Cotinga 19 Neotropical Notebook Neotropical Notebook contains During a visit to Peralta, in the (Fig. 1). Measurements (in mm) three sections. The first consists of Ciénaga de Zapata, on 17 were: 36.5 × 25.4, 35.2 × 25.5, 35.4 short papers documenting records. November 2000, we found a nest of × 26.4, 36.6 × 26 and 37.2 × 26.5. Photos and descriptions are the species, the first to be Confirmation that the nest published where appropriate. The discovered in Cuba. It was located belonged to a Spotted Rail came second section summarises records just above the water level and was when one of the adults published elsewhere, following the attached to an Annona glabra (videotaped) came within 5 m of format established in previous (Annonaceae) bush, and consisted AK while he was measuring the issues of Cotinga. The third lists of a cup of weeds, with some dead eggs. It was very active, constantly unpublished and undocumented leaves in the rather shallow uttering its alarm call and moving records. Please indicate, with depression. The overall diameter around the nest. Incubation was submissions, in which section you was 23 cm and the nest was 9 cm estimated at 20 days; certainly by wish your records to appear. deep, while the internal cup 9 December the nest was empty, measured 8 cm. Nest material the young having apparently SHORT NOTES comprised 12 species of flowering departed. plants, most of them herbaceous— Annona glabra, Thalia trichocalyx Acknowledgements Description of the first nest of (Marantaceae), Conocarpus erectus Ramona Oviedo Prieto identified Spotted Rail Pardirallus (Combretaceae), Paspalum the nest materials, NBC and maculatus discovered in Cuba blodguettii (Poaceae), Sporobolus Birdquest provided financial Spotted Rail Pardirallus indicus (Poaceae), Chara sp. support for AK’s work in the maculatus is widespread in the (Characeae) — with several species Ciénaga de Zapata, and Roberto Neotropics, south from Mexico to of Cyperaceae, namely Claudium Posada, Emilio Alfaro, Francisco south Brazil and north Argentina; jamaicense, Cyperus ligularis, Kirkconnell and Arturo in the Greater Antilles it has been Cyperus sp.,Dichromena colorata, Kirkconnell Jnr assisted his reported from Hispaniola, is Eleocharis cellulosa, Rhynchospora research there. CB is grateful to considered casual in Jamaica cyperoides and R. globosa. The Mark Finn, who provided his (where it may have bred in the bulk of the nest was constructed of travel to Cuba. 19th century) and in Cuba is leaves and inflorescences of the known from Havana, Matanzas two Poaceae species, with some References and Las Villas provinces, and sticks of Annona glabra. A. glabra 1. American Ornithologists’ probably the Isle of Pines1, and and Thalia trichocalyx leaves were Union (1998) Check-list of was recently reported from used to line the nest, along with North American birds. Guantánamo province4, perhaps two Conocarpus erectus leaves. The Seventh edition. Lawrence, suggesting that the species may be nest contained five subelliptical KA: American Ornithologists’ more widely distributed in the eggs, creamy white with sparse Union. main island than previously dark reddish-brown and purple 2. Garrido, O. H. & Kirkconnell, supposed. The only detailed field spots and small blotches, typically A. (2000) A field guide to the information concerning the species distributed uniformly, but in one birds of Cuba. Ithaca, NY: in Cuba was presented by concentrated at the larger end Cornell University Press. Gundlach3 and Watson6. 3. Gundlach, J. (1876) Breeding biology for the species Contribución a la ornitología was most recently summarised by cubana. La Habana: Imprenta Taylor & van Perlo6. No nest data La Antilla. is available for the species from 4. Kirwan, G. M., Flieg, G. M., Cuba2, although Gundlach3 Hume, R. A. & LaBar, S. described one egg (39 mm × 28 (2001) Interesting mm; white with an ochre wash distributional and temporal mainly at the large end, with records from Cuba, winter brown and lilac spots) found close 2000-2001. El Pitirre 14: 43– 46. to a dead adult in Zapata Swamp, Figure 1. N est and eggs of Spotted Rail 5. Taylor, B. & van Perlo, B. and another, subsequently laid by Pardirallus maculatus, Peralta, Zapata a bird that was obtained in a Swamp, 17 November 2000 (Chris (1998) Rails: a guide to the market. Bradshaw) rails, crakes, gallinules and coots of the world. 72 Cotinga 19 Neotropical Notebook Robertsbridge: Pica Press. 