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First Description of the Nest, Eggs, Hatchlings, and Incubation Behavior of the White-Bellied Antpitta (Grallaria Hypoleuca)

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First Description of the Nest, Eggs, Hatchlings, and Incubation Behavior of the White-Bellied Antpitta (Grallaria Hypoleuca) SHORT COMMUNICATIONS ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL 14: 535–539, 2003 © The Neotropical Ornithological Society FIRST DESCRIPTION OF THE NEST, EGGS, HATCHLINGS, AND INCUBATION BEHAVIOR OF THE WHITE-BELLIED ANTPITTA (GRALLARIA HYPOLEUCA) Edwin R. Price1 2847 Berkshire Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, USA. Email: [email protected] Primera descripción del nido, huevos, pichones y comportamiento durante la incubación de la Gralaria Ventriblanca (Grallaria hypoleuca). Key words: White-bellied Antpitta, Grallaria hypoleuca, Formicariidae, nest, eggs, breeding, parental behavior, nesting behavior. INTRODUCTION Peru, preferring humid forest undergrowth, edges, and second growth at 1400–2200 m Antpittas (Grallariinae) are largely terrestrial elevation (Hilty & Brown 1986, Ridgely & birds that, together with the antthrushes, Greenfield 2001). The only subspecies found make up the family of ground antbirds (For- in Ecuador is G. hypoleuca castanea. There, micariidae) and are related to the typical ant- the species inhabits the subtropical zone of birds (Thamnophilidae) (Sibley & Ahlquist the eastern Andean slope, and is notably 1990). Often inhabiting forests with dense numerous around Cabañas San Isidro, in understory vegetation, the secretive habits of western Napo province (Ridgely & Green- antpittas are such that their presence is often field 2001). Like others in its genus, the only detected by their voice. These character- White-bellied Antpitta is difficult to see, istics have left ornithologists with sparse spending most of its time on or near the information regarding natural history in these ground. It is similar in habits to other mon- birds. Notably, the breeding biology of the tane Grallaria antpittas, but is more tolerant antpittas is poorly known; nests have been of degraded and fragmented habitats (Ridgely described for fewer than half of the known & Greenfield 2001). I can find no previous species (Protomastro 2000), and published reports of nesting in this species. Here I descriptions exist for only 6 of 31 species in describe the nest, eggs, and hatchlings from the genus Grallaria (Bell & Bruning 1976, one nest in Ecuador, and relay observations Wiedenfeld 1982, Quintela 1987, Protomas- of parental behavior at the nest during incu- tro 2000). bation. The White-bellied Antpitta (Grallaria hypo- leuca) ranges in the Andes from Colombia to METHODS ______________ 1Current address: Division of Biological Sciences, While searching for bird nests in cloud forest University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812. at Cabañas San Isidro, near the town of 535 PRICE Cosanga (0.0°36’S, 77°52’W), on the eastern fairly evenly distributed over the shell. One slope of the Ecuadorian Andes, I flushed an egg measured 32 x 24 mm (9.17 g) and the adult White-bellied Antpitta off its nest. The other measured 30 x 23 mm (7.85 g). Both nest was first discovered on 19 May 2001 and eggs hatched on 5 June; the hatchlings were I checked the nest almost daily through 1 covered with gray down and had bright June. My colleague Tina Sommer then orange bills and gapes. On 15 June (Day 10) checked the nest daily until 6 June. The nest the nest was empty and the fate of the nest- then went unwatched until the final observa- lings was uncertain; the nest was intact, there tion on 15 June. Eggs were weighed with a were no remains or feces left in the nest, and field balance on 21 May. Egg dimensions, nest no fledglings were seen in the area. Given the dimensions and height were measured on 27 long nestling period of the Scaled Antpitta May with a small ruler; substrate height and (Grallaria guatimalensis) (17–19 days; Dobbs et forest canopy height were estimated. During al. 2001), it is likely that the nest was depre- the incubation period, the nest was video- dated. taped twice (25 May and 31 May) from about The adults usually crouched down in the 07:00 to 13:30 (EST) to monitor parental nest when I approached, and only flushed activity. The camera and tripod were placed when I reached about 1 m of the nest. Pres- ~10 m from the nest and were camouflaged ence of the video camera did not noticeably with vegetation. affect their behavior. Although sexual monomorphism in this RESULTS species precluded sex determination in the adults, the parents were observed sharing The nest was found in primary cloud forest at incubation duties. Both parents incubated the about 2000 m elevation, with an average can- eggs for roughly equal periods, with each par- opy height of ~25 m. Large ferns dominated ent sitting on