OBSERVATIONS ON THE BREEDING BIOLOGY OF THE SILKY-TAILED NIGHTJAR (CAPRIMULGUS SERICOCAUDATUS MENGELI)

I found 15 nests of the Silky-tailed Nightjar (Caprimulgus sericocaudatus mengeli) from 1994 to 2004 at Cocha Cashu Biological Station, Mann National Park, Peru. Females and mates shared incubation and brooding duties with females on the nest during the day and males on at night. Nest relief occurred between 0300-0600 and 1800-2100 hrs. Two-egg clutches were placed on bare ground or on leaf-litter in more mature strands of forest. The semi-precocial young were mobile within 24 hrs of hatching and remained in the area with an adult through the fledgling stage. Both males and females feigned injury during incubation and brooding if disturbed. Three nesting sites were used for 5 years and another for 10 years, suggesting strong site fidelity and possibly a strong pair bond among long-lived individuals.