Observations at a Chestnut-throated Huet-huet (Pteroptochos castaneus, Rhinocryptidae) nest: parental behavior and predation attempts

Abstract

The Chestnut-throated Huet-huet (Pteroptochus castaneus) is a poorly known species, endemic to Chile and Argentina. Here we describe observations made during eight days on a nest with two nestlings of the Chestnut-throated Huet-huet between September and October of 2015. The nest was in a tunnel located in a road bank, 1 km from Los Queules National Reserve, central Chile. Based on recordings from a camera trap, both members of the pair contributed to feeding of nestlings and nest sanitation. Visits bringing food constituted only 50% of the total visits to the nest. Feeding rate (0.90 +/- 0.15 trips/h) was low compared to other species of the family. We recorded a total of four predation attempts, in which three were unsuccessful during our observation: two attempts by a kod-kod (Leopardus guigna) during the night and one by a Variable Hawk (Geranoaetus polyosoma); and one attempt that might have been successful: attempt by kod-kod during the night resulting in the disappearance of one nestling since the feeding rate halved afterwards.