2. Ferguson-Lees, J. & Christie, obvious white patch on the ear- 6. Watson, G. E. (1962) Notes on D. A. (2001) Raptors of the coverts, lacking on the two A. the Spotted Rail in Cuba. world. London, UK: A. & C. affinis; although this feature can Wilson Bull. 74: 349–356. Black. be present on A. affinis, it tends to 3. Howell, S. N. G. & Webb, S. be more conspicuous and Arturo Kirkconnell (1995) A guide to the birds of persistent in A. marila4 and, in my Museo Nacional de Historia Mexico and northern Central experience, is considerably more Natural de Cuba, Calle Obispo 61, America. Oxford: Oxford prevalent in the latter. Plaza de Armas, La Habana, Cuba. University Press. Unfortunately, the distance (never 4. Wheeler, B. K. & Clark, W. S. less than c. 100 m) and light did Chris Bradshaw (1995) A photographic guide not permit comparison of the bill 6 Collet Walk, Parkwood, to North American raptors. nails, a useful distinguishing Gillingham, Kent ME8 9QL, UK. San Diego, CA: Academic characteristic at close range4,6; and Press. none of the birds displayed its wing stripe during the 30-minute Juvenile plumage of Lesser Kenneth M. Burton observation period. Conditions did Yellow-headed Vulture P.O. Box 716, Inverness, CA 94937- not permit photographic Cathartes burrovianus 0716, USA. documentation. On 16 January 2002, Laurie Ness Although identification of scaup and I observed many Lesser can be problematic and Yellow-headed Vultures Cathartes First record of Greater Scaup distinguishing features are subtle burrovianus, including several Aythya marila on the Yucatán and somewhat variable4, the juveniles and immatures, with Peninsula, Mexico features we observed were Turkey Vultures C. aura and Black On 18 January 2002, while consistent and unambiguous Vultures Coragyps atratus at accompanied by Laurie Ness, I throughout the observation period. Celestún dump, Yucatán, Mexico found a female Greater Scaup Furthermore, I have considerable (20°51'N 90°23'W). The juvenile C. Aythya marila c. 9 km east of experience with both species, burrovianus were overall slightly Progreso, Yucatán, Mexico which are common winter browner than the adults, with (21°17'N 89°33'W). It was residents in California. greyish heads. Their primary swimming and diving in a According to Howell & Webb3, A. projection and leg colour were mangrove lagoon south of the marila is a rare winter visitor to indistinguishable from the adults'. Dzilam de Bravo road, at a Baja California and Sonora, but Also like the adults, they lacked flamingo Phoenicopterus-viewing the latter authors indicate no the scaly appearance created by pavilion near the site of the Mexican records outside those the pale fringes to the upperwing- narrow track opposite the Los areas. However, it is also a rare coverts characteristic of North Flamencos sign as described under winter visitor to the Texas coast American races of Turkey Vulture Site 14.6 in Howell2. The bird was and upper Rio Grande Valley1,5,6, of all ages1. In addition, they loosely associated with two female and has been recorded in the appeared to lack the pale fringes Lesser Scaup A. affinis, permitting vicinity of Matamoros, to the mantle feathers good comparative views. Although Tamaulipas6. This sighting is the characteristic of juvenile Turkey we were looking into the sun and first record of the species on the Vulture4. This plumage has not there was considerable glare, we Yucatán Peninsula. Rare Bird been adequately described in the were, with the aid of a good Alerts for winter 2001–02 did not literature2,3 (S. N. G. Howell pers. telescope, able to observe several indicate an influx of A. marila into comm.). The presence or absence of key identification features. Texas or Florida, so this scaling, particularly on the wings, The bird was obviously a female occurrence cannot be considered should distinguish juveniles (and scaup on the basis of the white part of a larger event. other age classes) of the two patch at the base of the bill, and species when at rest. Immatures of was slightly longer bodied and References both species acquire a duller stockier than the A. affinis. The 5. Holt, H. R. (1992) A birder’s version of the adult head crown was distinctly flat, highest guide to the Rio Grande coloration at six months (S. N. G. in front, with a ‘double-bump’ Valley of Texas. Colorado Howell pers. comm.). effect reminiscent of Common Springs: American Birding Loon Gavia immer. In contrast, the Association. Acknowledgements crowns of the A. affinis clearly had 6. Howell, S. N. G. (1999) A bird- Steve N. G. Howell commented on peaks at the rear, sloping to the finding guide to Mexico. a preliminary draft of this note. bill. The bill of the A. marila was Ithaca, NY: Cornell distinctly longer and broader than University Press. References those of the A. affinis and 7. Howell, S. N. G. & Webb, S. 1. Clark, W. S. & Wheeler, B. K. appeared slightly less curved on (1995) A guide to the birds of (1987) Hawks. Boston: the culmen when viewed from the Mexico and northern Central Houghton Mifflin. side. The bird had a diffuse but 73 Cotinga 19 Neotropical Notebook America. Oxford: Oxford throat contained some yellow with the río San Juan on the University Press. flecking and the undertail-coverts Caribbean slope of Costa Rica. The 8. Kaufman, K. (1990) Advanced had a slight yellow wash.