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Micrastur Ruficollis; Micrastur Semi- and Following Their Movements Until Nest Sites Were Torquatus;Nest; Egg: Nestling; Young

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Micrastur Ruficollis; Micrastur Semi- and Following Their Movements Until Nest Sites Were Torquatus;Nest; Egg: Nestling; Young SHORT COMMUNICATIONS The Condor92~237-239 0 The CooperOrnithological Society 1990 DESCRIPTIONS OF NESTS, EGGS, AND YOUNG OF THE BARRED FOREST-FALCON (MZCZUSTUR R UFZCOLLZS)AND OF THE COLLARED FOREST-FALCON (M. SEMZTORQUATUS)' RUSSELL K. THORSTROM The PeregrineFund, Inc., World Centerfor Birds of Prey, 5666 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise,ID 83709 Charles W. TURLEY Department of Biology, BoiseState University,1910 UniversityDrive, Boise, ID 83725 FELICIANO GIJTIERREZ RAMIREZ Tikal National Park, Instituto de Antropologiay Historia, 12 Avenida 1 l-65, Zona I, Guatemala City, Guatemala BETH ANN GILROY U.S. Fish and Wildltfe Service,1490 East Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520 Key words: Micrastur ruficollis; Micrastur semi- and following their movements until nest sites were torquatus;nest; egg: nestling; young. found. Nest #l was located on 13 April 1988 near the Maya ruins known as Complex R. The nest cavity was 23.7 The genus Micrastur contains six speciesof small to m above ground in a living Cedrelomexicana (Spanish medium-sized falconids. All are long-tailed, short- cedar). Total tree height was 31 m and diameter at winged, and inhabit forests from southern Mexico to breast height (dbh) was 1.9 m. The cavity was in a central Argentina (Brown and Amadon 1968). There decayedportion of a large limb extending horizontally is little information on the reproductivebiology of these from the main trunk. The cavity had two entrances. species.The nest and young of only one species,the The main cavity entrancewas on the top surfaceof the Collared Forest-Falcon 04. semitorauatus),has been limb and was 15.5 cm in diameter and surroundedby describedand that from only one breedingpair (Mader epiphytic growth. The secondaryentrance was on the 1979). A captive Collared Forest-Falcon at the Na- bottom of the limb. RT climbed this nest tree on 20 tional Zoological Park laid two eggsin 1968, one of April and found a clutch of two eggs.The eggswere which was salvaged(Wetmore 1974). T. de Vries (pers. located 66 cm (horizontal distance) from the cavity comm.) found a pair of Barred Forest-Falcons(M. ruji- opening on a substrateof piecesof decayedwood. The collis) going in and out of a hole, which he believed eggscould be observedonly with the aid of a flashlight was a nest, in the top of a large tree near the forest and could not be reached by hand. This nest was re- edge.Other than thesereports, the description ofnests, checkedon 6 May. At that time the eggshad apparently eggs, or young of the remaining congenersare unre- been moved farther away from the cavity entranceand ported (Thiollay 1985). out of view. We believe this to be the case,rather than that the nest failed, becauseprey deliveries continued NESTS throughoutthe remainder of the field season. Four nests of Barred Forest-Falcons and one nest of Nest #2 was located on 19 April 1988 near the Maya the Collared Forest-Falcon were located during 1988 ruin known as Temple V. The nest cavity was 17 m in Tikal National Park, Guatemala. Observationswere above ground in a dead and badly decayed tree of made from 1 April to 16 June 1988. Nests were located undetermined species.Total tree height was 25 m, and by searchingareas in which early morning vocaliza- the dbh was 65 cm. The cavity entrancewas a vertical tions were heard, then visually locatingvocalizing birds slit 12.5 cm wide. The cavity extended 68.5 cm below the bottom lip of the entranceand widened to 35.5 cm at the bottom. The floor of the cavity was lined with I Received 23 January 1989. Final acceptance 21 pieces of decayed wood. James Gilardi and Kirsten August 1989. von Kugelgen climbed this nest tree on 1 May and Wl’ 238 SHORT COMMUNICATIONS found a clutch ofthree eggs(described below). The nest Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina), Magnolia was recheckedon 2 June. At that time no eggsor shell Warbler (Dendroica magnolia), Spot-breasted Wren fragments were in the cavity that had large numbers (Thryotharus maculipectus),Rufous Mourner (Rhyti- of very aggressiveblack ants. sterna holervthra). and Western Wood-Peewee (Con- Nest #3 was located on 5 May 1988 near the Maya topussordidulus).