Limitations in the Reproductive Success of a Burrow-Nesting Bird (Momotus mexicanus) During a Humid Season

Abstract

Abstract. Burrow-nesting birds are limited by access to nest sites, particularly in years of very high humidity levels, such those seen with El Nino, or in forests that are fragmented due to the effects of human activity. We assessed the breeding success of Momotus mexicanus nesting along the earth bank of a secondary road corridor in a seasonally dry tropical forest in Central Mexico. We monitored 28 nests during the reproductive period and characterized the composition of the soil where they were constructed, as well as other physical variables. One nest produced 2 fledglings, and the other 27 failed to produce any: 46% of the nests experienced flooding or wall collapses, while the nests built on sandy loam soil remained intact. We also report other basic natural history variables for these neotropical burrow-nesting birds.