Article

On the standardization of nest descriptions of neotropical birds

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Abstract

Different authors have used different methods and nomenclatures to describe bird nests of the Neotropical region, leading to muddled terminology which makes comparisons among published data difficult. The present study suggests a standardization and a hierarchy of criteria which make easier to understand nest structures and allow direct comparisons among data from different authors in reports on bird evolution, conservation, phylogeny, etc. For that, the nest has been defined as any place where the eggs are laid. Four elementary nest standards are proposed: simple (when eggs rest on an unlined or roughly lined floor), cup (any basket or bowl-like form), closed (when the walls completely cover the incubatory chamber), and cavity (when they are placed inside natural or artificial cavities). The simple standard has two variants: unlined and platform. The cup standard has two variants: high cup and low cup; the closed standard has six variants: long, globular, furnace, irregular, ovoid and retort. The cavity standard presents simple, cup, or closed nests inside, each one with or without an access tunnel to its interior. When hierarchically ordered, these four elementary standards, their variants and the four main ways by which nests are attached to substrate (by their bases, by their laterals, by a branch fork, or pensile) proved to be efficient for the description of neotropical nests, as shown by the examples given in the text including 97 species, 88 genera, and 33 families from more than 9 countries. These combinations, totaling 30 basic nest types, allow easy evaluation of important inter- and intra-specific differences and of the evolutionary processes which are relevant to taxonomy and conservation. In addition, suggestions for making and keeping scientific nest collections are presented.

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... M. bambla was listed in a recent synthesis of birds in Colombia 2 based on our record (see below). Here we provide details concerning the discovery and the sampling effort to document this species in Colombia, filling an obvious gap in its range given that this wren was already known in Ecuador 12 and Peru 13 . ...
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Article
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... The nest format and building materials, as well as the color of eggs, correspond to the literature on the family, presenting some degree of camouflage in the vegetation (Simon & Pacheco, 2005;Almeida et al., 2012;Winkler et al., 2020). The specific description for P. infuscatus is important for a wider knowledge of its biology (Simon & Pacheco, 2005;Miño & Del Lama, 2009). Considering nest dimensions, there was only one report of a 26 cm diameter nest in Mato Grosso (Almeida et al., 2012), similar to what was recorded here. ...
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... En Ornitología, el conocimiento de la forma de los nidos brinda información sobre la historia natural, evolución y filogenia, así como el comportamiento y la ecología de cada ave , Robinson y Robinson 2001, Simón y Pacheco 2005. Por ejemplo, al utilizar las formas de los nidos en las aves de Hirundidae , Furnariidae (Zyskowski y Prum 1999) y más recientemente Tyrannidae ) se logró aclarar problemas filogenéticos y taxonómicos entre grupos de especies. ...
... Este escenario dificulta el análisis de las variaciones geográficas en la forma de los nidos, sobre los materiales de construcción empleados y la inferencia sobre las relaciones evolutivas entre los grupos de aves. Actualmente, existe un creciente interés en el estudio de los nidos de las aves estableciéndose protocolos estandarizados y es-pecíficos para la descripción de los tipos y formas de los nidos de la región Neotropical (Simón y Pacheco 2005), lo cual favorece la comunicación a usar en una nomenclatura básica común. En Venezuela, la importancia y necesidad del estudio de los nidos fue destacada por Aveledo (1947). ...
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... Se encontraron cinco trabajos de revisión sobre la biología reproductiva de aves en la región Neotropical, los cuales han proporcionado una comprensión detallada de la variabilidad en las estrategias reproductivas y el éxito de anidación entre diferentes especies (Simon y Pacheco, 2005, Marini 2017, Matta-Pereira et al. 2021, Alarcón et al. 2023, Díaz et al. 2024. Después de 2004, estos estudios utilizaron observaciones de campo, datos de literatura, descripciones de nidos y de comportamientos reproductivos para diversas especies de aves de la región Neotropical. ...
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Reports of vagrant individuals outside their known range in unusual locations could be a consequence of climate change and anthropogenic disturbances, serving as a mechanism for adaptation to new habitats. In this note, I describe the presence and unusual behavior of a Sora (*Porzana carolina*) in an urban backyard in San José, Costa Rica. This case provides evidence of the adaptive potential of *P. carolina* to urban habitats as temporary refuges and underscores the importance of detailed studies on individual behaviors during migration, especially in understudied species in the family Rallidae. It is essential to conserve critical habitats and promote research on the ecology and adaptation of migratory birds in anthropogenic contexts.
... En relación al género Conirostrum la forma similar de la arquitectura de sus nidos también permitió resolver su relación taxonómica con el género Oreomanes (Cahill et al 2008, González y Torres-Mura 2000) y plantearlos como un solo grupo monofilético (Burns et al 2003, Burns et al 2016, relación que también era congruente con la evidencia previa de hibridación entre individuos de estos géneros (Schulenberg 1985). En cuanto a las especies de Conirostrum la forma de los nidos más frecuente es una taza poco o medianamente profunda (Cahill et al 2008, Estades y López-Calleja 1995, Johnson y Goodall 1967, Ribon y Simon 1997, Sánchez et al 2017, Simon y Pacheco 2005, con o sin extensión lateral de alguna de las paredes, los cuales son ubicados o anclados en diferentes estratos en las formaciones vegetales, entre ramas de soporte o sobrepuestos en hojas anchas, pero nunca sobre el nivel del suelo (Belcher y Smooker 1937, ffrench 1991, Estades y López-Calleja 1995, Johnson y Goodall 1967, Cahill y col. 2008, González y Torres-Mura 2000, Ribon y Simon 1997, Sánchez y col. ...
