Database of bird species composition in natural habitats and forest plantations

Abstract In southeastern South America, the afforestationover grasslandsimposes a severe threat to the grassy landscapes and associated biodiversity. To analyze the effect of forest plantations on grasslandbirds, we present a new database that considers the composition of bird communities in natural habitats, as well as in eucalyptus plantations from the southeastern South American grasslands. Data were previously used to investigate the effectiveness of legally protected grasslandsin private lands to protect birds in “Bird- grasslandassociations in protected and non-protected areas in the southern Brazil” [1] and also the effects of afforestationof grasslandson different dimensions of bird diversity in “The effects of grasslandecosystem afforestationon avian phylogenetic diversity, taxonomic diversity and evolutionary distinctiveness” [2]. Data were collected during the breeding period of bird species (spring/austral summer), covering three breeding seasons during the years 2014 to 2016. Species presence and number of individuals were recorded, totaling 107 species and 1,175 individuals. The dataset will be useful for researchers interested in conservation studies as it includes data from globally threatened bird species.