Description Of Nest Research Articles

Breeding biology of mimetic species based on secondary data sources should address misidentifications: the case of the lesser kiskadee Philohydor lictor (Aves: Tyrannidae)

ABSTRACT Philohydor lictor is a Neotropical tyrant flycatcher that belongs to a kiskadee-like mimetic system. This system encompasses seven genera with at least one species with strikingly similar plumage patterns, in which smaller species mimic larger species to deceive predators. The reproduction of P. lictor is poorly known, and misidentification of its nests and eggs with other species with similar plumage may be common, creating confusion between them. Here, we aim to summarise the knowledge about its reproductive biology and highlight the common pitfalls in gathering information on mimetic species in citizen science, literature, and museum databases. We assembled 106 reproductive records from between 1898 and 2023, of which 49 were from citizen science, 37 were from the literature, and 20 were from museum egg collections. Most reproductive records were from Panama (31.3%, N = 26) and Brazil (25.3%, N = 21). Egg-laying mainly occurred in the first half of the year and peaked when monthly total precipitation was between 150 and 300 mm (40%, N = 16). Nests were loose cups placed on vegetation near water and built with dry twigs, roots, and tendrils lined with fine twigs. Eggs from museum collections measured 20.9 × 16.1 mm (N = 23). Misidentified records comprised 21.7% (N = 23) of total breeding records and mainly occurred in <1935 museum egg collections. Misidentifications included records of domed nests, eggs larger than expected for the species’ body size, and records from outside the species’ range. These results stress that studies of reproductive biology of mimetic species based on citizen science, literature, and museum datasets are not straightforward, and data should be refined by validation procedures. These validations should include verification that records fall inside the species’ geographic range, include correct description of nests, and match egg size with adult body size.

Abundance and Breeding Ecology of Critically Endangered Vultures in Mole National Park, Ghana

ABSTRACT Vultures are among the most threatened species in Africa, with several critically endangered species surviving mainly or only in protected areas. West African vulture declines are correlated with steep losses of natural habitat and mammalian wildlife. Major factors driving vulture extirpations include wildlife trade for traditional medicine, belief-based rituals, and bushmeat. Current data on vulture abundance and breeding ecology are crucial for conservation but lacking in many countries, including Ghana. Between 2020 and 2022, we conducted 761 km of surveys for critically endangered vultures in Mole National Park (Mole NP), a 4840 km2 protected savanna in northern Ghana. Using our count data, we estimated populations of 29–36 Hooded Vultures (Necrosyrtes monachus), 25–73 White-backed Vultures (Gyps africanus), and 3–4 White-headed Vultures (Trigonoceps occipitalis) in the southern region of Mole NP. We also documented 17 occupied vulture nests, including six Hooded Vulture nests, 10 White-backed Vulture nests, and one White-headed Vulture nest. Our findings include the first nest records for Hooded Vultures in Mole NP, the first nest description of White-backed Vultures in Ghana, and the first nest records for White-headed Vultures in Ghana, confirming the importance of Mole NP for conserving critically endangered vultures. Reducing poaching, preventing the killing of vultures for wildlife trade, and protecting vulture habitat and food resources will be paramount to the survival of critically endangered vultures in Ghana and West Africa.

New information on the breeding biology of fifteen Brazilian bird species

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.

Stingless bees: uses and management by meliponiculturist women in the Chaco region of Bolivia

BackgroundStingless bees have a great value as main pollinators of wild flowering and cultivated plants, thus playing a fundamental role in the maintenance of biodiversity and food security in Latin America. Despite their importance, stingless bees face numerous threats causing alarming population declines. Moreover, stingless bees have a great cultural and traditional value, since most products from the hive are used for a wide variety of purposes. A growing number of initiatives are encouraging the breeding of these bees, through training courses and modern management techniques. This study documents the knowledge on stingless bees and their products that meliponiculturists from the Chaco region of Bolivia have, as well as the influence that meliponiculture initiatives have on the management and general knowledge of the bees.MethodsLocal richness and diversity of stingless bees was calculated using Hill numbers. Structured interviews were conducted with 59 meliponiculturists in order to characterize traditional and formal knowledge on stingless bees and meliponiculture. Generalized linear models were applied to assess the influence of training courses on the management of the bees. Also, a relative cultural importance index was calculated for each species.ResultsTwelve Meliponini species were identified, and 15 local names were reported with morphological, defensiveness behavior, and nest description. There was no significant difference in the knowledge between different ethnical backgrounds or ages. A significant difference was observed in the use of supplementary feeding and assisted division, but none in the success in racking hives or in pest management, regarding the number or courses taken. The relative cultural importance index recorded 30 specific uses for bee products grouped in four categories, from which 29 were attributed (but not exclusively) to Tetragonisca angustula, making it the most versatile species.ConclusionsThe products of the hive, especially honey, are used for a wide variety of purposes, mostly in medicine. These uses are mostly attributed to just one species, T. angustula, in coincidence with what was taught in meliponiculture training courses by NGOs. The influence of formal knowledge is mostly positive, but it is recommended that other meliponini species are taken into account as well.

