Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-tf8b9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T07:26:10.687Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Bimodal breeding seasonality of an understorey bird, Premnoplex brunnescens, in an Ecuadorian cloud forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 July 2010

Harold F. Greeney
Harold F. Greeney*
Affiliation:
Yanayacu Biological Station and Center for Creative Studies c/o Foch 721 y Amazonas, Quito, Ecuador
*
1Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Despite the aseasonality of temperature and day length of many tropical regions, especially when compared with temperate latitudes, most tropical animals show fairly pronounced seasonal shifts in foraging, movement patterns and reproduction (Flecker & Feifarek 1994, Saul 1975, Wolda & Fisk 1981). Understanding reproductive seasonality in tropical avian communities involves distinguishing among complex interactions between weather, resource abundance, hormones, behaviour and other life-history traits (Wikelski et al. 2003). While there is a great deal of evidence that many tropical bird species breed seasonally (Hau 2001, Marchant 1959, Miller 1963, Snow & Snow 1964), we still understand little of the causes which drive observed patterns (Wikelski et al. 2003). Most studies which address the seasonality of reproduction in tropical birds have focused on locations with fairly extreme temporal changes in rainfall (Cruz & Andrews 1989, Lack 1950, Marchant 1959, Poulin et al. 1992, Voous 1950), and comparatively few have looked at relatively aseasonal low-latitude locations (Miller 1963, Moreau 1950). Similarly, though a few studies have pointed out slight variation in the within-species initiation of breeding based on microhabitat (Wikelski et al. 2003), we know very little about how micro-habitat choice for nesting may affect (or be affected by) breeding seasonality. In this study I describe the nesting cycle of the spotted barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens), from the Ecuadorian Andes to better understand how reproduction may be seasonal when climatic cues are subtle or absent.

Keywords

AndesEcuadorFurnariidaenestspotted barbtail
Type
Short Communication
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 26 , Issue 5 , September 2010 , pp. 547 - 549
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

