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Brood parasitism is an uncommon and understudied strategy in Amazonian bird communities, within which only 5 species are known to be brood parasites. We present data on the brood-parasitic behavior of the Pavonine Cuckoo ( Dromococcyx pavoninus) in 3 host species of small-bodied flycatchers in the Peruvian Amazon that construct hanging globular nests with side entrances. During the 7 yr of the study, we encountered 74 nests of these 3 hosts, but parasitism occurred only in 9 nests (12.2%) in 2 yr. Only 1 Pavonine Cuckoo egg was deposited in each host nest ( n = 7), and eggs were markedly dissimilar in size and coloration between hosts and parasite. Incubation investment per day was slightly higher (4%) for 1 parasitized nest than for nonparasitized nests. Overall, 33% of parasitic eggs ( n = 6) hatched; cuckoo nestlings apparently removed host eggs and killed host nestlings. The nestling period lasted 24 days, and the growth-rate constant based on nestling mass ( k = 0.23) was slower for parasite nestlings than for their hosts ( k = 0.27 and 0.31). Food provisioning rates were greater in 1 parasitized nest (2.1 ± 0.7 feedings hr−1 nestling−1) than in nonparasitized nests (1.1 ± 0.4). Nestling cuckoos may further mimic the plumage of their host nestlings. Our results suggest that Pavonine Cuckoos negatively affect their hosts' breeding success and are engaged in a coevolutionary arms race with hosts that have defenses against parasitism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Chlorospingus is distributed from central Mexico to northern Argentina. Despite its wide distribution, natural history information is sparse. We present the first detailed breeding biology information for C. flavigularis, plus descriptions of the nest, eggs, and other natural history information for C. parvirostris and C. flavopectus based on 26 nests monitored (22 from C. flavigularis, two from C. parvirostris, and two from C. flavopectus) in the buffer zone of Manu National Park, Cusco, Peru. Nests of C. flavigularis were bulky open-cups placed on a variety of substrates (e.g., ferns, moss). The clutch size of C. flavigularis varied between two to three eggs, but clutch size for C. flavopectus and C. parvirostris was consistently two eggs. The eggs of all three species were white with small light-brown speckles. Incubation and nestling period for C. flavigularis was 17 and 14 days, respectively, and daytime nest attentiveness was 60%. Nest architecture, clutch size, and eggs encountered for these species were consistent with previous reports for the genus Chlorospingus. More nesting behavior studies are needed to fill the knowledge gap regarding all species of Chlorospingus to help us understand nesting requirements for this cloud forest genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical montane communities host the world's highest beta diversity of birds, a phenomenon usually attributed to community turnover caused by changes in biotic and abiotic factors along elevation gradients. Yet, empirical data on most biotic factors are lacking. Nest predation is thought to be especially important because it appears to be common and can change selective pressures underlying life history traits, which can alter competitive interactions. We monitored 2538 nests, 338 of which had known nest predators, to evaluate if nest predation changes along a tropical elevational gradient. We found that nest predation decreased with elevation, reflecting the loss of lowland predators that do not tolerate colder climates. We found different "super" nest predators at each elevation that accounted for a high percentage of events, suggesting that selection pressures exerted by nest predator communities may be less diffuse than has been hypothesized, at least for birds nesting in the understory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Orange-eared Tanager (Chlorochrysa calliparea) occurs from southern Colombia to northern Bolivia between 900 and 2,000 m elevation. We describe for the first time the nest of the genus Chlorochrysa, based on five nests of C. calliparea, and provide information on incubation and nestling growth from August through December 2009 and 2010 in Manu National Park, Cusco, Peru. The Orange-eared Tanager has a distinct and unique nest location in clumps of moss hanging from horizontal branches, previously unknown among tanagers. The nest structure, however, was similar to that of most tanagers. We observed use of a nest-like structure as a dormitory, not previously reported for the Thraupidae. Clutch size was one egg and the nestling period was 21 days. The female made an average of 8.8 foraging trips/day from the nest which lasted on average 33.1 rain with nest attentiveness of 58.9%. The small clutch suggests close affinity with mountain tanagers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because predation is the main cause of avian nest failure, selection should favor strategies that reduce the probability of nest predation. We describe