Does Euphrates softshell turtle nest in unfavourable substratum? Description of nests from Euphrates River, Türkiye

Nest site selection differs among species based on a characteristic crucial to the embryo's survival. The identified nest-site characteristics of the Euphrates softshell turtle highlight that these turtles, like their other soft-shelled relatives, highly prefer the sandy substrate, even pure sand, to nest. However, alteration and loss of natural habitats for many decades limited the suitable oviposition sites along the Euphrates River. This study presents the uncharacteristic nest-site choice and the nesting time of Euphrates softshell turtle for the first time. I discovered four nests, as well as six unhatched eggs in a nest on 20 August 2017. This discovery extends the known nesting season-end from early June to at least mid-August for the Euphrates River. The eggs were spherical, and their size was 28.38 (±0.2, 28.1-28.6) mm on average. The nesting substrate, consisting of only 51.8% sand, was substantially dissimilar to what was previously reported. Apart from the soil texture, the nest and its site characteristics concerning nest dimension, clutch size, egg size, and distance to the shoreline concord with what was formerly reported. I conclude that many anthropogenic alterations, such as sand mining and damming and hence the scarcity of suitable oviposition sites, may have caused location and time shift of breeding and forced the turtles to nest in these uncommon soil textures.

First nests of Endangered Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer found in over 40 years indicate nesting plasticity

Summary Knowledge of the breeding ecology of Endangered Nordmann’s Greenshank Tringa guttifer is necessary to develop a comprehensive species-specific conservation plan. We found nine greenshank nests in Schaste Bay, Russian Far East during the summers of 2019–2021. These are the first nests found in over 40 years and the only discovered to date on mainland Russia. In contrast to previous nest descriptions, we found greenshanks do not exclusively nest in trees, but also place nests on the ground at the base of mature or sapling larches. Our results indicate greenshanks may be larch obligates during the breeding season, and protecting coastal larch forest ecosystems near bogs, meadows, and mudflats throughout the Russian Far East may be critical to the species’ conservation.

Вивірка лісова (Sciurus vulgaris) в природних і антропогенних біотопах національного парку Подільські Товтри

The red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris inhabits biotopes with different levels of anthropogenic influence. The aim of the work is to analyse the biotopic distribution and abundance of the red squirrel in natural (forests of various specific and age composition, shrubberies, and river valleys) and anthropogenic (settlements, forest strips, and orchards) habitats in the territory of the Podilskyi Tovtry National Nature Park. Research was conducted from 1990 to 2022 at monitoring sites (different types of forest, arboretum, canyon of the Smotrych River, separate areas of settlements) and in separate biotopes of the natural park. We used the method of transect survey to estimate the number of red squirrels calculated as the number of individuals per 1 ha, as well as description and mapping of nests, and photography. The red squirrel is a non-abundant species in forests of different specific composition and age, where it is most often found in coniferous (especially spruce) and mixed forests, as well as in mature forest types and in areas bordering settlements. Of the studied natural habitats the red squirrel has the lowest abundance in the shrubberies on the slopes of Tovtry and river valleys, as well as in locust areas of forests. In the valleys of the rivers outside of settlements, the red squirrel occurs rarely. Of the forest strips, the most attractive for the species are the roadside strips with Juglans regia plantations in many areas, while the least attractive are field protection strips. Population density in anthropogenic biotopes is much higher than in forested ones. The most attractive are the arboretum zone of the city, where the population density in some years reached 2.5 individuals/ha. Anthropogenic biotopes are attract the species with the availability of food (primarily the fruits of common and black walnuts, Juglans regia and Juglans nigra) and the reduction of pressure by the forest marten. In urban settlements, the red squirrel more often settles in nests (groves) compared to forest biotopes, which is connected with the limited number of hollows due to periodic sanitary felling in the arboretum and along highways. In the monitoring areas of the forest, fluctuations in the abundance of the species are observed depending on the availability of food, in particular spruce cones. In the last three years, a trend of a sharp decrease in the number of red squirrels in anthropogenic biotopes has been revealed.

