Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia, 22(2), 219-233 ARTICLE June 2014 Breeding biology of the White-winged Nightjar (Eleothreptus candicans) in eastern Paraguay Robert G. Pople Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK. Email:
[email protected] Current address: BirdLife International, Wellbrook Court, Girton Road, Cambridge, CB3 0NA, UK. Received on 03 September 2013. Accepted on 02 October 2013. ABSTRACT: Breeding biology of the White-winged Nightjar (Eleothreptus candicans) in eastern Paraguay. I present the first detailed description of the breeding biology of the White-winged Nightjar (Eleothreptus candicans), based on data collected over three breeding seasons during 1998-2001 at Aguará Ñu, Canindeyú, eastern Paraguay. Male nightjars defended small territories situated on the upper slopes of ridgelines. Each territory contained one or more “display arenas” at which the male performed nuptial display flights. Aggregation indices confirmed that the primary display arenas of males were significantly clustered within the survey area. Within their territories, males apparently selected display arenas on the basis of their structural characteristics: mounds used as arenas were significantly lower and broader than random mounds. Males engaged in display activity from late August to early January. On average, males performed 0.54 ± 0.04 display flights per minute during nocturnal focal watches, but there was considerable intra-male variation in display rate. Following a burst of activity immediately after their arrival at display arenas at dusk, male display rate was best explained by ambient levels of moonlight. Males produced a previously undescribed insect-like “tik tik” call when inactive on their territories.