“The only potential prey remains in ruins known as Mundo Perdido. The nest cavity was the Collared Forest-Falcon nest were feathers from a 17.5 m above ground in a living Cedrelo mexicana. Mottled Owl (Ciccaba virgata). The total tree height was 22 m, and dbh was 58.5 cm. The cavity entrance was 18 x 19 cm with the cavity DISCUSSION floor 50 cm below the lower lip of the entrance. FGR Laying occurred in the dry seasonwhile fledging, al- climbed this nest tree on 6 May and found a clutch of though not observed, would have occurredduring the three eggson a substrateof piecesof decayedbark and wet season. It is interesting to note that a large pro- wood. The nestwas recheckedon 11 June.At that time portion of prey found in nests consisted of migrant two nestlings approximately 1 to 2 weeks old were species. Fledging of young occurs in the absence of observedalong with one unhatchedegg. This nest was migrants, but after most small birds have bred and rechecked on 15 June and the young were photo- young are independent. graphed (young described below) and shell fragments The eggsof both Micrastur specieswere like those were collected. of most other members of Falconidaewhereas primary Nest #4 was located on 21 May 1988 near the in- hole-nestingbirds typically lay a white egg(e.g., pygmy tersection of the El Caoba and Estela trails. The nest falcons). Based on current classification,Micrastur is cavity was 12 m above ground in a living Lacuma placednear the Laughing Falcon (Herpetotherescach- campechiana(Silillon). The total tree height was 22 m, innans) in the subfamily Polyborinae (Amadon and and dbh was 30 cm. The cavity entrancewas a narrow Bull 1988). The allozyme data of Boyce and White vertical slit 8 cm wide and 35 cm from top to bottom. (pers. comm.) show that it fits between Falco and the The cavity floor was 35.5 cm below the lower lip of Laughing Falcon as their two closestrelatives. It is of the entrance. J. Peter Jenny climbed this nest tree on interest that downy Micrastur are white in color like 24 May and found a clutch of two eggson a substrate most Falco specieswhile downy Laughing Falcons are of pieces of decayed wood and bark. One egg was re- bully with a darker eyestrip, not unlike the Aplomado moved, measured, photographed,and replaced. Falcon (Falco femoralis) but quite unlike Micrastur. One Collared Forest-Falcon nest was in a cavity 2 1 Based on distance between nests, habitat use, and m in height in a 34-m C. mexicana and found on 24 number of vocalizations heard after techniques of lo- May 1988 by RT. The nest had a double entrance in cating forest-falcons were perfected, we believe M. the main branch. The main entrancewas 30.5 cm wide rufcollis is very common in mature tropical forestsand x 38 cm high and the back entrancewas 30.5 cm wide has small nesting territories. Micrastur semitorquatus x 92 cm long. From the main entrance to the cavity also was frequently heard but is believed to have a bottom was 45.5 cm, while it was 75 cm to the bottom larger territory and to occur at lower density. from the back entrance. The nest-bowl circumference This information was collected as an incidental part was 61 cm. of the Maya Project, a multi-year researcheffort being The four Barred Forest-Falcon nests were 600 m, conductedand funded by The PeregrineFund ’s World 800 m, and 1.0 km apart in a more or less straight Center for Birds of Prey (Bumham et al. 1988) in co- linear west to east line. The Collared Forest-Falcon operation with the Instituto National de Antropologia nest was 800 m west ofthe furthest west Barred Forest- y Historia (INAEH) and the Centro de Estudios Con- Falcon nest. servacionistas(CECON), Guatemala. We thank Lit. DESCRIPTION OF EGGS AND NESTLINGS Leopold0 Colon Molina, Director, INAEH, Lit. Jose Rodolfo Morales Sanchez, Administrador, Tikal Na- All observedclutches ofM. rujcollis consistedof either tional Park, and Sr. Rogelio Chi Ochaeta, Secretario, two eggs(two nests)or three eggs(two nests).The eggs Tikal National Park, for assistanceduring this project. were rounded, and dark reddish-brown in color with We alsothank William Bumham, J. Peter Jenny, James small dark spots. One egg measured 41.0 x 32.0 mm Gilardi, and Kirsten von Kugelgen of The Peregrine at its longest and widest points, respectively. Eggshell Fund and Aquilas EstuardoHemandez Cordova, Cris- fragments collected from M. semitorquatuswere light tabal Mateo Marales, Miguel Angel Vasquez Marro- tan color with small dark brown/black spots. quin, and Julio Alfred0 Madrid Montenegro of the staff The two young M. rufcollis observed at nest #3 at of Tikal National Park for their assistancein data col- approximately 1 to 2 weeks old were covered with lection durine the 1988 field season. We also thank white down with primary feathers developed to ap- Tom Cade anh James Munger for their review of and proximately 2 cm in length. The cere was greenish- suggestionsfor this manuscript. yellow; the beak was very deep and laterally com- pressed. Legs were long and yellow with short toes. LITERATURE CITED Eyes were dark with gray iris. The young of M. semi- torquatusat approximately the same age was very sim- AMADON.D., AND J. BULL. 1988. Hawks and owls ilar in appearancebut slightly larger. of the world: a distributional and taxonomic list.
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