Notes on the nesting of six species of birds in eastern Ecuador

I present new information on the breeding biology of six bird species found in the Ecuadorian Amazon. I describe, for the first time, the nests of Oleaginous Hemispingus Sphenopsis frontalis and Black-eared Hemispingus S. melanotis, as well as providing the first descriptions of the eggs of Black-eared Hemispingus, Streak-headed Antbird Drymophila striaticeps, Mottle-backed Elaenia Elaenia gigas and Casqued Cacique Cacicus oseryi. I also provide the first detailed nest description for Black-banded Crake Anurolimnas fasciatus, and correct previous descriptions of its eggs.

All Morning the Crows by Meg Kearney

Reviewed by: All Morning the Crows by Meg Kearney Stephanie Rauschenbusch (bio) all morning the crows Meg Kearney The Word Works https://wordworksbooks.org/product/all-morning-the-crows/#:~:text=Meg%20Kearney%20draws%20on%20her,exploration%2C%20discovery%2C%20and%20reconciliation. 101 pages; Print, $18.00 Meg Kearney gives much credit to Diana Wells, whose book 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names, published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill in 2002, guided her toward many of the poems in this wonderful book. There are two kinds of poems in her book—poems about birds, and poems about birds that lead her to a confession of a hidden wound of her own. An example of her great skill and imagination is "Oriole," a perfect elegy written as a description of an oriole's nest: To build their nest they stole my mother's cigarettes.Next they snagged her booze. They took her heatingpads and measuring cups. Plucked her blood-soakedtissues, bright as carnations, from the waste basket;they took her shopping list, zip-up boots, Katrinathe cat, feeding tube. Her glasses and the book on herlap. Filched her Sweet Dreams Tea, her FIELD GUIDETO BIRDS. It wasn't all in this order, but they stole herEaster wreath, the tumor in her throat, ironing board,perfect penmanship, black-silk slip, her late night bowlof ice cream and Cool Whip. They tried to take her lastwords, but she snatched those back, took those with her. In this poem the poet sums up what had remained of her mother's life, but instead of making these items script on a tombstone, she makes them part of an oriole's scavenging for its nest. Who among us would have thought of such a thing? [End Page 112] Her mother appears in the very first poem in the book, "Owl." The owl is a familiar, like a witch's cat, who perches spinning her head on her daughter's windowsill at night—her "daughter of hurt and squeal." The daughter knows that "when she dies / you'll inherit all she's swallowed / whole yet had to leave behind." "Crow" is the first poem that explains a bit about the mother and her lifelong absence. The poet meets a sister whom she did not know. The sister recognizes her, because she looks just like her real mother. The sister, full of false reassurance, tells her: If our mother had kept you,my newly found sister said,you'd never have goneto college. Wouldn't have donea lot of things you've done. There's a whole stanza in response to this: "—if she had kept me?" The story continues: A rooster crows;crows caw. Explain that,and while you're at it, howyou came to laugh my mother'slaugh, my newly found sister said.I said, I never claimed to be anyone'sinterpreter. She said, Our, I meant to sayour mother. It turns out the mother has been dead seventeen years already. The poet says: "At her grave / I left a silver earring / for the crows to find." There's a kind of unraveling of the mother's acts, starting with her living in a convent and teaching, while she saved money to travel to Arizona after her baby was born. We never quite understand why she can't take the child along with her, as apparently she goes on to marry and have other children. About the mother's death: Round and around my first mother's deathbedflew the Sisters of Bristol, that murderof crows. [End Page 113] I have another daughter, she whisperedto her husband. Low, so her childrenwouldn't hear.He promised to find me. Thinkingthis would make her live. In "Goldfinch" Kearney veers into violent language, describing the goldfinch as trying to pull the crown of thorns off the head of Christ at the Crucifixion. The poem goes on to describe Christians being devoured by lions. The next poem, "Duckling, Swan," describes the satisfaction of the belittled swan in a nest of ducks who grows up to blind her siblings. A pantoum...

NESTING OF THE GREATER YELLOW-HEADED VULTURE (CATHARTES MELAMBROTUS) IN EASTERN PERU

The Greater Yellow-headed Vulture (Cathartes melambrotus) is one of the less known cathartids (Cathartiformes, Cathartidae), especially in its reproductive biology, being the only species in the family that does not have nest description. Here I describe the discovery of one nest located in a cavity 55 m above the ground on a 70 m high x 130 m wide cliff at 1.230 masl. in the eastern rainforest of central Peru. The nest was found during late dry season (October 31, 2019), and contained a well-developed chick (50-60 days old) which was being fed by the parents. The habitat surrounding the nesting site presented thinned forests for shade of coffee crops, banana and citrus plantations and remnants of adult secondary forest in the streams.

