Abstract

REBOLLO, María Emilia et al. Breeding biology of the Tufted Tit-spinetail (Leptasthenura platensis) in nest boxes in central Argentina. Hornero [online]. 2022, vol.37, n.1, pp.3-3. ISSN 0073-3407.

In this article, we describe the breeding biology of the Tufted Tit-spinetail (Leptasthenura platensis) in a semiarid forest in La Pampa, Argentina. From the breeding seasons 2010-2011 to 2012-2013, about 82101 nest boxes were checked per season every 1-3 days from September to February, recording the date and the number of eggs and nestlings. The Tufted Tit-spinetail’s breeding season lasted from October to January. Tufted Tit-spinetails occupied 10.64% of the nest boxes. The eggs were laid on alternate days, the incubation period lasted 14.2 ± 1 days and the nestling period was 13.63 ± 2 days. The mean period of the reproductive cycle was 33 days. The mean clutch size was 3.48 ± 0.13 eggs, brood size was 3.17 ± 0.19 nestlings and 2.78 ± 0.23 fledglings left the nest. The daily nest survival rate was 98.28 ± 0.46% and nesting success was 56.37%. These breeding parameters were similar to previous studies, except for the daily nest survival rate which was apparently higher than the results observed in a study in Buenos Aires, where it was calculated in natural nests. The secondary sex ratio was not biased. In the future, additional studies evaluating the incidence of biotic and abiotic factors (i.e. food availability, predation rate, environmental conditions, and type of nest, natural or artificial) on the reproduction, would be relevant to further contribute to the knowledge of the natural history of the Tufted Tit-spinetail.

Keywords : Breeding success; caldén; clutch; daily nest survival rate; Furnariidae; incubation; reproduction; sex ratio.

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