Notes on Display Behavior, Breeding, and Fledgling Care of the Wedge-billed Woodcreeper (Glyphorynchus spirurus) in Eastern Ecuador

ABSTRACT The Wedge-billed Woodcreeper (Glyphorynchus spirurus) is a common suboscine passerine of lowland forests of the Neotropics. While nest sites and incubation behavior for the species have been described, information about courtship and fledgling care are absent. As part of a separate study on the movement patterns of Wedge-billed Woodcreepers in eastern Ecuador, we observed a previously undescribed display behavior and collected data on fledgling feeding rates. We observed a neck-extension behavior performed synchronously by two interacting individuals that appears to play a role in courtship, but is also performed in aggressive contexts. Given that only 5 of 23 tracked adults were known to be breeding during the study period (Jan–Apr 2012), it is likely that the breeding season in this area extends well before and after this time period. Molt and breeding activities coincided for two individuals. Fledgling feeding rates ranged from 0.47–2.0 feeds/hr for adults from three nests; observation of only...