Nesting biology of the Narrow-billed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes angustirostris) in a southern temperate forest of central-east Argentina

ABSTRACT

We present data on the nesting biology of the Narrow-billed Woodcreeper (Lepidocolaptes angustirostris) in a natural forest in central-east Argentina. A total of 18 nests were found during four breeding seasons (2015–2019; from September to January), located in cavities (natural, artificial and woodpecker cavities). The incubation period lasted 16 days and eggs were larger than those from northern populations. Nestlings stayed in the nest for 17 days and we could measure nestlings at two nests. Within the forest, nests were built in large native trees. Seven nests were successful, nine were depredated and two were abandoned. The average nest daily survival rate (DSR) was estimated as 0.96, giving a cumulative chance of nest survival in a nesting cycle of 24%. Our study provides the first estimate of the nest DSR for the species and new records on the nesting biology of a poorly known Neotropical bird.

KEYWORDS:

• Breeding parameters
• breeding phenology
• cavity-nesting birds
• daily survival rate
• Furnariidae
• nest survival

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to M. L. Shaw and L. del Sotto for allowing us to conduct this study in ‘Luis Chico’ and ‘La Matilde’. We appreciate the improvements in English usage made by Elizabeth Hobson through the Association of Field Ornithologists’ program of editorial assistance. We also thank C. Tiernan for his comments on a previous version of this manuscript and M. Colombo, L. Gonzalez García, L. Demarchi and E. Grim for the help in data collection and nest monitoring. LNS is a CONICET Research Fellow.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Geolocation information

Punta Indio, Buenos Aires, Argentina (point): 35°20ʹS, 57°11ʹW.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the ‘Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica)’, under Grant # 2014-3347.