SHORT COMMUNICATIONS ORNITOLOGIA NEOTROPICAL 20: 299–303, 2009 © The Neotropical Ornithological Society THE NEST OF THE STRIPE-NECKED TODY-TYRANT (HEMITRICCUS STRIATICOLLIS), WITH THE FIRST DETAILED NESTING DATA FOR THE DRAB-BREASTED PYGMY-TYRANT (H. DIOPS) Guy M. Kirwan1 & Andrew Whittaker2 174 Waddington Street, Norwich NR2 4JS, UK. E-mail: [email protected] 2Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CP 399, Belém, Pará, Brazil. El nido del Titirijí Gorgiestriado (Hemitriccus striaticollis), con los primeros datos detallados sobre nidificación para el Titirijí Pechigrís (H. diops). Key words: Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant, Hemitriccus striaticollis, nesting, Drab-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant, Hemitriccus diops, Brazil. The genus Hemitriccus, Cabanis & Heine, 1859, resolving the systematics of this group of Ty- is usually considered to comprise c. 21 species rannidae. (Ridgely & Tudor 1994, Clock 2004) of small, Nest architecture has been demonstrated drab, and often difficult to identify Tyran- to be an informative tool in revealing phylo- nidae, which are distributed throughout the genetic relationships amongst many subos- northern two-thirds of South America. Peak cine passerines (e.g., Sheldon & Winkler 1999, diversity in the genus is achieved in the Andes Zyskowski & Prum 1999). Clock (2004) pre- and eastern Brazil. Following the work of sented data concerning the nests of 11 of the Traylor (1977), most subsequent authors have 21 currently recognized species of Hemitriccus, merged the following genera within Hemitric- but overlooked the published description of cus: Snethlagea (but see Cohn-Haft 1996), another, H. kaempferi (Mazar Barnett et al. Idioptilon, Microcochlearius, and Ceratotriccus. 2000). However, for five of these species, the However, a recent genetic study recovered available data are extremely basic, being noth- evidence to resurrect the genus Snethlagea ing more than a mention that the nest is pen- (Tello & Bates 2007). This study sampled just dent and or purse-shaped, and similar to three species of Hemitriccus (minor, zosterops, others of the genus. The nest of one species, and margaritaceiventer), each of which was the Brown-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant H. obsole- found to occupy a different clade within the tus, is considered somewhat ‘unusual’ with overall ‘tody-tyrant’ assemblage. Further respect to those described for congenerics molecular work clearly is required to assist in because it is non-pendent (cf. Bencke et al. 299 KIRWAN & WHITTAKER 2001, Clock 2004). The nest described by vicinity of the nest, the birds would fly in and Bencke et al. (2001) pertained to the subspe- initially perch within 2 m of the nest, remain cies H. o. zimmeri, which exhibits some vocal < 5 seconds, and then fly directly into the differences from nominate H. o. obsoletus (both nest. The nest was placed slightly less than 1 authors pers. obs.). Here, we describe for the m above the level ground, which was entirely first time the nest of Hemitriccus striaticollis, and covered in dead leaves and some river debris, provide the first detailed description of the and within an area of comparatively dense nest of Drab-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant H. diops, understory (much of the gallery forest on the a species for which only very basic data have west bank of the river has a rather open been published. Together with the Flammu- understory). lated Pygmy-Tyrant H. flammulatus, H. diops is The H. striaticollis nest was suspended, generally considered to be the closest relative using plant fibers and some dark rootlets, of H. obsoletus. All three species are largely from the horizontal branch of an unidenti- dependent on bamboo (Ridgely & Tudor fied, narrow-trunked understory tree (total 1994) and they comprise the original constitu- height < 3 m), and the nest site was largely ents of the genus Hemitriccus (Hellmayr 1927), concealed by leaves from both nearby trees making the publication of additional nesting and the same tree. From a distance of > 5 m, data of value in assessing the monophyly of these leaves completely obscured the nest this grouping (Bencke et al. 2001). from view. The nest’s structure could be con- sidered typical of the genus Hemitriccus, based Stripe-necked Tody-Tyrant. During ornithological on data summarized and collated by Clock field work at the Reserva Particular do Pat- (2004), the nest being pendent and somewhat rimônio Natural do SESC Pantanal (16o39’S, ‘purse-shaped’. Following the classification 56o16’W), near Porto Cercado, southwest system proposed by Simon & Pacheco (2005), Mato Grosso, Brazil, a protected area of the nest can be described as ‘closed/ovoid/ 106,644 ha (Antas 2004), H. Shirihai and pensile’. The outer structure comprised some GMK discovered a nest of Stripe-necked live green mosses, and principally plant fibers Tody-Tyrant