FIRST DESCRIPTION OF THE NEST OF THE BARRED PUFFBIRD (NYSTALUS RADIATUS) FROM NORTH-WESTERN ECUADOR

Resumen

The Barred Puffbird (Nystalus radiatus) occurs A single nest was discovered at an elevafrom central Panama to western Ecuador. It is locally uncommon throughout its range, and likely easily overlooked due to its propensity to sit for long periods at middle to upper levels of the forest (Hilty & Brown 1986). In Ecuador, the Barred Puffbird is frequently seen along forest borders and, though reported mostly below 1000 m a.s.l., Ridgely & Greenfield (2001) report it as occasionally being seen up to 1500 m a.s.l. in the Mindo area. Observations were made on 28 and 29 January 2003 in the vicinity of the El Monte Biological Station. The station lies at 1750 m a.s.l. in the Mindo Valley in Ecuador’s northwestern Pichincha province. The surrounding terrain is extremely rugged, with vegetation characterized by heavy epiphyte loads and a canopy height ranging from 25 to 35 m. For a more detailed site description, see Kirwan et al. (1996). ______________ Correspondence. tion of approximately 1675 m while walking along the access road to the El Monte Biological Station. The nest was a narrow tunnel excavated into the side of a clay embankment adjacent to the road. The bank at this location was 3.5 m high and relatively bare of vegetation except for small grasses, sedges, and a variety of small herbs including Lamia (Lamiaceae), Begonia (Begoniaceae), Oxalis (Oxalidaceae), and Pilea (Urticaceae). Overhanging the bank, and partially shading the nest entrance, was a thick tangle of vegetation, including Psamisia (Ericaceae), Schefflera (Araliaceae), and various Urticaceae, Solanaceae, Araceae, and Ericaceae. The nest entrance was 70 cm above the ground and 7 cm in diameter (Fig. 1). It faced SW (a compass bearing of 195°), and opened perpendicular to the direction of the road, which was approximately 4 m wide at this point. The horizontal cylindrical tunnel, running parallel to the ground for a distance of 105 cm, rapidly narrowed to 6 cm in diameter, but then