The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus; redwing) is a commonly used accepter host species that incubates eggs and cares for nestlings and fledglings of the obligate brood parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater; cowbird). This host species, however, may reduce the risk of parasitism with a frontloaded antiparasite strategy in which it attacks parasites that approach active host nests. To test this frontloaded parasite-defense hypothesis (FPDH), we presented taxidermic models of a female Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), which represents no threat to redwings, a male cowbird, which cannot lay a parasitic egg, and a female cowbird, together with species- and sex-specific vocalization playbacks for 5 min. We conducted these presentations at 25 active redwing nests at Newark Road Prairie in south-central Rock County, Wisconsin, USA, where 18% of redwing nests were parasitized by cowbirds in 2015. As predicted by the FPDH, the female cowbird mount elicited the most aggressive responses and the female cardinal mount the least aggressive, as measured by number of times more than one male redwing responded and number of times the male host attacked the mount, and by Principal Component Analyses yielding the highest redwing aggressive behavior and intimidation scores. Contrary to the predictions of FPDH regarding the success of nest defense behaviors, male redwings responding at naturally parasitized nests were significantly more likely to attack the mount than males with nests that were not parasitized, although our sample size was small. We also compared our results with those of a study using the same methods in New York State where cowbird parasitism was rare. Redwings in Wisconsin were more aggressive toward the female cowbird mount than redwings in New York. Red-winged Blackbirds appear to frontload their antiparasite defenses, but the success of those defenses depends on individual and population-level experience with parasites.

Examining body mass and physiological parameters in breeding adults may provide valuable insight into parental efforts provided by males and females at a given stage of breeding. Here, we examined body mass and physiological variables (hemoglobin and cholesterol concentrations, leukocyte profile) in males and females in a small pelagic seabird, the European Storm Petrel (Hydrobates p. pelagicus) during the incubation period. We expected females to be in poorer physiological condition compared to males because of their assumed higher investment (production of costly egg, with all other parental activities performed being similar). Contrary to our expectation, we did not find sex differences in the hematological values, indicating similar non-resource–based costs of reproduction. Also, we found females in good nutritional state, being heavier and having higher cholesterol concentration than males. Although we are not able to explicitly identify mechanisms responsible for the pattern observed, we suggest that common assumptions about female-biased efforts during the pre-laying and/or equal male and female parental efforts during incubation periods in the European Storm Petrel require verification.

Extra-pair paternity (EPP) appears to be widespread in passerine birds, but few studies have focused on suboscine species, and therefore it is unclear if this generalization can be extended to this group. In this study, we document high rates of EPP in a socially monogamous, suboscine passerine, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) in southwest Oklahoma in the summers of 2009–2011. Averaged across years, EPP occurred in 66% of nests in our study population and accounted for 49% of all nestlings. EPP rates were variable (50–88%), but did not differ significantly among years or between two study sites. Our review of the literature yielded EPP data for only 11 other species of suboscines (0.7% of total), which we compared to EPP rates for the 83 oscine species (1.9% of total) reported in Spottiswoode and Møller (2004). EPP was as common and variable in suboscines (21.7% of young) as oscines (17.5% of young). Our study adds to our knowledge of mating systems in the understudied suboscine group, but further sampling of suboscines should be a priority, as they comprise a quarter of all passerine species and comprise a large fraction of passerines in tropical regions.

The identification of migratory pathways is critical to understanding potential risks affecting migratory birds. The Great Lakes are an important stopover area along the migratory pathway of millions of nocturnally migrating songbirds. However, large expanses of open water can act as a geographic barrier to migrating songbirds resulting in flight “detours” and increased mortality. We recorded nocturnal flight calls (NFCs) of migratory warblers (one species and one species group) and sparrows (three species) at four sites along the Ohio coastline of Lake Erie during two spring migratory seasons. One pair of coastal and offshore sites was located in the central basin, another pair of coastal and offshore sites was located in the western basin with its associated island archipelago connecting Ohio with Ontario. Acoustic monitoring of NFCs suggested that (1) fewer birds were recorded aloft over offshore, open water sites compared to closely associated coastal sites; (2) sparrows apparently were more influenced by location in the Lake Erie basin than warblers. In summary, although many warbler and sparrow migrants cross Lake Erie, the lake appears to be a barrier for at least some members of the studied species groups. However, consistent with previous studies, the western basin appears more amenable to a lake crossing, particularly for sparrows. While interpretation of NFC data should be done with caution, our findings suggest differential passage over Lake Erie by nocturnal songbird migrants.

