Cotinga 36 Short Communications

Figure 1. Wing-barred Piprites Piprites

chloris nest, possibly still under construction, in a cavity formed by the irregularly shaped bole of an Aspidosperma carapanauba, Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Mato Grosso, Brazil, 3 June 2013 (Stephan Lorenz)

cup supported by a narrow branch below a bank3. Thus, the precise A Wing-barred Piprites nest structure is controversial. Piprites chloris nest in Mato The nest of the closely related, but Grosso, Brazil allopatric, Grey-headed Piprites P. Wing-barred Piprites Piprites griseiceps is unknown3. Only the chloris is the most widespread nest of Black-capped Piprites P. member of its genus, ranging pileata has been fully described; a discontinuously from Colombia sphere of moss supported by the to north-east Argentina2,3,7. The fork of a trunk1. genus has previously been included We describe a Wing-barred in the (Pipridae)8,9 but Piprites nest under construction in is currently classified as incertae the Rio Cristalino Private Natural sedis by SACC6, whereas it is Heritage Preserve (09°41’S included in the tyrant flycatchers 55°54’W), 40 km north-east of Alta (Tyrannidae) by Tello et al.10 and Floresta, Mato Grosso, Brazil. the IOC2. Recently, Ohlson et al.4 The species is fairly common to proposed family rank (Pipritidae) uncommon in tall terra firme forest for this genus. in the reserve, and often joins Wing-barred Piprites and its mixed-species flocks. While easily two congeners represent some of detected by voice, it is infrequently the least known of Neotropical seen and tends to remain in the . Data on natural history upper subcanopy, where it often and breeding ecology can aid in remains still when vocalising resolving taxonomic uncertainties. (pers. obs.). Details of the nesting of P. During mid morning of 25 May chloris are essentially unknown, 2013, along a trail skirting a despite a reference to a nest ‘in treefall gap in terra firme forest on a cavity, with no suspended nest the east bank of the rio Cristalino, structure’7, which reference lacks while observing a mixed-species a primary source1,3. In contrast, flock, we spotted a Wing-barred a nest reported from south-east Piprites perched on a horizontal Brazil was described as an open branch c.7 m above ground. The

