Secrets of a Rare Bird: Breeding behavior of the Gray-breasted Flycatcher (Lathrotriccus griseipectus) in Ecuador

The Tumbesian region of southwestern Ecuador and northwestern Peru is home to a large number of endemic bird species. Many of these species are threatened with extinction, and little is known about their basic biology. Thus, information regarding natural history of species in the region is needed to guide conservation management. We studied the reproductive biology of the Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Lathrotriccus griseipectus, a small Tyrannid that lives in the Tumbesian region. Due to habitat destruction, the range size of L. griseipectus has dwindled and the species is now listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. We used a mounted camera to record for the first time the breeding behaviors of adults at the nest. We recorded 80 hours of activity across 7 days. We analyzed video footage for the amount of time adults cared for young and recorded fledging of the nestlings. We then compared these data to a species in the same genus, L. euleri, that is common and has a large range size to better understand difference between the two. By examining the breeding behavior of L. griseipectus, our work sheds light on reproduction of a rare, endemic species and provides critical information for conservation management plans.