Endemic bird species and conservation in the Cerrado Region, South America

A general overview of the largest South American savanna region, the Cerrado Region, is presented. Using simple approaches, I analyse the distribution of the bird species endemic to this region in order to test the hypothesis that areas harbouring local aggregates of restricted-range endemics have remained stable during the successive Quaternary climatic-vegetational changes. This hypothesis seems not to be generally valid for birds of the Cerrado Region, as restricted-range endemic species exist both in areas that remained 'stable' (Central Goias Plateau) and areas that remain 'unstable' (Araguaya and Parana River valleys, Espinhaco Plateau) during the Late Pleistocene. I also discuss some aspects of the conservation in the Cerrado Region, and suggest that the dry forests of the River Parana Valley, Goias, must be considered the area with the highest priority for the creation of new reserves in the Cerrado Region.