THE NEST, EGG, AND NESTLING OF MANY-STRIPED CANASTERO Asthenes f. flammulata (FURNARIIDAE)

Abstract

The genus Asthenes includes around 27-30 species of slender, long-tailed furnariids, predominantly montane in distribution. During fieldwork in the high Andes of northeastern Ecuador, I discovered four nests of Many-striped Canastero A. flammulata flammulata. All nests were mossy, nearly spherical balls, with a centrally placed side entrance, and with the entire inner chamber lined with a thick layer of seed down and fur. All were built into natural cavities formed by densely tangled vegetation, on or very near the ground. Two clutches consisted of two eggs each. Eggs were immaculate white, oval to short-oval in shape. Nestlings had orange to pinkish skin at hatch, with sparse gray down plumes on all dorsal feather tracts. Their bills were dull orange with bright yellow rictal flanges, and their mouth linings were bright orange-yellow. In general form, the nests and eggs described here are similar to other members of the genus. A thorough review of the literature, however, indicates than half of the currently-recognized Asthenes species have yet to have their nests described. Among these, three species of global conservation concern.