Article
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Matta ME, N Díaz, R Rivero y M Lentino. 2024. Sobre el nido y los huevos del Mielero Manglero Conirostrum bicolor bicolor en Venezuela. Revista Venezolana de Ornitología 14: 35–42. Resumen.-Si bien el Mielero Manglero Conirostrum bicolor es una especie ampliamente distribuida en Suramérica donde es localmente común en los bosques de manglares, el conocimiento sobre su biología reproductiva ha permanecido imprecisa debido a descripciones inexactas y falta de evidencia gráfica. Durante un censo de aves realizado en el Refugio de Vida Silvestre Cuare, estado Falcón, noroeste de Venezuela, registramos un nido de Mielero manglero con dos huevos. Con el fin de mejorar la información previa en el país, se tomaron datos métricos de nidos y huevos y se compararon con información similar de diferentes subespecies y aves congenéricas. Si bien el nido en forma de copa encontrado fue consistente con descripciones previas de otros nidos de aves de Conirostrum, los huevos fueron más largos que los de C. tamarugense, C. cinereum y C. speciosum, pero también más angostos en todos los casos. Debido a la información previa limitada, nuestras descripciones constituyen una mejora en el conocimiento de la especie en Venezuela y actualizan la situación en comparación con otras localidades de su distribución. Abstract.-On the nest and eggs of the Bicolored Conebill Conirostrum bicolor bicolor in Venezuela.-Although the Bicolored Conebill is a species widely distributed in South America where it is locally common in mangrove forests, the knowledge on its breeding biology has remained unprecise due to inaccurate descriptions and lack of graphic evidence. During a bird survey carried out in the Cuare Wildlife Refuge, Falcón state, northwestern Venezuela, we recorded a Bicolored Conebill's nest with two eggs. In order to improve the previous information known in the country, nest and eggs metric data were taken and compared with similar information from different subspecies and congeneric birds. Even though the cup-shaped nest found was consistent with previous nest descriptions of Conirostrum species, the eggs were longer than C. tamarugense, C. cinereum and C. speciosum. but also narrower in all cases. Due to prior limited information, our descriptions constitute an improvement in the knowledge of the species in Venezuela and update the situation compared with other localities of its distribution.
... The genus Tolmomyias comprises seven species of small Neotropical tyrant flycatchers that occupy forested habitats (Billerman et al. 2024, Gill et al. 2024). Nests have been described for five of these species; in each case, it is a hanging, 'closed/retort/pensile structure' (sensu Simon & Pacheco 2005) with a downward-opening tube (Schulenberg et al. 2010) and often is placed close to a wasp nest (Menezes et al. 2014, Gomes & Leite 2019. Ochre-lored Flatbill Tolmomyias flaviventris and Olive-faced Flatbill T. viridiceps are close relatives that formerly were treated as conspecific (del Hoyo et al. 2022a,b). ...
Article
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... The nest was of the low cup/base type (Fig. 2) sensu Simon & Pacheco (2005), and was built atop dry fern rhizomes accumulated by both adults on the palm frond rachis and supported by leaf petioles and leaflets (Figs. 1-2). ...
Article
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We provide the first description of the nest of Sulphur-rumped Tanager Heterospingus rubrifrons, which was found at Veragua Rainforest Reserve, Limón province, Costa Rica, in June 2023. The nest was sited atop the base of a palm frond, 5 m above ground, and consisted of two layers of different material and a ‘tail’, similar to the nests of closely related species in the Hemithraupinae subfamily.
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Article
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... Así mismo, el nido hallado tenía forma de copa o taza (Simón y Pacheco 2005), estaba elaborado con hebras vegetales gruesas secas de eneas (Typha domingensis), forrados internamente por restos de plumas y utilizaba como soporte la planta acuática citada, características similares a los señalados en Colombia, donde emplearon también como sostén especies del género Typha sp., (T. angustifolia) (Naranjo 1995). ...
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Recent records of Chrysomus icterocephalus are reported on Margarita Island (Caribbean Sea, northeastern Venezuela). Sightings were obtained from a non-systematic monitoring of birds that began in 2019, in the sector called “Los Bagres Treatment Plant”, within the Lagoon of Las Marites Natural Monument (MN-LLM). Occasional observations were incorporated between September 1996 and October 2021, in four locations on the island, complemented with a review of the data at eBird online database. From January 2020 to May 2023, monthly censuses were carried out in six MN-LLM sites, using pedestrian routes of 1,000 m in length and variable width. All observation locations and records consulted were related to aquatic environments fed or nourished by wastewater discharges from treatment plants, whose frequent flooding in terrestrial spaces and water courses favored the development of vegetation made up of mangroves, and patches of plant species related with freshwater wetlands such as Typha dominguensis, Sesbania exasperata, and Juncus sp., which favored the presence and feeding of the species. These records confirm presence and settle of Yellow-hooded Blackbird on the island and constitute the second documented record of the bird in the Venezuelaninsular territory.
... We classified the nest according to Simon and Pacheco (2005) and monitored it in the morning every three to four days (Marini et al. 2010). We measured the nest (total length and height, height from the ground, depth, smaller diameter, and larger diameter) using a tape measure and a digital caliper. ...