LITERATURE CITED

BATSCHELET, E. 1981. Circular statistics in biology. Academic Press, London. 371 pp.Google Scholar
BERGIN, T. M. 1991. A comparison of goodness-of-fit tests for analysis of nest orientation in Western Kingbirds (Tyrannus verticalis). Condor 93:164–171.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
CRUZ, A. & ANDREWS, R. W. 1989. Observations on the breeding biology of passerines in a seasonally flooded savanna in Venezuela. Wilson Bulletin 101:62–76.Google Scholar
DOBBS, R. C. & GREENEY, H. F. 2006. Nesting and foraging ecology of the Rufous-breasted Flycatcher (Leptopogon rufipectus). Ornitología Neotropical 17:173–181.Google Scholar
DUDGEON, D. & WATT., C. Y. M. 1986. Life cycle and diet of Zygonyx iris insignis (Insecta: Odonata: Anisoptera) in Hong Kong running waters. Journal of Tropical Ecology 2:73–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FLECKER, A. S. & FEIFAREK, B. 1994. Disturbance and the temporal variability of invertebrate assemblages in two Andean streams. Freshwater Biology 31:131–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
FOGDEN, M. P. L. 1972. The seasonality and population dynamics of equatorial forest birds in Sarawak. Ibis 114:307–343.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
GREENEY, H. F. 2004. Breeding behavior of the Bicolored Antvireo (Dysithamnus occidentalis). Ornitología Neotropical 15:349–356.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F. 2005. The nest and eggs of the Yellow-whiskered Bush Tanager (Chlorospingus parvirostris) in eastern Ecuador. Ornitología Neotropical 16:437–438.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F. 2007. Observations on nesting biology and natural history of Slaty-backed Chat-Tyrant (Ochthoeca cinnamomeiventris) with a description of nestling growth and plumage development. Boletín de la Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología 17:10–16.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F. 2008a. Nest construction behavior and variability in nest architecture and nest placement of the Spotted Barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens). Boletín de la Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología 18:26–37.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F. 2008b. The Spotted Barbtail (Premnoplex brunnescens): a review of taxonomy, distribution, and breeding biology, with additional observations from northeastern Ecuador. Boletín de la Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología 18:1–9.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F. 2008c. Observations on nesting of White-capped Dipper (Cinclus leucocephalus) in Ecuador. Boletín de la Sociedad Antioqueña de Ornitología 18:49–53.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F. & MILLER, E. T. 2008. The nestling and parental care of the Slate-crowned Antpitta (Grallaricula nana) in northeastern Ecuador. Ornitología Neotropical 19;457–461.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F., KRABBE, N., LYSINGER, M. & FUNK, W. C. 2004. Observations on the breeding and vocalizations of the Fulvous-breasted Flatbill (Rhynchocyclus fulvipectus) in eastern Ecuador. Ornitología Neotropical 15;365–370.Google Scholar
GREENEY, H. F., DOBBS, R. C., DIAZ, G. I. C., KERR, S. & HAYHURST, J. 2006. Breeding of the Green-fronted Lancebill (Doryfera ludovicae) in eastern Ecuador. Ornitología Neotropical 17:321–331.Google Scholar
HARRIS, J. B. C., CARPIO, A. R. L., CHAMBERS, M. K. & GREENEY, H. F. 2008. Altitudinal and geographical range extension for Bicoloured Antvireo Dysithamnus occidentalis punctiteuctus in the Andes of southeastern Ecuador with notes on nesting ecology. Cotinga 30:63–65.Google Scholar
HAU, M. 2001. Timing of breeding in variable environments: tropical birds as model systems. Hormones and Behaviour 40:281–290.Google Scholar
HILTY, S. L. & BROWN, W. L. 1986. A guide to the birds of Colombia. Princeton University Press, Princeton. 996 pp.Google Scholar
JANZEN, D. H. 1967. Synchronization of sexual reproduction of trees within the dry season in Central America. Evolution 21:620–637.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
LACK, D. 1950. Breeding seasons in the Galapagos. Ibis 92:268–278CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MARCHANT, S. 1959. The breeding season in S. W. Ecuador. Ibis 101:137–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MILLER, A. H. 1963. Seasonal activity and ecology of the avifauna of an American equatorial cloud forest. University of California Publications in Zoology 66:1–74.Google Scholar
MOREAU, R. E. 1950. The breeding seasons of African birds. 1: land birds. Ibis 92:223–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
NAIMAN, R. J. & DECAMPS, H. 1997. The ecology of interfaces: riparian zones. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 28:621–658.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
POULIN, B., LEFEBVRE, G. & MCNEIL, R. 1992. Tropical avian phenology in relation to abundance and exploitation of food resources. Ecology 73:2295–2309.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
RAO, J. S. 1976. Some tests based on arc-lengths for the circle. Sankhya, Series B 33:1–10.Google Scholar
RIDGELY, R. S. & GREENFELD, P. J. 2001. The birds of Ecuador. Cornell University Press, Ithaca. 848 pp.Google Scholar
SAUL, W. G. 1975. An ecological study of fishes at a site in upper Amazonian Ecuador. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences Philadelphia 127:93–134.Google Scholar
SKUTCH, A. F. 1950. The nesting seasons of Central American birds in relation to climate and food supply. Ibis 92:185–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SNOW, D. W. & SNOW, B. K. 1964. Breeding seasons and annual cycles of Trinidad land-birds. Zoologica 49:1–39.Google Scholar
VOOUS, K. H. 1950. The breeding seasons of birds in Indonesia. Ibis 92:279–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WIKELSKI, M., HAU, M., ROBINSON, W. D. & WINGFIELD, J. 2003. Reproductive seasonality of seven neotropical passerine species. Condor 105:683–695.Google Scholar
WOLDA, H. & FISK, F. W. 1981. Seasonality of tropical insects. II. Blattaria in Panama. Journal of Animal Ecology 50:827–838.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
WOLDA, H. & FLOWERS, R. W. 1985. Seasonality and diversity of mayfly adults (Ephemeroptera) in a ‘nonseasonal’ tropical environment. Biotropica 17:330–335.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
YOUNG, B. E. 1994. The effects of food, nest predation and weather on the timing of breeding in tropical House Wrens. Condor 96:341–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar