COOPERATIVE BREEDING OF THE YELLOW-RUMPED MARSHBIRD (ICTERIDAE) IN ARGENTINA AND PARAGUAY

We found helpers at eight of nine nests of Yellow-rumped Marshbirds (Pseudoleistes guirahuro) from northeastern Argentina and Paraguay. From one to four helpers were observed during the incubation and nestling periods, but during nest building we saw solitary pairs. The helpers, of unknown sex and a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Condor (Los Angeles, Calif.) Calif.), 2004-08, Vol.106 (3), p.671-673
Main Authors: Fraga, Rosendo M, di Giácomo, Alejandro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Argentina
Aviculture
Bird nesting
Birds
Breeding
Breeding of animals
Chicks
cooperative breeding
Ecological genetics
Eggs
Evolutionary biology
Natural history
Ornithology
Paraguay
Phylogeny
Pseudoleistes guirahuro
SHORT COMMUNICATIONS
Waterfowl
Yellow-rumped Marshbird
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Summary:We found helpers at eight of nine nests of Yellow-rumped Marshbirds (Pseudoleistes guirahuro) from northeastern Argentina and Paraguay. From one to four helpers were observed during the incubation and nestling periods, but during nest building we saw solitary pairs. The helpers, of unknown sex and age, provisioned food to the chicks and defended the nest against several raptors. The Yellow-rumped Marshbird had a similar breeding system to its congener the Brown-and-yellow Marshbird (P. virescens) except that the former did not nest in colonies. According to a recent molecular phylogeny both Pseudoleistes marshbirds plus the Saffron-cowled Blackbird (Xanthopsar flavus) form a well-defined clade. All three of these species have helpers. This result suggests that cooperative breeding in the Icteridae has a phylogenetic component. Cría Cooperativa de Pseudoleistes guirahuro en Argentina y Paraguay Resumen. Encontramos ayudantes en ocho de nueve nidos de Pseudoleistes guirahuro presentes encontrados en el noreste de Argentina y en Paraguay. Los ayudantes, de uno a cuatro, fueron observados en nidos durante los períodos de incubación y con pichones, pero durante la construcción del nido vimos parejas solitarias. Los ayudantes, de sexo y edad desconocidos, aportaron alimento a los pichones y defendieron el nido contra diversas aves rapaces. Pseudoleistes guirahuro tiene un sistema de cría social similar al de su congénere P. virescens, aunque no nidificó en colonias. Según la reciente filogenia molecular de la familia los dos Pseudoleistes más Xanthopsar flavus forman un clado definido, y estas tres especies tienen ayudantes. Este resultado sugiere que la presencia del sistema de cría cooperativa tiene un componente filogenético entre los ictéridos.
ISSN:0010-5422
1938-5129
2732-4621
DOI:10.1650/7418