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The Streamer-tailed Tyrant (Gubernetes yetapa) is an exclusively neotropical bird, associated with wetlands and widely distributed in Brazil. This study aimed to fill gaps in knowledge about this species, especially regarding its reproductive biology. We monitor a population of G. yetapa with the aim of describing its reproductive behavior, nest characteristics, and territory use in a wetland in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Our findings revealed that this wetland serves as an important breeding site, where the total home range of the species was 28.2 ha, significantly reduced to 3.37 ha during the breeding season. The nest described here contained three eggs, two of which hatched successfully. After leaving the nest, the young birds foraged independently before joining mixed flocks with other species of birds. This study sheds light on the breeding ecology of the species and highlights the importance of wetlands for its conservation.
... To describe the nest structures, we followed the modified definitions from a previous study 24 and identified seven types: scrape, platform, cup, simple dome, dome with tunnel, primary cavity, and secondary cavity ( Table 2 and Fig. 1a). Nests built inside cavities were classified as cavity nests, regardless of any additional structures (such as platforms, cups, or domes) constructed within the cavity. ...
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The reproductive success of birds is closely tied to the characteristics of their nests. It is crucial to understand the distribution of nest traits across phylogenetic and geographic dimensions to gain insight into bird evolution and adaptation. Despite the extensive historical documentation on breeding behavior, a structured dataset describing bird nest characteristics has been lacking. To address this gap, we have compiled a comprehensive dataset that characterizes three ecologically and evolutionarily significant nest traits—site, structure, and attachment—for 9,248 bird species, representing all 36 orders and 241 out of the 244 families. By defining seven sites, seven structures, and four attachment types, we have systematically classified the nests of each species using information from text descriptions, photos, and videos sourced from online databases and literature. This nest traits dataset serves as a valuable addition to the existing body of morphological and ecological trait data for bird species, providing a useful resource for a wide range of avian macroecological and macroevolutionary research.
... Conopophaga-like nests found in July on the Aripuanã River, Amazonas, Brazil, just 10 m from where a juvenile C. melanogaster was photographed. For the other nine species, nests were described using different terms (e.g., cup, bowl, semisphere, bulky or 'low / cup base' sensu Simon & Pacheco 2005), placed on a base of dry leaves and sticks, near the ground or >1.5 m above it as in C. melanops and C. lineata (Table 1). Nest materials can be dry leaves, rootlets, petioles, twigs, lichens, vegetable fibres and rhizomorphic fungi, lined with some of these same materials, e.g., dry leaves, twigs and grass stems (Greeney 2018;Figs. ...
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We present data on the breeding biology of Ceará Gnateater Conopophaga cearae obtained during field work in the Serra de Baturité region, Ceará, Brazil, between 2017 and 2023: five nests, nine eggs, one nestling, one fledgling and a broken-wing display were documented. We also searched for specimens in two Brazilian ornithological collections, which resulted in an additional nest, two eggs and five specimens with evidence of breeding condition. Finally, we review available breeding data for the Conopophagidae, revealing that breeding biology information for the family is largely confined to two of the 11 currently recognised species.
... El 18 de junio 2021, en un sector contiguo al estacionamiento de vehículos del área recreativa Félix Gómez del PN-CC, en la localidad de La Sierra, municipio Juan Bautista Arismendi, observamos una pareja en reproducción. Cuando se halló un nido de forma globular cerrado (Simon y Pacheco 2005). Elaborado con finas hebras vegetales de grama japonesa (Zoysia tenuifolia) y forrados internamente por plumas y restos de hojas gruesas secas de palma caraná (Cocotrinax barbadensis) y dátil (Phoenix dactylifera) (Anexo fig. 2 c y d). ...
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Se reporta el establecimiento y reproducción del Curruñatá capa negra (Euphonia violacea)en espacios del Parque Nacional Cerro El Copey (PN-CC), isla de Margarita (nororiente de Venezuela).Las visualizaciones se obtuvieron a partir de un seguimiento no sistemático de aves iniciado en 2017,en el sector denominado área recreativa Félix Gómez, dentro de los linderos del parque. Se incorporaron observaciones ocasionales a partir de enero 2017 hasta octubre 2021, en otras seis localidades de la isla, complementadas con consultas realizadas en la base de datos en línea de eBird. Así como con censos mensuales, realizados entre enero 2020 y agosto 2022, en zonas del PN-CC en horario matutino.Se registraron tres nidos, cuatro huevos y un pichón, uno construido en una planta de dátil(Phoenix dactylifera) y dos en plantas de palma caraná (Coccothrinax barbadensis). Todas las localidades de observación y registros consultados estuvieron asociadas con ambientes de bosques húmedosy bosques secundarios alrededor de infraestructuras, espacios que suele frecuentar la especie para descansar,alimentarse o reproducirse.
... From 2007 to 2021, we collected information on bird reproductive events for multiple species as part of fieldwork activities performed by the authors in six provinces of Southern Ecuador (El Oro, Cañar, Azuay, Loja, Morona Santiago, and Zamora Chinchipe). When a breeding event was noted (adults carrying nest material, nest-building, copulating, laying eggs, incubating, eggs hatching, brooding, or fledglings with parental care), we recorded detailed descriptions of the reproductive behavior [34][35][36]. All observations were opportunistic. ...