The urban environment poses novel anthropogenic challenges to wildlife. Some species have been noted for changes in their behavior in response to humans and urban-associated activities. Understanding the anthropogenic factors which influence these behavioral changes would contribute significantly to avian conservation in an increasingly urbanized world. We investigated the flight initiation distances (FIDs) and alert distances (ADs) of wild Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) and Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) in urban and rural habitats of southwestern Virginia to determine if wild songbirds' tolerances for human approaches differed by species or habitat type (urban or rural). We found Song Sparrows to be more tolerant than Northern Cardinals of human approaches, and urban birds of both species tended to tolerate closer approaches than did rural birds. We then investigated whether cues such as gaze direction or human figure explain differences in Song Sparrows' approach response behaviors. We found urban Song Sparrows' FIDs to be significantly shorter than rural birds' FIDs in response to treatments using a human approach for both direct and concealed gazes. However, no significant habitat differences were detected in response to the non-human approach treatments using umbrellas with and without eyespots. Our findings demonstrate risk-tolerance behaviors like AD and FID to vary greatly between species, habitats, and characteristics of the approach.

In the current scenario of human transformation of natural landscapes, fragmentation and habitat loss is considered one of the major threats to biodiversity. The characteristics of altered landscapes and remaining habitat patches influence the persistence of species and, as a direct consequence, the functioning of ecological processes. The main focus of studies at landscape scale is to understand how human modifications in natural areas lead to changes in abundance and richness of species. However, such approaches do not directly describe the functional composition of communities, nor do they describe the functional responses to fragmentation and habitat loss. Birds are an interesting taxonomic group to explore this theme, since they present important, broadly-described ecological functions for human modified habitats (e.g., seed dispersal, pollination, and insect pest control). Thus, we aimed to explore the functional responses of birds to landscape characteristics. We selected 14 human modified landscapes of Atlantic forest, found within a radius of 30 km of Alfenas, Brazil. Each landscape was characterized by metrics describing landscape configuration and composition, such as forest percentage and mean connectivity. Birds were sampled in the central patches of the landscapes and classified into 15 functional groups, based on species' traits. We constructed Generalized Linear Models (GLM) and used Akaike's information criterion (AIC) to identify the best models that explained the abundance and richness of species in each functional group. Few groups had high functional redundancy, showing the fragility of the majority of functional groups in the current modified landscapes. Forest dependent functional groups were favored by connected landscapes, higher percentage of forest cover, and high percentages of coffee matrix. On the other hand, forest independent groups were favored by irregular habitat areas and negatively impacted by forest cover and sugar cane matrices. Consistent management of altered landscapes, based on functional responses, can assist the recovery and maintenance of natural areas. We highlight the complexity involved in landscape management, considering it requires simultaneous work on composition and configuration.

As a small nocturnal migrant, the Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) is hypothesized to reduce predation risk by avoiding migration during the full moon. However, small-scale studies have given mixed results on whether there is a relationship between capture rate of Northern Saw-whet Owls and the lunar cycle during fall migration. We used 50 years of data from the U.S. Bird Banding Laboratory to examine capture rates of Northern Saw-whet Owls throughout North America in relation to lunar illumination. A logistic regression of 156,794 fall captures compared to random dates in the fall showed that captures are significantly less likely as lunar illumination increases. Captures at high illumination were 22% less likely than captures on moonless nights during the waning half of the lunar cycle and 41% less likely during the waxing half of the lunar cycle. Modification of the lunar illumination index to correct for the duration of the night that the moon is in the sky gave similar results. Owls were also most likely to be captured on a Sunday or Monday, perhaps reflecting higher weekend capture effort. The relationship of captures to lunar illumination and wax/wane phase is consistent with an ultimate explanation of predator risk avoidance, but a proximate mechanism of altered owl movement is not demonstrated and alternative explanations such as variable human capture effort and changes in owls' ability to detect and avoid nets may also be responsible. Neither of our logistic models had much power, probably because local habitat and weather are strong modifiers of the lunar cycle effect on capture probability of Northern Saw-whet Owls. The average reductions calculated here may still underestimate the decrease in owl captures under local conditions of bright moonlight.