Nest, eggs, and nestlings of the Gray-headed Tanager (Eucometis penicillata albicollis) from São Paulo State, Brazil

The Gray-headed Tanager (Eucometis penicillata) has 7 subspecies widely distributed in Central and South America. Scattered reproductive data are available for most of them, but reproductive aspects were thoroughly documented only for E. p. stictothorax, from Costa Rica. Here, we provide detailed descriptions of nests, eggs, and nestlings of E. p. albicollis from southeastern Brazil, and compile nesting information available from this and other subspecies from the literature. During the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 breeding seasons, we found 4 nests that were active from October to January. Nests were deep cups with 8.5–11.1 cm in outer diameter, constructed of loosely attached dry fibers and sticks, and could be supported at their rims, laterally, or from beneath. They were built in riparian forest understory, 1.1–1.5 m above ground, 1.0–10.5 m away from forest streams, and 72–100 m from the forest edge. Clutches consisted of 3 eggs. Eggs were brownish-gray in background color, with dark-brown blotches, measured 21.9 mm (±0.8) in length and 16.2 mm (±0.7) in width, and weighed 3.0 g (±0.3). The hatchlings had reddish skin, bright orange mouth lining, and white commissure. The pair shared nestling provisioning and we also document the first case of brood parasitism by Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) for the Gray-headed Tanager. Upon comparing our data with that of other subspecies, we observed differences in nest material, breeding phenology, clutch size, and eggs and nestling characteristics, which could be attributed to local adaptations of geographically distinct subspecies or to phylogenetic divergences between still unsplit species.

Nest description, nest survival, and habitat use of three resident hummingbird species in western Mexico

Nesting is a particularly sensitive period during which birds are highly vulnerable to predation, parasitism, and other natural events resulting in high mortality rates. Some factors can increase nesting success, such as habitat selection. In general, only female hummingbirds build nests, incubate eggs, and provide nestling care until chicks can feed independently. The purpose of our study was to describe nests (shape, size, and construction materials), nest survival, and habitat use of 3 resident hummingbirds in western Mexico: Cinnamon Hummingbird (Amazilia rutila), Golden-crowned Emerald (Cynanthus auriceps; a Mexican endemic), and Broad-billed Hummingbird (C. latirostris). In all 3 species, the nest is an open cup built with plant material and bound together with spider web. All 3 species used the same materials (silk cotton, wood, and grass) for nest construction. However, Cinnamon Hummingbird was the only one that used lichens at its outer surface, whereas Broad-billed Hummingbird used only seeds. We did not find interspecific differences among the materials used and their quantities. A low nest survival (26%) can be explained by the high rate of predation but also by the occurrence of natural events such as hurricanes. All 3 species showed preference for nesting in semi-deciduous forests but chose different nest placement sites that differed in (1) nest height, (2) the height of trees or shrubs where nests were built, and (3) the diameter of the supporting branch within a shrub or tree. Other factors, such as distance to the nearest stream, and distance to nesting-branch tip or trunk, did not differ among species.

Report on the stingless bees of Bhutan (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini)

Two species of stingless bees, Tetragonula gressitti (Sakagami) and Lepidotrigona arcifera (Cockerell), are reported from Bhutan for the first time. The nest description and meliponiculture are described. This is the gross underestimation of Meliponini diversity in Bhutan and summons more study on the diversity, biology, and meliponiculture.

EARLY NEST RECORD AND ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE BREEDING BIOLOGY OF THE CHESTNUT-CAPPED BRUSH-FINCH (ARREMON BRUNNEINUCHA SUTTONI) IN SOUTHERN MEXICO

The natural history and breeding biology of species in the genus Arremon (Passerellidae) remains incomplete. Here, we document an early nest record and provide additional notes on the breeding biology of the Chestnut-capped Brush-finch (Arremon brunneinucha suttoni) from the Sierra Madre del Sur in southern Mexico. We found one bulky, open cup nest with two pale blue eggs. The nest was found greater than one month prior to previous nest descriptions, suggesting a possible shift in breeding phenology. Future studies across the range of A. brunneinucha will help clarify our findings within the context of geographic variation in this species and possible causes.

What is Azara's (1805) No. 193 Suiriri pardo amarillo menor?