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Understanding the reproductive biology of birds is crucial for comprehending their natural history and implementing effective conservation practices. However, there is limited information available on the reproductive behavior of many bird species in Southern Ecuador. This manuscript contributes to the knowledge of the reproductive biology of 127 bird species from the region, providing detailed information on five species whose reproductive traits were previously undocumented (Urochroa leucura, Agriornis albicauda, Turdus maranonicus, Spinus olivaceus, and Stilpnia viridicollis), as well as reproductive data on 12 species for which information was scarce (Heliangelus viola, Chalcostigma stanleyi, Eriocnemis luciani, Coeligena iris, Megascops koepckeae, Conopophaga castaneiceps, Sclerurus obscurior, Leptasthenura andicola, Ochthoeca fumicolor, Geospizopsis unicolor, Catamenia inornata, and Sporophila castaneiventris). Furthermore, we include additional information on the reproductive biology of 110 species that have already been documented. This manuscript provides the most up-to-date inventory of the reproductive behavior of bird species in Southern Ecuador, which can aid in the development of better conservation strategies in the region.
... We then scored nest location as branch, hanging, ground, banks or rocks (i.e. fully supported off of the ground) or cavity, following the nest descriptions of neotropical birds given by Simon & Pacheco [73]. We categorized the nests of genus Tityra as cups in cavities since the dried leaves from which the nest is constructed more closely resemble a cup-like open structure. ...
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Innovations in nest design are thought to be one potential factor in the evolutionary success of passerine birds (order: Passeriformes), which colonized new ecological niches as they diversified in the Oligocene and Miocene. In particular, tyrant flycatchers and their allies (parvorder: Tyrannida) are an extremely diverse group of New World suboscine passerines occupying a wide range of habitats and exhibiting substantial extant variation in nest design. To explore the evolution of nest architecture in this clade, we first described nest traits across the Tyrannida phylogeny and estimated ancestral nest conditions. We then quantified macroevolutionary transition rates between nest types, examined a potential coevolutionary relationship between nest type and habitat, and used phylogenetic mixed models to determine possible ecological and environmental correlates of nest design. The Tyrannida ancestor probably built a cup nest in a closed habitat, and dome nests independently evolved at least 15 times within this group. Both cup- and dome-nesting species diversified into semi-open and open habitats, and we did not detect a coevolutionary relationship between nest type and habitat. Furthermore, nest type was not significantly correlated with several key ecological, life-history and environmental traits, suggesting that broad variation in Tyrannida nest architecture may not easily be explained by a single factor. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The evolutionary ecology of nests: a cross-taxon approach’.
... Además, colectamos el nido una vez que el árbol sustrato fue talado, debido a que el nido no se destruyó al caer. Tomamos medidas del nido usando una cinta métrica y analizamos la composición de materiales 3,14 . ...
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Knowledge of the breeding biology of Red-ruffed Fruitcrow Pyroderus scutatus is limited. The few described nests have all been sited >3 m above ground in primary forest but once in a disturbed suburban environment. We describe a nest of P. s. occidentalis, the subspecies in the Andes of Colombia and Ecuador, observed in northwest Ecuador in February-March 2021. It was 4.5 m above ground in a Myrcianthes tree in a pasture, near a small patch of secondary forest. The nest was a large low cup constructed of dry twigs with rootlets and thinner twigs in the interior. A single nestling was seen 15 days after the nest was found, tended by the female alone, as in most cotingids. It had abundant cream-coloured down, its eyes were closed, and it was fed large insects. Fourteen days later it had doubled in size and had blackish feathers covering the crown, nape, mantle and wings. By day 23, the nestling was largely feathered with a pattern resembling the adults but duller. Five days later, the tree was cut down and the nestling was not seen again. Our nest, during the rainy season, was similar in architecture, size and placement to previous descriptions.
... Nests were classified following Simon and Pacheco (2005), with a few adaptations. Whenever possible, we collected information about the height above the ground, substrate where the nests were built and the materials used. ...
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Although birds are a well-studied group, the breeding biology of many species is still poorly known, especially in the Neotropical region. This lack of knowledge implies the absence of subsidies for conservation, lack of more reliable data for phylogenetic reconstruction, and for studying the effects of environmental change on these species. In view of this scenario we collected information on the reproduction of 15 bird species in 16 Brazilian locations from February 2003 to December 2021. This article presents new data on the nests, eggs, juveniles/nestlings and/or breeding behavior of Veniliornis spilogaster (Picidae), Philydor atricapillus (Furnariidae), Myiobius barbatus (Onychorhynchidae), Tityra semifasciata (Tityridae), Phylloscartes paulista (Rhynchocyclidae), Phylloscartes oustaleti (Rhynchocyclidae), Elaenia obscura sordida (Tyrannidae), Tyrannus albogularis (Tyrannidae), Cnemotriccus fuscatus (Tyrannidae), Icterus pyrrhopterus (Icteridae), Nemosia pileata caerulea (Thraupidae), Trichothraupis melanops (Thraupidae), Thlypopsis sordida (Thraupidae), Cyanophonia cyanocephala (Fringillidae) and Chlorophonia cyanea roraimae (Fringillidae). We include new data on parental care for six species, descriptions of nests for eight species, and new information on nest building behavior for five species. This data is of special interest for the management of these species and their habitats and for the reconstruction of their phylogenetic relationships.
... Reproducción aves manglares mayor y el diámetro perpendicular a éste. El nido fue descrito según la clasificación propuesta por Simón y Pacheco (2005). ...