in an advanced stage of con- and fine grasses, as well as a few dead brown struction, on 2 November 2006. The nest site leaves and small pieces of bark, which were was situated within a seasonally inundated used to ‘disguise’ the nest (a common tactic gallery forest (canopy height c. 15 m, width of by many tyrant flycatchers). In order to avoid the forest strip c. 10–20 m) on the west bank disturbing the nest building birds, we of the Rio Cuiabá, which at this season (fol- refrained from closely inspecting the inner lowing two months of very little rainfall) was cup, which appeared to be present, as is typi- completely dry. Only one individual was seen cal of nests of this genus (pers. obs.; Clock visiting the nest at one time, but new material 2004). However, we noted the typical side was brought as frequently as every 15–30 sec- entrance, sheltered by a slight overhang above onds, suggesting that both adults were it, and placed approximately midway between involved in collecting it. Material was always the top and base of the nest (see, e.g., photo- collected some distance from the nest, the graph of the nest of Eye-ringed Tody-Tyrant birds certainly departing at least 8 m on each Hemitriccus orbitatus in Fitzpatrick 2004: 230). occasion. At this stage, the birds were solely Estimated from a distance of 1.5 m, the nest occupied with completing the inner lining of was c. 10 cm wide at the broadest point (in its the nest, but it was not possible to identify the middle), and c. 20 cm top to bottom, with items being brought. On returning to the some detritus hanging slightly below the main 300 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS ovoid shape of the nest, presumably to fur- steep bank, in an unidentified understory tree ther disturb the nest’s outline and make it less (maximum height unrecorded), and under the obvious to potential predators. classification scheme proposed by Simon & Few nesting data are available for those Pacheco (2005) could be described as ‘closed/ Hemitriccus species formerly placed in the globular/lateral’. However, the nest does not genus Idioptilon. However, the nest data pre- well fit their classification scheme, because the sented here accord reasonably well with those supporting branches were not exclusively lat- summarized for H. margaritaceiventer, H. ni- eral (see below), and at first glance the struc- dipendulus, and H. orbitatus (Clock 2004), and ture actually appeared like the typical ‘hanging the moss pendant nest with a side entrance bag’ of many tyrant flycatchers. Simon & built by H. zosterops flaviviridis, found by AW at Pacheco (2005) suggest that the combination São Gabriel do Cachoeira, Amazonas, Brazil. ‘closed/globular/pensile’, the only other pos- Antas (2004) mentioned that H. striaticollis sible description for the nest described below, breeds in July to October in the Pantanal, but is yet to be recorded amongst Neotropical based on the observations presented here this birds. period can plainly be extended, probably until The outer structure principally comprised the year-end. Like most other members of live green mosses and plant fibres, a few fun- Hemitriccus for which clutch size has been gal rhizomorphs, along with some dark root- recorded, this species apparently lays two eggs lets and dry stems, as well as a few strips of (Clock 2004). dry bark and several dead bamboo leaves, which were again presumably used to deco- Drab-breasted Pygmy-Tyrant. On 3 October rate and thereby ‘disguise’ the nest (Fig. 1). 2005, whilst leading a group of birdwatchers Although generally globular in shape, the at a site known as Caetés, in Vargem Alta maximum diameter of the nest was c. 12 cm, municipality, southern Espírito Santo, south- whilst from top to bottom the nest measured east Brazil, AW discovered an occupied nest c. 16 cm, with one or two dry stems extending of this species, which was independently a further 7–8 cm below the main structure. It found by GMK on 17 October. The habitat at was attached near the top and along part of this site can be characterized as Atlantic one side to a very narrow, drooping branch Dense Ombrophyllous Forest, with a canopy over a length of c. 5 cm, using many dark height of up to c. 30 m. The forest has many rootlets as the principal means of support, tall, epiphyte-covered trees, and abundant and much more loosely on the other side of Euterpe palms, and is situated at 1100–1250 m the nest by an even smaller, near-vertical (for further details, see Venturini et al. 2005). branch. The nest possessed a prominent and The nest of H. diops was sited < 2.5 m slightly rounded side entrance, which was situ- from a dirt road through the forest, which ated close to the top of the nest, and pro- receives some vehicle traffic, but is not heavily tected by a small awning or overhang. A used, and c. 10 m from a clean-water stream concentration of dead dry leaves directly that runs through much of the forest.