The central objective is to provide a comprehensive diagnosis of the distribution, habitat use, abundance, and degree of genetic differentiation of three subspecies of birds considered endemic to the region: Procnias albus wallacei, Synallaxis scutata teretiala, and Zonotrichia capensis novaesi.
The project was created to meet the legal and environmental requirements associated with licensing new mining fronts. It also offers tangible benefits to the company because it enables it to continue its activities based on solid scientific data, while contributing to the conservation of endangered subspecies. The subspecies Procnias albus wallacei, for example, is considered rare and potentially endangered, and its distribution is still poorly known. The lack of detailed genetic studies on Synallaxis scutata teretiala and Zonotrichia capensis novaesi prevents an accurate assessment of their degree of threat and population isolation, which makes this project essential for defining conservation strategies.

The Carajás Mountains region, located in eastern Amazonia, is home to one of the richest bird communities in the Neotropics. Inserted in a mosaic of conservation units, the landscape combines terra firme forests with areas of canga vegetation – unique plant formations that occur on ferruginous outcrops. These areas are home to bird species adapted to open and semi-open environments, many of which are isolated in enclaves of cerrado and campinarana within the Amazon biome. The three subspecies targeted by this project were described from specimens collected in the Carajás region and, to date, are known with certainty only in this territory. Recent studies suggest that Procnias albus wallacei may occur seasonally in other areas, such as Portel (PA), but more detailed genomic analyses are needed to confirm this hypothesis.