Nesting behavior of the Chestnut-crowned Gnateater, Conopophaga castaneiceps (Aves: Conopophagidae)

Abstract

ABSTRACT 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.