Ecology of Nesting Laughing Falcons and Bat Falcons in Tikal National Park, Guatemala: Foraging and Niche Breadth

TL;DRAbstract

Three years of breeding season data were collected on the reproductive behavior and food habits of Laughing Falcons, Herpetotheres cachinnans, in northern Guatemala to describe aspects of foraging and nesting ecology of this little-studied species. Twenty-three nesting attempts were observed at thirteen nest sites. Vocalizations, nest sites and associated hymenoptera were described and growth curves developed from measurements of the young. There was an indication that nesting attempts associated with nidicolous ants increased fledging success, possibly by decreasing ectoparasite (likely Philornis sp.) loads. Foraging and habitat information was gathered through telemetry studies and observations of un-telemetered birds. Laughing Falcons foraged in every available habitat, showing a preferrence for intact forest and arboreal snakes. They utilized a range of forest strata, frommonophagous, eating only snakes in the primary forest of Parque Nacional Tikal and polyphagous outside the bord

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