Article
Se estudió la biología reproductiva de las aves que nidifican en los manglares de San Pedro de Vice, con datos que incluyen la descripción de los nidos, huevos, las características de la planta soporte del nido y la ubicación del nido dentro de la planta. Las aves que se reproducen en el manglar de San Pedro de Vice fueron: Phleocryptes melanops, Synallaxis stictothorax, Pyrocephalus rubinus, Todirostrum cinereum, Tachuris rubrigastra, Myiodynastes bairdii, Zonotrichia capensis, Dendroica petechia, Zenaida meloda y Myrmia micrura. Los nidos de la mayoría de las aves fueron abiertos con forma de copa, seguidos de los nidos cerrados con una puerta de entrada. Las especies nidificaron en las zonas de manglar, algarrobal y totoral, correspondiente a las especies arbóreas Avicemnia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, Prosopis pallida y en el totoral por Typha angustifolia. El éxito reproductivo final para D. petechia fue de 47,82%, para S. stictothorax el 45,21%, y para P. melanops el 57,47%.
... As características do hábitat influenciam no sucesso reprodutivo das aves e a escolha do sítio de nidificação é feita de forma a garantir os atributos necessários à criação (LI; MARTIN, 1991;HANSELL, 2000;LARISON et al., 2001;CHASE, 2002), assim, a cobertura vegetal, a presença de área úmida e, até mesmo os elementos antrópicos existentes, são fatores que influenciam na reprodução. No entanto, a nidificação em construções humanas é uma ação oportunista e algumas espécies se utilizam destes locais devido à proteção que oferecem (SIMON; PACHECO, 2005;ALMEIDA et al., 2012;REYNOLDS et al., 2019), como no caso citado do ninho de Mimus saturninus, cujo local de construção (sob uma passarela) favorece sua camuflagem e proteção, uma vez que impede o acesso de predadores e o protege de intempéries climáticas. O mesmo pode-se dizer para os ovos de Coragips atratus, colocados diretamente sobre o solo de um canteiro, que estiveram protegidos em uma construção humana até que os filhotes aprendessem a voar. ...
... The inner nest dimensions were 70.7 ± 0.1 mm × 68.2 ± 3.4 mm (N = 2; individual measurements in Table S1) with a wall thickness of 22.5 ± 15.6 mm and a cup inner depth of 4.4 ± 0.7 mm. The external nest measurements were 101.4 ± 34.1 mm × 102.8 ± 24.9 mm with a height of 70.3 ± 53.8 mm, classifying them as low cups according to Simon and Pacheco (2005). The average height above ground was 77.7 ± 25.4 cm (N = 3; individual measurements in Table S1). ...
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The chestnut-crowned gnateater (Conopophaga castaneiceps) inhabits the Andean mountains, from Colombia to Peru, between 500 and 2000 m. Our study provides new information on the nesting biology of C. castaneiceps; specifically, we describe hitherto unknown aspects such as eggs, nestling development, incubation and feeding behaviours. Three nests were monitored during two breeding seasons (2014–2015) in Tatamá National Park, Risaralda, Colombia. Cup nests contained a clutch of two creamy eggs with reddish dots scattered throughout the shell. On average, the parents incubated 58% of their time, with similar duration of the off- (77 ± 48.2 min) and on-bouts (73 ± 41.7 min). A few days before nestlings abandoned the nest (11–12-day-old nestlings), parents conducted 6.8 ± 1.6 feeding trips per hour (N = 25 hours) during the daytime. Based on one nest, the nestling period lasted 17 days, with a growth rate (K) of 0.4. The female had a higher investment during the nestling period, more brooding (t10 = 106.48, P < .001) and more feeding trips (t10 = 7.69, P < .001) compared to the male. Both parents conducted night brooding. Our study shows that nesting traits are conserved among Conopophaga species. Our novel information on nestling growth, incubation and feeding behaviour for C. castaneiceps advances our understanding of the gnateater’s poorly known nesting biology and will be key for future comparative studies.
... Nests were bulky enclosed structures (closed/retort type nest sensu Simon & Pacheco 2005), constructed with thorny sticks and twigs, with an entrance tube and a large brood chamber ( Figure 1). Measurements of active nests were: mean tube outer length 34.14 ± 7.22 cm (±SD, range: 25-48), brood chamber outer length 49.75 ± 10.09 cm (range: 34-70, n = 14) and brood chamber outer height 56.50 ± 5.51 cm (range: 49-64, n = 13). ...
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The White-throated Cacholote Pseudoseisura gutturalis is a little studied, socially monogamous furnariid, endemic to arid Argentina. Here we provide novel information to characterize the breeding biology of the northern subspecies ochroleuca in the Monte Desert, Argentina, and discuss the similarities and differences with other Pseudoseisura species. Nests were bulky enclosed structures constructed with thorny sticks and twigs of native plant species (n = 15) and 47% of them had objects used as external decorations. Nests had an entrance tube oriented preferentially towards the northeast, probably to avoid the prevailing south-southeast winds at the study site, and were placed at a mean height of 2.1 m above the ground (n = 13). Most of the active nests (93%) were built in columnar cacti Trichocereus atacamensis that were healthier and with fewer branches than nearby available conspecifics. Mean clutch size was 3.2 white eggs (n = 9) and the incubation period was c. 18–20 days. Brood size ranged from one to three hatchlings (n = 12) and nestlings remained in the nest for 24–26 days until fledgling. Nests with complete clutches were found between 29 October and 1 February and nestlings were found between 1 November and 5 February. Nestlings were attended by both parents and were fed with arthropods (n = 63) and vertebrates (n = 7). Nest visitation rate per nestling was similar among nests with three and two nestlings and lower than for a nest with one nestling. The breeding success was high during the incubation (73%) and nestling rearing (82%) stages. Our data show that Pseudoseisura species are similar in some aspects of their breeding biology (e.g. nest dimensions, nest decorations, mating system, clutch size), whereas other aspects, such as nest-site selection, nestling period and nest attendance rate, are more variable among species.
