First description of the nesting site, nest, and eggs of the Rock Tapaculo (Scytalopus petrophilus)

Abstract

Among the 44 known species of Scytalopus, only 25 have some type of reproductive information available. Here we present the first description of the nesting site, nest, and eggs of the Rock Tapaculo (Scytalopus petrophilus). The nest was registered inside a ferruginous cave located in the Serra do Gandarela National Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The closed nest containing two eggs was collected and consisted of cryptogams, grasses, and passerine remiges. The eggs were white and measured 23.0 × 16.3 mm, and 21.7 × 17.2 mm. Building of a new nest was recorded at the same collection site, in the next breeding season. Nesting season extended at least from October to February, and the nest site was reused within and between reproductive seasons. This suggest a strong local association between the species and the ferruginous caves and it reveals the need to preserve this environment which is currently threatened by mining activities.