We describe the number of inserted molts in the annual molt cycle and topographies resulting from the preformative molt in 10 Neotropical forest passerine species. Seven species showed two annual molt peaks, one in early spring (Mar–Apr) and one in late summer (Jul–Sept). The spring molt consisted of a light replacement of body feathers in <20% of individuals in our sample, and would be most consistent with a prealternate molt. We found two modes of preformative molt feather replacement where the “general mode” included all feathers of an anterior wing-tract being replaced before proceeding to the next posterior tract; the general mode was shown by all 10 species at moderate to high frequencies (69–99%). Seven species at low to mid frequencies (1–31%) exhibited “proximal mode” to include all wing feathers adjacent to the body replaced prior to distal feathers. Mean molt angle (a measure of direction of the replaced feathers when placed on a Cartesian plane) ranged from 12° to 24° and was higher in the “general mode.” An expanded phylogenetic analysis examining the extent of preformative molt that included the 10 study species plus an additional 18 Neotropical species suggested that ecological adaptations may have a greater influence over molt strategies than phylogenetic constraints at least in some of the families we examined.

Exotic species are common in urban ecosystems, but their effects on native species are often unknown. Monk Parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) have successfully colonized urban ecosystems across the world. Yet, no study has examined relationships between Monk Parakeets and the avian communities in areas they colonize. The species' recent expansion in Chicago, Illinois, USA and other places makes such a study imperative. We examined avian communities both with and without Monk Parakeets and hypothesized that observed differences between the two community types would be associated with the presence of parakeets. At the community level, we observed no significant differences between areas with and without parakeets, and we found only a few weak differences at the species level. Therefore, we conclude that Monk Parakeets likely are not having a strong influence on urban avian communities, but we cannot rule out effects at smaller scales. Nonetheless, data from this study can serve as a benchmark for measuring potential future changes as the parakeets expand their range.

We estimated the population density of Pectoral Antwrens (Herpsilochmus pectoralis) at the EMPARN (Rio Grande do Norte State Agriculture Research Company) Experimental Station, Brazil. During data collection, four transects ranging between 550 and 720 m were surveyed twice a week from February to August 2013. A total of 59.7 km were surveyed, where 77 sightings were made. We observed 1.3 individuals/km, and we estimated density to be 85 individuals/km². The density obtained for Pectoral Antwrens is compatible with that observed for the species in other studies and comparable to that found for other Thamnophilidae. The data generated in this study serve for future estimates of species conservation status.