... There is just one report of a non-floating nest of T. dominicus, in Honduras, where the bird nested on a concrete base (Hayes 2018). An exact categorisation of this nest under the Simon & Pacheco (2005) scheme is not possible, the closest being the 'simple/platform' type, but this is primarily a floating nest. ...
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This is the first in a planned series of articles about the breeding behaviour of Brazilian birds. Field work has been carried out in various regions of Brazil since the 1980s. The descriptions cover various aspects of reproductive biology, such as seasonality, nest architecture, materials and measurements, clutch size, egg colour, size and shape, incubation period, nestling period, and parental care. Many data are presented scientifically for the first time. In this first paper, we present data for 16 species: Greater Rhea Rhea americana (two nests, including the first information from north-east Brazil), Small-billed Tinamou Crypturellus parvirostris (20 nests), Red-winged Tinamou Rhynchotus rufescens (three nests), Spotted Nothura Nothura maculosa (11 nests), Horned Screamer Anhima cornuta (four nests, possibly with the first biometrics of eggs in the wild from Brazil), Southern Screamer Chauna torquata (five nests), White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata (three nests), Black-bellied Whistling Duck D. autumnalis (eight nests), Muscovy Duck Cairina moschata (two nests), Brazilian Teal Amazonetta brasiliensis (one nest), White-cheeked Pintail Anas bahamensis (one nest), Rusty-margined Guan Penelope superciliaris (seven nests, probably with the first data on reproductive success), Chaco Chachalaca Ortalis canicollis (one nest), East Brazilian Chachalaca O. araucuan (one nest), Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus (six nests) and Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps (one nest).
... comm.). It was similar to nests mentioned Short Communications in the literature, which are platforms or low cups 19 , composed of twigs, rootlets, leaf ribs and plant fibres placed horizontally on tree forks 1-8 m above ground, outer diameter 11-15 cm, depth 5.5-7.0 cm, with 2-3 eggs/young 9-12,14-16 . One of the nests reported in the literature was also in a horizontal fork of the same tree species (A. ...
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Ampliacion de distribucion y redescubrimiento de Parkerthraustes humeralis en Colombia
... The nests were only measured when active, i.e., when they contained eggs or nestlings. The nest structure was classified according to the categories proposed by Simon & Pacheco (2005). ...
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The Hooded Gnateater Conopophaga roberti Hellmayr, 1905 is an insectivorous understory passeriform with discrete behavior, whose reproductive attributes are poorly-known. In the present study, we describe the reproductive biology of the species and the growth pattern of the nestlings, based on observations conducted in remnants of the Cerrado savanna in eastern Maranhão state, in Brazil. The nests were identified during active searches conducted between June, 2018 and March, 2021. A total of 22 nests were found over the course of three breeding seasons. The cup-shaped nests were supported by small branches and were constructed at a mean height of 40.6 ± 16.1 cm (N = 21) above the ground. The nests were 23.1 ± 3.9 cm in length and 14.1 ± 1.6 cm in width (N = 21). The eggs were beige in color, with irregular brown mottling only at the rounded end of the egg, which had a mean length of 21.3 ± 0.8 mm, width of 17.2 ± 0.8 mm, and mass of 3.1 ± 0.1 g (N = 23). Hatchlings are completely naked and weigh 3.1 ± 0.2 g (N = 7), and when they abandon the nest, they have yet to reach full adult size, with the total length being 65.4% of that of the adult, the wing, 65.4%, the head, 73.9%, the culmen, 74.2%, the body mass, 73.3%, and the tarsus, 89.0% that of the adult. The growth curves are sigmoidal and all the coefficients of determination are at least 0.96, with the body length having the highest value (R 2 = 0.98). During the breeding season, the adult pair emitted alarm calls constantly when observers were in the vicinity of the nest. On a number of occasions, members of the breeding pair were observed moving away from the nest as it was approached by observers, while engaging in broken-wing display. The nest architecture, the color of the eggs, and the behaviors presented by this gnateater were similar to those described for other Conopophaga. With this work we contributed to improve the knowledge on the breeding behavior of this poorly know group of understory insectivorous birds.
... El lecho del nido tenía aproximadamente 27 × 26 cm y mostraba rastros de vegetación seca que formaban una leve cama de hojas, con ciertos visos de humedad, posiblemente fruto de las lluvias que se daban en el momento del registro en esa zona (Figure 1d). De acuerdo a la clasificación planteada para la estandarización de formas de nidos para aves neotropicales [23], el nido registrado corresponde a una cavidad, sin túnel, simple y desnudo. ...
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La ecología reproductiva del género Megascops es poco conocida. En este documento presentamos información sobre el polluelo, y nuevos datos sobre el nido del Autillo Rojizo (Megascops ingens). Este búho, el más grande de su género, se considera raro en su área de distribución, y la información disponible sobre su reproducción es incompleta. Registramos un nido activo de la especie en la provincia de Zamora Chinchipe, sureste de Ecuador. El nido se localizó en la cavidad de un árbol muerto, en el borde de un bosque montano. La entrada al nido se ubicó a 2,5 m del suelo y en su interior se observó un polluelo, cuya edad estimada, con base en el desarrollo del plumaje, fue de entre 20 y 30 días de edad. Los datos aquí reportados son similares a algunos de los pocos elementos reproductivos del género previamente descritos.
