Nest Usurping Occurrence Of The Piratic Flycatcher (Legatus Leucophaius) In Southwestern Costa Rica

Abstract

El Mosquerito Pirata (Legatus leucophaius) roba nidos colgantes o en forma de domo hechos principalmente por tiranidos o icteridos, sin embargo la frecuencia con la cual este mosquero se roba los nidos de otras especies es poco conocido. El Mosquerito Pirata robó nidos terminados de los Mosqueros Social (Myiozetetes similis) y Cabezigris (M. granadensis), construidos en sitios abiertos entre 5 – 9 m de alto. Nidos de otras especies con características similares pero menos abundantes o defendidos agresivamente, no fueron robados por el Mosquerito Piratas. A lo largo de su distribución reproductiva, son registrados usurpaciones de nidos por el Mosquerito Pirata en especies de al menos de cinco familias de aves.

The Piratic Flycatcher (Legatus leucophaius) usurps pensile or domed nests mainly of other flycatchers (Tyrannidae) and icterids (Icteridae), but the frequency of nest parasitism is little known. In our study in south-west Costa Rica, the Piratic Flycatcher took over the finished domed nests of the Social (Myiozetetes similis) and the Gray-capped Flycatcher (M. granadensis), constructed in open sites between 5–9 m height. Nests of other species with similar characteristics, but less abundant or defended more aggressively, were not parasitized by the Piratic Flycatcher. Throughout its breeding range, nest usurpations by the Pyratic Flycatcher have been recorded for species belonging to at least five bird families.