Data from: Unraveling the genetic parameters, social relationships and conservation aspects of a group of Touit melanonotus ( Brown-backed Parrotlet)

The genetic parameters underlying the biological and behavioral traits of
most Neotropical parrots are poorly understood due to limited sampling.
Touit melanonotus is a globally Near Threatened, rare, unobtrusive, and
small-bodied parrotlet endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. In 2020,
a flock of T. melanonotus collided with a window at São Paulo
International Airport in Guarulhos, São Paulo State, Brazil, resulting in
the death of 29 individuals. We aimed to assess the genetic diversity of
this flock, estimate the effective population size, and conduct a pairwise
kinship analysis to explore flock formation, behavior, and the familial
structure of this species. To that end, we used single-nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs) derived from genome-wide ultraconserved elements
(UCEs) of the flock. We observed a higher than expected genetic diversity
(t = 7.243, p~0) and no evidence of inbreeding depression, with F ranging
from -0.406 to -0.110 (χ2 = 37.687, p = 0; χ2 = 4.217, p = 0.040,
respectively). We identified evidence of a historical decline in the
effective population size of wild individuals, and kinship analysis
indicated the presence of different familial nuclei, with multiple
individuals pairing with more than one partner in the sampled group, which
is strong evidence for extra-pair copulation that may help maintain
heterozygosity levels in this declining population. Based on our genetic
parameters, we found no immediate or urgent need for genetic management as
a conservation action. We recommend that conservation efforts focus on
habitat maintenance and the restoration of the Atlantic Forest, a highly
degraded and fragmented biome.