Male and Female Contributions to Parental Care in the Rufous‐tailed Jacamar (Galbula Ruficauda, Galbulidae) in Southern Goiás, Brazil

Abstract

∙ We quantified patterns of male and female parental care of the Rufous‐tailed Jacamar Galbula ruficauda during incubation and nestling feeding, over four breeding seasons in southern Goiás, Brazil. Reproduction in this species was seasonal, occurring during the transition between dry and wet seasons from September to November. Only females incubated overnight, but male and female shared incubation duties during the day, having similar length of incubation bouts (male = 45 ± 16 min vs. female = 47 ± 14 min; t = ‐0.56, P = 0.57). The nestling diet was composed exclusively of insects ‐mainly flies, butterflies, and dragonflies‐ and males fed nestlings more often than females (male 59% vs. female 41%, χ2 = 1783, df = 1, P < 0.0001). The results confirm biparental care, with high levels of paternal care, especially during incubation, as predicted for tropical birds with a monogamous social mating system.Resumo ∙ Contribuições do macho e da fêmea no cuidado parental da Ariramba‐de‐cauda‐ruiva (Galbula ruficauda, Galbulidae) na região sul de Goiás, Brasil Nós quantificamos os padrões de cuidado parental do macho e da fêmea da Ariramba‐de‐cauda‐ruiva Galbula ruficauda durante a incubação dos ovos e a alimentação dos ninhegos ao longo de quatro períodos reprodutivos no sul de Goiás, Brasil. A reprodução nessa espécie foi sazonal, ocorrendo durante a transição entre as estações seca e úmida de setembro a novembro. Apenas as fêmeas incubaram os ovos durante a noite, mas macho e fêmea compartilharam as tarefas de incubação durante o dia, dedicando‐se de forma semelhante à incubação (macho = 45 ± 16 min vs. fêmea = 47 ± 14 min; t = ‐0.56, P = 0.57). A dieta dos ninhegos foi exclusivamente composta de insetos – principalmente moscas, borboletas e libélulas – e os machos alimentaram os ninhegos mais frequentemente do que as fêmeas (macho 59% vs. fêmea 41%, χ2 = 1783, df = 1, P < 0.0001). Os resultados confirmam o cuidado biparental, com altos níveis de cuidado paternal, principalmente durante a incubação, como previsto para aves tropicais com sistema de acasalamento monogâmico social.

Breeding Success of Primary and Secondary Burrow-Nesting Birds on Stream Banks in Central Brazil

“…Nest monitoring was carried out on Maria Lucinda stream banks (∼700 m) from August to November 2011–2018 (Fig. 1), which corresponded to the breeding season for the herein investigated bird species (Pesquero et al 2014b, Nápoli et al 2018, Veloso et al 2018). All tunnels found in the stream banks were initially assessed with the aid of a flashlight, whereas those with cobwebs at their entrance were discarded as indicative of inactivity.…”

“…Predation is herein defined as the disappearance of an egg or nestling before the regular nest abandonment period (Pesquero et al 2014b, Nápoli et al 2018, Veloso et al 2018). Offspring losses due to predation, unexplained death and egg failure were factors used to estimate breeding success.…”