Social Nesting Habits of Crotophaga major

Abstract

A sturdy of the social nesting habits of Crotophaga major was under-taken as part of a series of researches on the habits of the Croto-phaginae. The nesting habits of C. ani have been described by Davis (1940) and the habits of Guira guira have been investigated (Davis, 1940a). The reader is referred to Davis (1940) for a brief summary of the subfamily. The studies on C. major were carried out in British Guiana, in part on Canje Creek near New Amsterdam, but mainly near the source of the Abary River, where, through the kindness of Mr. Albert Reid, I stayed at a ranch. Observations were begun at New Amsterdam on June 9 and continued until June 25. Since that locality was unsatis-factory, I moved to the Abary River and continued work till August 5, 1939. As a result of a series of unavoidable occurrences (malaria, in part) which prevented concentrated investigation until July 10, no nest with eggs was found. Nevertheless adequate data were obtained to elucidate the social nesting habits and territorial behavior of Crotophaga major. A study of the nesting and territorial behavior of this species pre-sents certain practical difficulties to the investigator, because the birds live only along streams. Even though using a canoe at all times, it is frequently impossible to keep up with the birds or to follow them when they go into the thick brush or flooded lands along the river course. Thus deficiencies in the records inevitably result. Although no birds were banded, individual identifications were made on the basis of tail-feathers; for since the molt is continuous, each bird has a different set of tail-feathers. This study was made possible through my appointment as a Sheldon Travelling Fellow, 1939o40, of Harvard University, Cambridge, Massa-chusetts. GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS This species demonstrates its cuculine affinities by its general be-havior and its slow, lethargic movements. C. major resembles C. ani greatly in its habits of preening, raising the tail when alarmed, sunning to keep warm at every opportunity, and drooping the wings. But it does not appear so dilapidated and unkempt; the wings are usually neatly folded in their proper place and the feathers are less ruffled.