A Nesting of the Plumbeous Kite in Ecuador

Resumen

I passed most of the months of August and September, 1939, in the vicinity of Puyo, a military post situated on the small river of the same name-a tributary of the Pastam -in the Province of Napo-Pastaza, Ecuador.Here, at an altitude of about 3000 feet, the eastern foothills of the Andes, so high and rugged just a little nearer the backbone of the range, had dwindled away to a succession of low, rounded, forest-clad hills that continued as far as the eye could reach toward the vast Amazonian plain in the east.The excessive wetness of the climate was attested by the exuberance of the epiphytic growths that burdened the trees in the surrounding forest and by the swampy character of pastures even on steep hillsides.The forest, pressing close about the narrow clearings, stretched on and on for long distances.The fauna and flora were composed predominantly of lowland species; yet among both birds and plants I encountered highland forms whose presence at so low an elevation was a surprise and was apparently to be accounted for by the excessive humidity.. To my great disappointment, the breeding season of the great majority of species seemed to have ended before my arrival on August 9.I had hoped to study the nesting habits of some of the typically Amazonian species; but since so few of these were to be found breeding at the time of my visit, the discovery, on August 25, of a nest of the far-ranging Plumbeous Kite (Z&z&z plumbea) assumed an importance it might not otherwise have had; and for nearly a month the kite family claimed a fair share of my attention.The kites' nest was situated about ninety feet above the ground, far out on a horizontal branch at the top of a tall, slender, leafless tree growing beside a brooklet at the edge of a small clearing that bordered the Rio Puyo.This elevated position made the structure quite inaccessible to man; but fortunately the back of a high, sharp ridge, rising between the rivulet and the river into which it fell, afforded an excellent view not only of the nest but also of its occupant.The bulky, shallow saucer of coarse sticks, so conspicuous amid the naked boughs, held a single small nestling, covered with white down.I could see the nestling clearly as it tumbled around in its lofty eyrie.By September 12, the nestling was well covered with feathers and seemed almost ready to fly.It now stood upright on the nest, often upon the rim, moved about a good deal, devoted much time to preening its plumage, and at intervals spread its wings and flapped them vigorously, but without rising into the air, evidently because it kept a firm hold on the nest with its toes.In plumage it was somewhat different from the parents.Its forehead and brows were whitish; the top of its head and hind neck were finely and closely streaked with gray on a light gray ground.Its back, rump and wings were dark gray, with a dark rufous area on the primaries, corresponding to that of the parents.There were prominent white tips on the longer remiges and less conspicuous white tips on the greater coverts.The tail was black with white bars on the outer feathers.The orbital region was black, all the under plumage so light a gray as to be nearly white and the breast faintly tinged with buff.The feet, like those of the parents, were bright orange.It was after the nestling reached this stage of development that I devoted most time to the kite family.Between September 12 and 17, I spent twenty-two hours watching the nest, in all sorts of weather.When it rained, I found shelter beneath a big hut of palm-thatch and split bamboo, which, perched high above the ground upon massive Jan.,