apparent Batesian mimicry in the morphology and behavior of a Laniocera hypopyrra nestling. On hatching, the nestling had a distinctive bright orange color and modified feathers all over its body, and 6 days after hatching, it started to move its head very slowly from side to side (in a "caterpillar" movement) when disturbed. These traits gave it a resemblance to a hairy, aposematic caterpillar. This species has a long nestling period for its size (20 days), perhaps due to slow provisioning rates (about one feeding per hour). We argue that the slow growth rate, combined with high nest predation, favors the evolution of antipredation mechanisms such as the unique morphological and behavioral characteristics of L. hypopyrra nestlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This dataset in Darwin Core Archive format includes monitoring information about bird life in a disturbed area of the Farallones de Cali National Natural Park. Aiming to characterize and determine the composition and structure of bird life, visual censuses were carried out from August 2008 to July 2009 at both the El Pato and the El Topacio localities along line census of 2 km and from elevations between1550 to 1800 m a.s.l. A total of 2363 records were obtained of 157 species of 41 families and 19 orders. Twelve were new records for the area, 10 of which are common in open areas. Nine species previously recorded in 1978 at El Topacio were absent and considered locally extinct and vulnerable. This illustrates how the replacement of natural habitats with pasturelands, as well as fragmentation and border effect affect negatively bird communities in protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This dataset in Darwin Core Archive format includes monitoring information about bird life in a disturbed area of the Farallones de Cali National Natural Park. Aiming to characterize and determine the composition and structure of bird life, visual censuses were carried out from August 2008 to July 2009 at both the El Pato and the El Topacio localities along line census of 2 km and from elevations between1550 to 1800 m a.s.l. A total of 2363 records were obtained of 157 species of 41 families and 19 orders. Twelve were new records for the area, 10 of which are common in open areas. Nine species previously recorded in 1978 at El Topacio were absent and considered locally extinct and vulnerable. This illustrates how the replacement of natural habitats with pasturelands, as well as fragmentation and border effect affect negatively bird communities in protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This dataset in Darwin Core Archive format includes monitoring information about bird life in a disturbed area of the Farallones de Cali National Natural Park. Aiming to characterize and determine the composition and structure of bird life, visual censuses were carried out from August 2008 to July 2009 at both the El Pato and the El Topacio localities along line census of 2 km and from elevations between1550 to 1800 m a.s.l. A total of 2363 records were obtained of 157 species of 41 families and 19 orders. Twelve were new records for the area, 10 of which are common in open areas. Nine species previously recorded in 1978 at El Topacio were absent and considered locally extinct and vulnerable. This illustrates how the replacement of natural habitats with pasturelands, as well as fragmentation and border effect affect negatively bird communities in protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body mass is one of the most important phenotypic attributes in animal ecology and life history. This trait is widely used in the fields of ecology and macroevolution, since it influences physiology, morphological functions, and a myriad of ecological and social interactions. In this data set, our aim was to gather a comprehensive bird and mammal body mass data set from northern South America. We report body mass, discriminated by sex, for 42,022 individual birds and 7,441 mammals representing 1,317 bird species (69% of Colombia's avifauna) and 270 mammal species (51% of Colombian mammals) from the Neotropics. The data were sourced from vouchers collected between 1942 and 2020 and from individuals captured and released at banding stations over the last two decades for birds (2000–2020) and the last decade for mammals (2010–2020), by 10 research groups and institutions in Colombia. This data set fills gaps identified in other similar databases, as it focuses on northern South America, a highly diverse Neotropical region often underrepresented in morphological data sets. We provide wide taxonomic coverage for studies interested in information both at regional and local scales. There are no copyright restrictions; the present data paper should be appropriately cited when data are used for publication. The authors would appreciate learning about research projects, teaching exercises, and other uses given to this data set and are open to contribute in further collaborations using these data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]