We studied the diet of nestling Cerulean Warblers (Setophaga cerulea) and the provisioning behaviors of parents in southern Indiana. The Cerulean Warbler, a small insectivorous passerine breeding in eastern North American deciduous forests, is one of the fastest declining Neotropical wood warblers. Our primary objectives were to determine the importance of specific prey items in the diet of nestling Cerulean Warblers, and to assess whether the proportion of lepidopteran larvae (caterpillars) in the diet changed during the breeding season. We also describe general nest provisioning behavior, including differences between females and males, and assess breeding success across years. We video-taped provisioning behavior to determine the prey types (insects and arachnids) that parent Cerulean Warblers fed their young during the breeding season in 2013 and compared the proportions of lepidopteran larvae in the diet to that in the environment. The proportion of lepidopteran larvae in the nestling diet was 53% (n = 194/366) across the entire breeding season in 2013 and 83% during the peak nestling period which occurred in late May to early June. The proportion of lepidopteran larvae in the diet was 3.8 times greater than the proportion of lepidopteran larvae available. The proportion of lepidopteran larvae in the nestling diet decreased during the breeding season and was 80% reduced for the last nest of the season compared to the first nest. Additional observations from 2011 and 2012 were similar where lepidopteran larvae composed 65% (n = 15/23) and 44% (n = 8/18) of the diet, respectively. The mean length of arthropods in the diet was 15 mm compared to a mean length of 6 mm in the environment. Other prey items fed to nestlings included Orthoptera, Diptera, Neuroptera, Arachnida, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Phasmida. The average feeding rate during 2011–2013 was 4.31 ± 0.34 deliveries/30 mins, and males fed more frequently than females. Mayfield nest success was 35% in 2011 (n = 12), 6% in 2012 (n = 12), and 33% (n = 27) in 2013. We conclude that lepidopteran larvae were the main food source for nestling Cerulean Warblers and that the proportion of lepidopteran larvae in their diet was the highest during peak numbers of nestlings at the end of May and early June.

Nest-site characteristics are important drivers of nest success in birds, and are particularly important to understand in systems where anthropogenic factors may exacerbate their negative effects on population demographics. In Hawai̒i, it is suggested that forest bird nests in fruiting tree species may have higher rates of nest predation than in non-fruiting tree species, because fruit is an important dietary component of introduced rats. I assessed the differential daily survival rate (DSR) of nests of Kaua̒i ̒Elepaio (Chasiempis sclateri) on Kaua̒i Island, Hawai̒i, in fruiting versus non-fruiting tree species using generalized linear models in program MARK. Nests were located in six fruiting tree species (n = 19) and one non-fruiting species (n = 25). Nest-tree reproductive strategy was a driver of DSR (β = −1.15 ± 0.55 SE, 95% CI = −2.23–-0.07) and DSR was lower in fruiting tree species compared to the non-fruiting species (0.975 vs. 0.992, respectively). Most nest failures were attributed to predation (9 of 10 nest failures in fruiting trees versus. 2 of 6 failures in ‘ōhi‘a [Metrosideros polymorpha]), with the cause of other nest failures being unknown. My results support the hypothesis that tree reproductive strategy may contribute to the variability in DSR, but I did not have evidence (e.g., pictures) that the non-native black rat (Rattus rattus) was the primary predator in this study. I, therefore, discuss literature that supports this hypothesis, in addition to alternative hypotheses that may also explain my results.

The Lanceolated Monklet (Micromonacha lanceolata) is a puffbird (Bucconidae) generally considered rare throughout its range. This species is little-studied and its reproductive behavior is largely unknown. Here, we provide the first detailed account of its nesting biology. All 17 nests consisted of round tunnels in earthen banks terminating in widened brood chambers. Tunnels averaged 405.41 ± 59.52 mm in length (n = 14) and 68.64 ± 13.12 by 57.89 ± 12.20 mm (n =16) in diameter at the entrances. The clutch size was two. The unmarked, white eggs averaged 22.53 ± 1.04 by 18.29 ± 0.71 mm (n = 22) and weighed 3.84 ± 0.39 g (n = 19). The incubation period, determined from one nest was 25 days. The number of trips made from three nests averaged 3.42 ± 1.12 per day (n = 33), with each absence lasting an average of 70.54 ± 89.98 mins (n = 113). Nest attentiveness steadily increased from 11.55 to 71.73% and on-bouts from these three nests averaged 166.28 ± 96.58 mins (n = 79). During the nestling period, which we determined from one nest to span 22–23 days, food deliveries consisted of large insects and larvae; averaged over four nests, attendants made 1.72 ± 0.78 (n = 28 days) deliveries per hour.

