If confirmed, seed dispersal by this group would represent an overlooked ecosystem service in the Neotropics.