125 Cotinga 36 Short Communications was carrying nesting material The cavity had a vertical depth of their assistance. Comments by and remained motionless long c.12 cm and horizontal depth of 7 K. Cockle greatly improved this enough to permit observation cm. A large proportion of the nest manuscript. through a 32 × 60 telescope. was visible at the entrance, which We confirmed the identification measured 4 cm wide × 20 cm tall. References based on the bird’s small size, two The nest had a total depth of 15 1. Cockle, K., Maders, C., Di prominent wingbars, short tail, cm with the cup measuring 5 cm Santo, G. & Bodrati, A. stubby bill, distinct eye-ring, and deep and 4 cm wide. The material (2008) The Black-capped faint yellow wash to the vent and appeared to consist exclusively of Piprites Piprites pileata throat5. The unique combination moss with no discernible lining, builds a spherical moss nest. of bill shape, wingbars, big eyes indicating that the nest may still Cotinga 29: 166–168. and large-headed appearance have been under construction on 2. Gill, F. & Donsker, D. (eds.) eliminated any superficially 31 May. It is possible that the bird (2013) IOC world bird similar Tyrannidae species. The was in the process of constructing list (version 3.4). www. presumed resident subspecies P. c. a spherical nest, similar to that worldbirdnames.org grisescens is overall greyish with of Black-capped Piprites1. After (accessed 1 September 2013). the least amount of yellow on the the nest had been destroyed, 3. Kirwan, G. M. & Green, underparts2. We followed the bird presumably by a predator or G. (2012) Cotingas and as it flew to a shallow cavity in a competitor, all of the material had manakins. Princeton, NJ: tree trunk, where it deposited the been removed from the cavity. We Princeton University Press. material, and sat on it briefly as if are unsure if eggs were present 4. Ohlson J. I., Irestedt, M., shaping a nest cup. The bird was at the time it was destroyed or Ericson, P. G. P. & Fjeldså, clearly visible the entire time it whether an incubating bird would J. (2013) Phylogeny and was in the cavity. It then flew off, have been visible from the ground classification of the New disappearing from view and we on 3 June. We speculate that World suboscines (Aves, made no further observations that a predator discovered the eggs Passeriformes). Zootaxa day. During the entire observation immediately after they had been 3613: 1–35. we saw just one individual. laid or pulled the nest material 5. van Perlo, B. (2009) Birds Some moss was visible at the from the cavity searching for eggs. of Brazil. New York: Oxford entrance to the cavity and we We encourage future field University Press. photographed the nest site. We workers to search for Wing-barred 6. Remsen, J. V., Cadena, C. made no further observations of Piprites nests and gather D., Jaramillo, A., Nores, M., the bird during subsequent visits additional data on natural history Pacheco, J. F., Pérez-Emán, to the nest on 26, 30, 31 May and and breeding behaviour. Our J., Robbins, M. B., Stiles F. 3 and 7 June. By 30 May, the observation provides further G., Stotz, D. F. & Zimmer structure had been significantly clues into nest construction and K. J. (2013) A classification enlarged, with a mossy cup clearly placement, and may direct future of the bird species of South visible in the cavity (Fig. 1), but a work concerning possible nest America. www.museum.lsu. check of the nest’s contents on 31 location and phenology. Our edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline. May revealed it to be empty. The observation supports the reference html (accessed 1 September structure appeared undisturbed to the species nesting in a cavity7, 2013). during a check through a telescope but contrasts with the description 7. Snow, D. W. (2004) Family on 3 June, but on 7 June, when of an open cup on a branch3. In Pipridae (manakins). In: climbing the tree again, we found addition, placement in a cavity del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A. the nest destroyed with all of differs from the only known Black- & Christie, D. A. (eds.) the material pulled from the capped Piprites nest, a loosely Handbook of the birds of the hollow and some moss on nearby constructed sphere of moss in world, 9. Barcelona: Lynx branches. During the following a tree fork 1. Piprites may be Edicions. days we heard the species singing flexible in terms of nest site and 8. Snow, D. W. (1979) Family in the vicinity, but made no construction, making it of interest Pipridae. In: Traylor, M. A. further direct observations. to locate additional nests of all (ed.) Check-list of the birds The nest was placed c.7 m above three species. of the world, 8. Cambridge, ground in the shallow cavity of MA: Museum of Comparative an Aspidosperma carapanauba, a Acknowledgements Zoology, Harvard University fairly common and widespread tree We are grateful to Vitoria da Riva Press. in the study area. The irregularly Carvalho for continued support 9. Stotz, D. F., Fitzpatrick, J. W., shaped boles of A. carapanauba of scientific work at Cristalino Parker, T. A. & Moskovits, D. trees provide many small cavities. Jungle Lodge. We also thank K. (1996) Neotropical birds: The nest consisted of moss shaped Terry Reis and Claudia Cavazos ecology and conservation. into a cup and placed solidly for support in the field and Alex Chicago: University of on the floor of the cavity, not da Riva Carvalho and the staff Chicago Press. suspended, filling the entire hole. at Cristalino Jungle Lodge for

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10. Tello, J. G., Moyle, R. G., Marchese, D. J. & Cracraft, J. (2009) Phylogeny and phylogenetic classification of the tyrant flycatchers, cotingas, manakins and their allies (Aves: ). Cladistics 25: 429–467.

Stephan Lorenz San Jacinto College, 5800 Uvalde Road, Houston, TX 77049, USA. E-mail: [email protected].

Joelson T. Toldeo Cristalino Jungle Lodge, Av. Perimetral Oeste, 2001, Alta Floresta, MT, Brazil.

Received 4 September 2013; final revision accepted 21 December 2013

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