We present the first detailed nesting biology information for the highland Andean hummingbird Gould's Inca (Coeligena torquata omissa) at 2,200–3,000 m in Manu National Park, SE Peru. We found nine mossy cup-shaped nests lined with red fern scales containing nestlings or 1–2 synchronously hatching eggs. We obtained 17 days of internal nest temperatures from one nest, which exhibited wide circadian variation (range = 14.9–36.2 °C). We show that C. t. omissa meets the challenges of life and incubation at high altitudes by undertaking numerous (20.3 ± 0.4 trips/morning, range = 14–27) and short morning off-bouts (5.2 ± 0.2 min, range = 1–24 min). In the morning, the focal bird warmed the nest 1.7 times faster than in the afternoon where incubation bouts are long (17.8 ± 0.6 min, range = 4–56) and less frequent (10.2 ± 0.3 trips/afternoon). Incubation off-bout frequency and durations were not influenced by external temperature, suggesting strong nest insulation. On-bout durations increased with external temperature most strongly in the cold mornings. Short off-bouts and long on-bouts yielded high attentiveness (70.2%). One nestling fledged after 23 days. The eggs measured 15.2 ± 0.4 mm by 9.3 ± 0.3 mm and weighed 0.75 ± 0.03 g (n = 12). The small mossy cup nest was 81.9 ± 5.9 mm by 75.8 ± 4.4 mm wide and 73.1 ± 6.7 mm high. The inner cup was 45.7 ± 3.0 mm long by 45.6 ± 4.1 mm wide and 30.9 ± 2.5 mm deep (n = 8). Compared to C. t. torquata, we found a smaller egg width, higher nest placement and different nest substrate, but confirmed similarities in many aspects of nesting strategies.

Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus varius) regularly use paper birch (Betula papyrifera) as a source of sap during the breeding season and may position their sap wells on the tree in order to maximize sap extraction. Sap flow can be affected by tree damage, and altering sap well locations in response to such damage could enhance sapsucker foraging efficiency. We sought to determine if sapsuckers selectively drilled sap wells on damaged (experimentally girdled) paper birch trees over non-damaged healthy trees and, if so, whether the locations of the drill sites varied in response to this damage. Sapsuckers drilled holes on a significantly larger proportion of girdled trees than control trees (healthy trees on adjacent plots), and the holes were lower on girdled trees in comparison with control trees. These differences occurred even though control and girdled trees were of similar size (diameter) and had similar numbers of sap wells per tree. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers appear to alter their foraging behavior in response to tree damage, and thus factors affecting such damage could indirectly influence the foraging ecology of this species.

New World Warblers represent a complex and closely related family, with a high propensity to hybridize. With more than 73 known hybrid pairings of Parulidae documented, we report a previously undocumented hybrid: a Chestnut-sided (Setophaga pensylvanica) × Magnolia Warbler (S. magnolia). The parentage of the hybrid individual and its identity are supported by morphological and genetic evidence. DNA sequencing of a fragment of cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) supports the female parent as Chestnut-sided, while strong morphological features support Magnolia Warbler as the father.

Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) were observed using tailwind as a support for high-speed water transportation on three different occasions in three different locations in Sweden. With the wings arched over the back, they traveled ∼100 m in an inlet of the Baltic Sea in Stockholm, several hundred meters in Lake Hjälstaviken in Enköping, and ∼350 m in Lake Krankesjön in Lund. The speed of the movement was estimated to be much higher than normally seen for swimming swans. The first observation included two Mute Swans traveling one after another in the same direction, the second observation was of one single individual traveling towards a group of conspecifics, and the third observation was of a single individual traveling by itself. This behavior may serve as a means of medium-distance water transportation in this heavy bird species.

Extralimital records of birds, including diurnal raptors, are frequently set in localities along migration flyways. Normally, these records pertain to a few individuals that are away from their usual flight routes and found in areas that range from tens to a few hundred km from their usual distribution. Here, we report 77 migration records of Nearctic hawks and eagles from a site in the Neotropical region. These records belong to five well-known Nearctic species: Golden Eagle, Northern Goshawk, Bald Eagle, Ferruginous Hawk, and Rough-legged Hawk. The Veracruz River of Raptors Project's (VRR) observational data represent the most reliable and abundant data source of raptor migration along the region and country, including the southernmost cluster of records of these Nearctic species in the continent.

