The masked robber: Blue Dacnis steals nesting material from a Crested Becard nest in southeastern Brazil
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17648/heringeriana.v17i1.918029Keywords:
Nest building, Atlantic Forest, Parasitism, PiracyAbstract
This study reports the first recorded case of nest material kleptoparasitism in the Thraupidae family, involving a Blue Dacnis (Dacnis cayana) and a Crested Becard (Pachyramphus Validus) nest. Kleptoparasitism is a behavior in which one individual steals food or resources from another, and nest material kleptoparasitism specifically refers to the theft of nesting material. The Blue Dacnis successfully stole nesting material from the Crested Becard's nest without being noticed. This behavior offers advantages such as reduced effort in finding material and decreased predation risk, but also carries risks such as defense by the nest owners and the possibility of carrying pathogens. This observation expands our understanding of kleptoparasitic behaviors in Neotropical passerines.
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