the nest for bouts ranging from the forest undergrowth and ferns partially 23 min to 124 min. Mean on-bout duration concealed the nest from horizontal view. on the first recording date was 65 + 26 min (n There was a bamboo thicket about 30 m = 5, data presented are mean + SD) and was from the nest and there were no man-made not significantly different from the mean on- trails nearby. The nest was placed 1.25 m bout duration on the second recording date above the ground, in a vertical fork in the (99 + 20 min, n = 4; P = 0.07). trunk of a live tree. This substrate tree had The exchange of incubating parents was an estimated height of 11 m. The nest’s generally quick, and the incubating adult composition included large twigs (3 mm seemed to anticipate the arrival of its replace- in diameter) as well as smaller twigs and root- ment. In two of the seven exchanges lets. Very little moss was found in the nest. observed, the incoming and outgoing adults The nest was a circular cup with an outside traded places simultaneously; in two more diameter of 14.2 cm, an inside diameter of exchanges, the outgoing parent left only 1 s 10.7 cm, and an inside depth of 6.4 cm. after the arrival of its replacement. In the Outside depth could not be determined other three exchanges, both parents were on because the nest merged indistinctly with the nest for 22 + 1 s, and in two of these cases decaying leaves at its base and with the sub- the incubating parent initially stood up, then strate tree. sat back down for a short time before leaving. The nest contained two eggs, which were The incoming parent was at the nest for an light green with small light-brownish blotches average of 19 + 8 s before sitting down to 536 WHITE-BELLIED ANTPITTA NEST incubate, and in no case took longer than 30 s antpittas (Wiedenfeld 1982, Quintela 1987, before sitting on the eggs. No mate feeding Whitney 1992, Protomastro 2000), this nest was observed during incubation. Both parents was placed in a living upright tree, and not on often brought a small fiber to the nest when a rotten stump or fallen log. Nest substrate assuming incubation duty. This occurred on may vary between or within geographic three out of five times on the later film date; regions, and Dobbs et al. (2001) noted that the film quality on the first date was not good Scaled Antpitta has been found to nest on enough to allow detection of such small mate- both fallen logs and upright live or dead trees. rial. After arriving at the nest, the adult placed Thus, nest placement in the White-bellied the material in the nest before sitting down to Antpitta could potentially vary through its incubate. range. The parents were observed incubating the The eggs of the White-bellied Antpitta are eggs for 88% of the time that was videotaped. also similar to those of other Grallaria antpit- Of the time when no parent was incubating, tas, which are nearly always light blue or green the majority occurred in the early morning. (Wiedenfeld 1982). An egg (8.3 g) extracted On the later recording date, the nest was left from a female White-bellied Antpitta col- without a parent for a period of at least 45 lected in northern Peru was described as light min. Continuous coverage of the nest was blue without mention of mottling (Parker et achieved after 09:17 on both recording al. 1985). Other known eggs in the genus have dates. Early morning absence was noticed lacked mottling or dark blotches (Dobbs et al. on other dates during incubation. At all five 2001), and the light brown blotches on the nest checks made between 06:40 and 07:00, eggs in this nest may simply be stains from the parents were absent and the eggs were the nest. The number of eggs in antpitta quite cold to the touch. Unfortunately, no clutches is almost invariably two (Wiedenfeld behavior was monitored or taped after 13:30, 1982), and this nest continues in that pattern. but an adult was found incubating at one The eggs of the White-bellied Antpitta are check of the nest made at 16:30. No behavior slightly larger than those reported for the of adults or nestlings was monitored after Streak-chested Antpitta (Hylopezus perspicillatus; hatching. Skutch 1969) and the Thrush-like Antpitta (Myrmothera campanisona; Tostain & Dujardin DISCUSSION 1988), which would be expected as these two antpitta species reach a smaller size at matu- Although there seems to be no previous rity (Welty 1975). The eggs of the Scaled Ant- record of nesting in the White-bellied Ant- pitta, a species matching the White-bellied pitta, the date of nesting is in accord with Antpitta in adult body length (Hilty & Brown reports of birds of this species found in 1986), are similar in length and width to those breeding condition in the central and eastern of White-bellied Antpittas (Dobbs et al. 2001), Andes of Colombia (March–Sepember; Hilty while egg dimensions of the larger Variegated & Brown 1986).
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