Seed-finches are Neotropical passerines highly specialized in the consumption of grass seeds. Most species are endangered because of the conversion of native grasslands into agricultural fields, and they are among the main victims of trapping for the illegal cage-bird trade in South America. The Great-billed Seed-Finch (Sporophila maximiliani) is very rare, with few records in the wild in the last 50 years. Here, we present the first descriptions for nest, eggs, and nesting habitat of the Great-billed Seed-Finch from Mato Grosso state, Brazil. We found the nests (two) on 18 December 2014 and on 8 January 2015. They were located in a seasonally flooded lowland area composed predominantly of herbaceous vegetation and sparse shrubs, mainly Curatella sp. Nests were built in 5 days, and only females participated in nest construction and incubation. Nests were cup-shaped made mainly of stems and tendrils of vines, and their measurements were: outside diameter (85.0, 93.0 mm); inside diameter (55.0, 60.0 mm); outside height (75.0, 83.0 mm) and inside high (40.0, 45.0 mm). Clutch sizes were two eggs. Eggs were grayish white, with light brown spots of variable sizes, and a smaller number of black blotches, more concentrated at the large end, measuring 20 × 16.9 mm (2.4 g), and 21.1 × 16.6 mm (2.9 g). Reintroductions into the wild have been recommended as a conservation strategy for this species, and knowledge on nesting sites and nest placement may be helpful for choosing areas for releases.

In many species of animals, the distribution of critical resources underlie the pattern of the animals themselves. However, in areas of apparently abundant resources, it is not clear which resources, if any, are limited. I investigated a possible limitation for a cooperatively breeding wren living in lowland tropical rainforest. I found that the composition of epiphytic foraging substrates, especially the abundance of bromeliads, correlated with the distribution of wren habitation, and were heavily foraged upon. High densities of these bromeliads were found only in gallery forests, suggesting that areas of high bromeliad density may be a limiting factor in dispersal in Band-backed Wrens (Campylorhynchus zonatus).

The Bridled White-eye (Zosterops conspicillatus) is a tropical Pacific passerine endemic to the Mariana Island chain. We present an ethogram of the Zosterops conspicillatus saypani subspecies in which we describe the 34 most commonly observed behaviors categorized into the categories sexual, parental, antagonistic, social, maintenance, ingestion/egestion, movement, vocalization, resting behavior, and zoo artifacts. This ethogram may be useful for behavioral studies of the Zosteropidae family and allow taxonomic comparisons. Understanding the behavior of this species might also aid in enhancing conservation efforts. In addition, this ethogram adds to the few behavioral inventories of passerine birds reported so far.

Eciton burchellii is a Neotropical army ant that consumes a variety of arthropods captured during swarm raids. Wasp larvae and pupae provide an important food source for E. burchellii, and this ant species is thought to be a major predator on immature wasps in many Neotropical areas. Some birds also prey on wasp brood. Numerous bird species regularly follow E. burchellii swarms but are thought to typically avoid eating army ants. Rather, the birds feed on the arthropods that the ant swarms flush from the leaf litter. I report observations of ant-following birds, the Gray-headed Tanager Eucometis penicillata and the Flame-colored Tanager Piranga bidentata consuming E. burchellii workers that were carrying Polistinae wasp larvae and pupae. It has been suggested that ant-following birds may impose a cost to army ants by consuming arthropods and competing with ants for food resources. Also, it has been speculated that army ants emigrate at night to avoid the loss of their brood to birds, but lack of direct observations of birds attacking ants for their brood makes this claim unsubstantiated. My observations of birds consuming wasp pupae and larvae being carried by E. burchellii are evidence of rarely observed direct stealing of prey and loss of ant foragers to ant-following birds. These observations suggest that birds would also eat the larvae and pupae of army ants if given the opportunity, providing evidence to support the claim that predation pressure may be one factor driving nocturnal emigration.

