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Description of the nest and eggs of the Black-cheeked Ant Tanager (Habia atrimaxillaris).

Article Excerpt
The five species of ant tanagers (Habia spp.) inhabit minforests (0-1,800 m above sea level), throughout much of the Neotropics. The Blackcheeked Ant Tanager (H. atrimaxillaris) has the smallest distribution of the two widespread and three range-restricted species (Isler and Isler 1987, Stotz et al. 1996). It is restricted to forest edges and understory of primary and secondary forest in the Osa Peninsula on the south Pacific coast of Costa Rica (Isler and Isler 1987, Stiles and Skutch 1989). This narrow distribution has led to its classification as an endangered species by BirdLife International (2007), as it is threatened by deforestation and urban development in the Golfo Dulce area. The last 20 years have witnessed a reduction in habitat availability for this species (Roxero-Bixby et al. 2002, Barrantes and Lobo 2005), likely with negative impacts on population size. Knowledge about the natural history of this ant tanager is poor, and nothing is known about its reproductive habits (Isler and Isler 1987, Stiles and Skutch 1989). This lack of information may hinder effective management and conservation. We describe the nest and eggs of the Black cheeked Ant Tanager based on observations of three nests near Puerto Jimenez, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

METHODS

Our study area was mature secondary forest at Bosque del Rio Tigre Lodge (BRTL) and Rio Pizote (08[degrees] 31' N, 83[degrees] 24' W), Puerto Jimenez, Puntarenas, at an elevation of 130 m. The habitat in the area is tropical wet forest, characterized by a canopy 30-40 m in height, where common...

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