Breeding strategies of open-cup-nesting birds in sub-Antarctic forests of Navarino Island, Chile ...

• Main Authors: Jara, Rocío F, Crego, Ramiro D, Arellano, Francisco J, Altamirano, Tomás A, Ibarra, José T, Rozzi, Ricardo, Jiménez, Jaime E
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central 2019
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0379210; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0379210

Background: There is limited knowledge about the breeding strategies of birds inhabiting in South American temperate forests. This is particularly true for open-cup forest passerines breeding at high latitudes (> 42°). To better understand the ecology of these species, in this study we described and compared the breeding strategies (i.e., nest dimensions, nest height from the ground, egg laying rhythm, clutch size, length of the developmental periods, breeding phenology, and diversity of nesting substrate) of five passerine birds that inhabit sub-Antarctic ecosystems. Methods: During three breeding seasons (2014–2017), we monitored 103 nests of the five most abundant open-cup forest-dwelling passerines (Phrygilus patagonicus, Anairetes parulus, Turdus falcklandii, Elaenia albiceps, and Zonotrichia capensis) on Navarino Island (55°S), Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve, southern Chile. Additionally, we compared the breeding strategies of T. falcklandii to another population breeding at lower latitude (39°S). ...