... The identity of nests was always confirmed by the observation of an adult M. baroni attending the nest. For each nest, we recorded the following variables: geographical coordinates with a handheld GPS, main habitat type around the nest, and nest shape type (sensu Simon & Pacheco, 2005). If the nest was located at less than 2 m in height above the ground, we took measurements of its external and internal diameter, height and depth of the internal chamber; all these measurements were taken with an analog caliper. ...
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Violet-throated Metaltail Metallura baroni is a threatened hummingbird species, endemic to the Andes of southern Ecuador. Details about the reproductive biology of this species are largely unknown. In this manuscript, we describe the nest, eggs, and nestlings’ development based on nine nests found along with the Cuenca-Molleturo-Naranjal road, in Cajas National Park, in 2019. We document a breeding period from March to May, which corresponds to the rainy season. All nests were found in roadside embankments, and were constructed with mosses, small twigs, rootlets, Polylepis sp. (Rosaceae) bark, and Puya sp. (Bromeliaceae) fibers. In all nests, we found two white oval eggs that were exclusively attended by a female across the breeding period. Hatching to fledging period lasted 28–32 days. Nesting at roadsides can be particularly risky due to a high probability of collision with vehicles; thus, an assessment of the breeding success of M. baroni on nests located at roadsides is a research priority for this species. The information provided here increases the knowledge about the natural history of M. baroni.
... comm.). It was similar to nests mentioned Short Communications in the literature, which are platforms or low cups 19 , composed of twigs, rootlets, leaf ribs and plant fibres placed horizontally on tree forks 1-8 m above ground, outer diameter 11-15 cm, depth 5.5-7.0 cm, with 2-3 eggs/young 9-12,14-16 . One of the nests reported in the literature was also in a horizontal fork of the same tree species (A. ...
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We present quantitative data on food and provisioning rate to nestlings of the Variegated Flycatcher (Empidonomus varius), along with observations on parental care, at a single nest in a savannah of south-east Brazil.
... After feeding the chick, the adult remained at the nest for the next 15 minutes. The nest lacked a well-defined shape and comprised thin branches and rhizomorph fungus (Figs. 1, 2 and 4), best classified as a simple platform sensu Simon & Pacheco (2005). It was c.4 m from the forest edge, supported at the sides in a fork of narrow branches 11 m above ground. ...
... At the time we found it, the female was incubating 2 eggs. As soon as the female flew away, the nest was measured and characterized according to Simon and Pacheco (2005) as a deep cup. The nest material was composed of black fungal rhizomorphs with small fragments of dried leaves on the outside (Fig. 1a, b). ...
Article
The Alagoas Antwren (Myrmotherula snowi) is a Critically Endangered endemic bird restricted to the Pernambuco Center of Endemism. It is currently restricted to a single forest fragmentthe Murici Ecological Station in Alagoas. Its population is currently estimated at less than 30 individuals. Moreover, little is known about the natural history of this species. Since 2010 this bird has been annually monitored, but its nests have never been found. We carried out 131 expeditions to this forest fragment between August 2010 and November 2018. During this period, we captured and marked 11 adults and 7 juveniles. However, it was not until 9 November 2018 that the first nest was discovered. The nest was a deep cup composed of black fungal rhizomorphs with small fragments of dried leaves on the outer side. It was suspended on a horizontal fork of a young plant, 1.7 m above the ground. The eggs were oval in shape, light beige in color with reddish patches distributed throughout the egg and most concentrated in the rhombic pole. The eggs measured 1.53 1.02 and 1.54 1.03 cm. The nest was monitored, but on 25 November 2018 we found the nest empty; we deduced that it had been preyed upon. Subsequently, we found 3 more nests. However, in our efforts over the most recent 11 expeditions (1 year and 3 months after the original nest discovery until February 2020), we failed to find any additional nests. Our records of juvenile individuals indicate they are still reproducing in the area and represent a possibility to recover this species. However, the strong predation pressure in the area and the absence of mixed flocks are concerning. We urge actions to protect its nests, recompose mixed flocks, translocate individuals to nearby habitat patches, and attempt captive breeding, among efforts that should be evaluated.
... The 2019 and 2020 nests were built on a Malabulak tree, a native deciduous tree in the family Bombacaceae. The nest is a low cup/fork type based on standard nest classification (Simon and Pacheco 2005). Both were located on a fork at the lower portion of the canopy (20-25 m high). ...
Article
This study presents the first description of the breeding biology of the IUCN Endangered North Philippine Hawk-Eagle (Nisaetus philippensis). We described a single pair's breeding phenology, nest characteristics, diet, chick development, and behavior through on-the-ground and remote observations from 1 February to 14 May 2020. Due to limited mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic, we improvised a video recording setup for remote monitoring and used machine learning to extract data from images. The nest was a low cup/fork type stick nest placed on a Malabulak tree (Bombax ceiba) in a heavily disturbed secondary forest. When it was first found, the incubation stage was underway and lasted for 1 month as the nestling emerged on 1 March 2020. Both adults provided parental care throughout the breeding period, with the male primarily providing food and the female attending to the nest, egg, and chick. They preyed on a wide range of vertebrates such as lizards, ground birds, bats, rodents, and domestic animals. With a single egg per clutch and a relatively long breeding cycle, the species has a slow reproductive output that may contribute to its current threatened status.
... Nest dimensions were measured with callipers (to 1 mm) and mass with a spring scale (to 0.1 g). Nest description was based on Simon & Pacheco (2005). Monitoring was conducted by direct observation from hides installed 4-8 m from the nest. ...
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The Neotropical genus Nemosia comprises just two species, Hooded N. pileata and Cherry-throated Tanagers N. rourei, and their breeding biology is poorly known. Here we provide new information based on five nests of N. pileata and review existing data in the literature. When an active nest was found, it was visited every 3–4 days, or every second day near hatching or fledging. Monitoring was conducted by direct observation from hides sited 4–8 m from the nest. We estimated nest height above ground by eye to the nearest 0.5 m. Nestling period was estimated from hatching of the last chick to fledging of the first chick. Three nests had two eggs each, one nest had two nestlings, and one nest had one egg and two nestlings when found. Eggs were pointed, ovoid, and greenish with purplish-black spots all over. Eggs from four nests measured 20.5 ± 0.6 × 15.4 ± 0.3 mm and had mass 2.17 ± 0.22 g (n = 7). Five nestling from two nests were monitored. They hatched with a little white down covering the brown-orangey skin, a salmoncoloured bill, a red mouth, and orangey-brown legs and feet. A pair brought six food items (three each) in 100 minutes (to a nest with two nestlings). Of three of the five nests monitored, one fledged two young and the other two were predated. The nesting period (October–April) overlaps the dates of other published records, but differs between regions and shows a complex relation to rainfall. Our data on nests, eggs and nestlings of N. pileata improves our understanding of its reproductive biology and could assist in conservation measures for the Critically Endangered N. rourei.
Article
Knowledge on the reproductive biology of neotropical bird species is still scarce. Many species lack basic information regarding descriptions of nests and eggs, incubation and nestling periods, and parental care. In the present study we explore several aspects of the reproductive biology of Hemitriccus kaempferi, an endemic and threatened species of the Atlantic Forest biome, based on banded individuals monitored during two seasons (between August and December 2016 and 2017). Fieldwork was conducted in two forest areas in the municipality of Joinville, Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil. A total of 21 individuals were captured and banded. We conducted a total of 178 h 04 min of focal-animal monitoring and 142 h of active nest searching, and found two nests. The nests resemble those already described for the genus; they are enclosed, with a lateral entrance, ovoid, and with superior and lateral fixation. The females were solely responsible for all the reproductive activities, including nest construction, egg incubation, and parental care. Clutch size varied from 1 to 2 eggs, which are cream coloured and covered by small brown spots. The incubation period was 21–22 days and the nestlings fledged after 19 days. We also present information regarding parental care, juvenile behaviour, and diet, which include 11 arthropod orders with a prevalence of Lepidoptera and Coleoptera. This study adds valuable information on the ecology and natural history of this endemic and enigmatic species, and can guide further studies on phylogenetically related species.
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Some birds exhibit the behavior of nest parasitism, which involves laying their eggs in the nests of other species to be incubated and cared for by the adoptive parents. Among all the studies conducted on this subject, there is a gap regarding the nest type of nest parasites and their hosts. Therefore, using species from the Icteridae family, this study aimed to identify if there is a tendency for more closed nests to be less parasitized than open nests and if there is a phylogenetic relationship between them. In this context, we expected open nests to be an ancestral condition to closed nests, serving as an evolutionary feature to avoid nest parasitism. We also analyzed other characteristics such as the number of eggs, nest type and parental care. As a result, we observed that open nests were more common, while closed nests were predominant in a specific clade and some isolated species. The analyses indicated a phylogenetic signal clustered within the Icteridae family concerning nest types, which may imply a selective pressure. However, we cannot assert that it is a direct response to nest parasitism, as closed nests are also parasitized, specifically by M. oryzivorus . Parental care and diet type also showed phylogenetic signal, indicating that these changes were not random. However, we did not observe associations in host selection by the parasites based on these characteristics. Furthermore, we found a progression in the number of species parasitized by Molothrus spp. along the phylogenetic lineage. We also observed a similarity in host choice between M. ater and M. aeneus , indicating evolutionary convergence, as they are not sister groups.
Article
In the present study, we describe characteristics of the reproductive biology of the tropical mockingbird (Mimus gilvus), estimate nest success using the Mayfield method and identify the main factors that influence its nest success in an area of restinga vegetation. For this, 45 active nests were monitored during the breeding season of 2010–11, 2011–2012 and 2014–2015 with systematic visits to the study area. The reproductive period ranges from August to March. Nests were found with two, three and six eggs, clutch sizes of two eggs were more frequent, the mean number of eggs per nest was 2 ± 0.51 (n = 20 nests). The mean of the incubation period was approximately 13 ± 1.9 days (n = 11 nests). The mean duration of the nestling period was approximately 11 ± 1.6 days (n = 9 nests). The apparent nest success was 37.8% and the nest success estimated by the Mayfield method was 26.6%. Predation was the main cause of failure of nests in the study area (75% of the nests failure). The average rainfall for each month negatively influenced the number of M. gilvus eggs that hatched. In addition, the number of hatched between the rainy season and dry season was different. The number of nests failure was lower in bushes (n = 11) than in cacti (n = 17), which may explain the greatest number of nests found in bushes. Survival rates in the nestling period were lower than in the incubation period. The tropical mockingbird appears to avoid the rainy season in the study area during reproduction, instead concentrating most of the nests during the period of lower rainfall (dry season).
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