Despite being well-described, Azara's No. 193 Suiriri pardo amarillo menor has never been conclusively identified. Indeed, during the 19th Century it was usually associated with species in the genus Myiarchus, despite the cup nest description provided being incompatible with that genus. In the early 20th Century it became associated with Elaenia obscura, and that has not been seriously questioned since. However, Paraguayan populations formerly attributed to E. obscura are now known as E. sordida, a species that is rare in Paraguay and incompatible with the original description. In this paper I argue that the true identity of No. 193 is Large Elaenia E. spectabilis (Pelzeln, 1868), a common species in Paraguay, and this error of understanding is responsible for many early 20th Century Paraguayan reports of E. obscura. Azara's description predates the type description of E. spectabilis by 63 years.

FIRST NEST REPORT OF VARIED SOLITAIRE (Myadestes coloratus), AN ENDEMIC BIRD SPECIES OF PANAMA AND COLOMBIA

Here we present the first description of nests for the Varied Solitaire Myadestes coloratus, a regional endemic species (Panama and Colombia). We found two nests in Cerro Chucantí Natural Private Reserve (CCNPR), the first nest was seen on May 6, 2019 with three hatchlings inside and the second on May 9, 2020 with three eggs. The nests were constructed out of green mosses and foliaceus liverworts over tree trunks covered with moss, they were cup shaped, at 1.3 and 1.5 meters high. The GPS coordinates of the nests were (8° 47’44.8” N, 78°27’47.4 W, 1276 m) and (8° 48’09.5” N, 78°27’37.0 W, 1393 m) respectively. This report represents the first for this species which is under the Endangered (EN) category of Panama´s List of threatened species of Fauna and Flora by Ministerio de Ambiente.

Nest and egg description of the Andean Guan (Penelope montagnii, Cracidae)

Chachalacas, guans, and curassows are the most threatened Neotropical birds. However, information about their reproduction has not been well-documented for several species. Here, we provide the first description of nest and eggs of the Andean Guan (Penelope montagnii) in Andean highland forests from Colombia. We also compile nest and egg characteristics in the other 14 Penelope species. An active nest made of dry leaves and ferns was found over a simple platform 1.22 m above the ground on a Daphnopsis caracasana tree. Like other Penelope species, clutch size consisted of three oval and white eggs. The average egg measurements and mass were as follows: 69.66 mm × 46.32 mm, 81.6 g. We gathered the available information on the nest type, nesting materials, phorophyte, nest dimensions, the distance of the nest to the ground, and the clutch size and egg dimensions for all Penelope species. We only found three species with detailed information of eggs and nests, besides the Andean Guan reported here. In general, these species construct their nests over simple platforms, employing plant materials available from the environment. Nests present dimensions with external and internal diameters between 30–60 cm and 18–38.5 cm respectively, and depths ranging from 5 to 25 cm. Importantly, these trends are far to be conclusive due to the remarkable gaps of knowledge in nesting ecology for most of Penelope species. We encourage additional studies on reproductive ecology for these birds.

Nestling development and data on nests and eggs of Topaza pella (Aves, Trochilidae) in Amapá state, northern Brazil

ABSTRACT The Crimson Topaz, Topaza pella, is the least known of the two hummingbird species of this exclusively Amazonian trochilid genus, that also includes T. pyra. Most available information on T. pella nests, young and reproductive behavior is based on anecdotal observations from Guyana in the 1930s and 1950s. Here, we provide new data on nest description, eggs and parental care of T. pella, and the growth and development of two nestlings over a 22-day period. We studied four nests in areas of dense terra firme forest in the state of Amapá, Brazil. All nests were in forked branches of shrubs over water bodies, and had a cup-like form. One nest contained two elongated white eggs, and another, two nestlings, which had their development recorded until they left the nest.

FIRST DESCRIPTION OF THE NEST AND NESTLING OF WHITE-BANDED TYRANNULET Mecocerculus stictopterus (TYRANNIDAE)

We provide the first descriptions of the nest and nestlings of White-banded Tyrannulet Mecocerculus stictopterus, only the second nest description for this genus of small Andean flycatchers (Tyrannidae). We found a single nest with newly hatched nestlings in early November, near Papallacta, northeastern Ecuador. The nest was an open cup composed of lichens and mosses, bound together with spider webs and saddled over a small branch. The natal down of the nestlings was bicolored, creating a camouflaging, sun-dappled effect.

A nest of Yellow-margined Flatbill Tolmomyias assimilis

Although it is a common species, almost nothing is known concerning the breeding biology of Yellow-margined Flatbill Tolmomyias assimilis. We present the first formal description of the species' nest. It was found in an open area near Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil, and was, like the nests of other Tolmomyias species whose nests have been described, a closed structure, suspended from a branch, with an entrance tunnel.