We developed diurnal time activity budgets to quantify parental behavior of American Oystercatchers (Haematopus palliatus) breeding on the Texas Coast from February to July of 2013 and 2014. We conducted focal animal observations on breeding pairs for two reproductive periods: incubation and chick-rearing. We conducted observations on 60 nests and 38 broods for a total of 1,242 observational hours. American Oystercatchers predominantly engaged in incubation (52%), resting (16%) and self-maintenance (10%) during the incubation period. They predominantly engaged in resting (35%) and vigilance behaviors (29%) during chick-rearing. Agonistic behavior increased by 2% when adults were rearing chicks. We determined that breeding behavior was primarily partitioned between reproductive, self-maintenance, and vigilance behaviors. The life history of American Oystercatchers in the Gulf Coast region was poorly understood until recently, and this study provided insight on activity patterns and local factors influencing reproductive behavior.

Severe weather can cause birds to abandon normal foraging habits and switch to more opportunistic behaviors. We report 47 incidents of Western Meadowlarks (Sturnella neglecta) consuming five bird species during a spring snowstorm on the high plains of southeastern Wyoming, including four previously undocumented species. Over half (57%) of our observations were of meadowlarks scavenging dead birds, 13% were of meadowlarks preying on live birds, and in 30% of the cases we could not determine how consumed birds died. Interestingly, the species most frequently depredated by meadowlarks, Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris), is larger than any avian species previously known to be preyed on by meadowlarks. Our observations suggest that meadowlarks may be more capable and frequent predators of adult birds than previously recognized.

Thirteen novel polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from the Amazonian Black Manakin, Xenopipo atronitens. The loci were screened using 30 samples from Brazil. A total of 13 loci were variable with number of alleles per locus ranging from 2 to 17, whilst the observed and expected heterozygosities varied from 0.067–0.900 and 0.310–0.910, respectively. Five loci deviated significantly from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium, whereas one pair of loci deviated significantly from linkage disequilibrium. The set of markers will be a useful tool for future population genetic and kinship studies of X. atronitens, an Amazonian white-sand vegetation specialist.

Double brooding is rare in Galliformes and has only been reported twice in grouse species (subfamily Tetraoninae). To our knowledge, a grouse species producing a second brood within a single breeding season that survived >12 days has not been documented in the published literature. We report the case of a Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanachus phasianellus columbianus) in eastern Idaho (43° 34′ 28.3434” N, 111° 36′ 47.988” W) that successfully re-nested after initial brood loss and had two chicks survive to 42 days post-hatch during the 2015 breeding season. Early brood loss, in conjunction with favorable environmental conditions that contributed to early nest initiation and increased food availability, may have contributed to this female's ability to produce a successful second brood.

Cases of interspecific parental care are rare and pose an evolutionary puzzle. We report a male House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) regularly provisioning Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) nestlings in a nest located near his own. The male wren continued to provision the cardinal nestlings after his own nestlings hatched, and provisioned the cardinal nestlings more than his own nestlings during the time that their nestling periods overlapped. The adult cardinals also provisioned their own nestlings. After the cardinal chicks fledged, the male wren provisioned only his own nestlings. This is most likely a case of nonadaptive misdirection of parental behavior on the part of the wren. That the wren provisioned both nests while both were in the nestling stage, but provisioned only the wren chicks as fledglings, may suggest that kin recognition in House Wrens is mutable rather than fixed. However, this behavior is also congruent with observations of polygynous male House Wrens transferring parental care from primary to secondary broods upon the fledging of the primary brood.

Under the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, the valid form and source of the name for the well-known Curl-crested Aracari should remain Pteroglossus beauharnaesii Wagler, 1832. Although it is an incorrect subsequent spelling, its challenger, Pteroglossus beauharnaisii, is a nomen oblitum. Pteroglossus beauharnaesii Wagler, 1832 has been in universal use since 1900, and it is protected either by Article 23.9 or 33.3.1 of the Code, depending on the interpretation of the way the younger name was introduced.