NEW INFORMATION ON THE COURTSHIP FEEDING BEHAVIOR OF COTINGAS OF THE GENUS CARPORNIS FROM BRAZIL

Abstract

Birds have varied pre-reproduction behaviors such as courtship feeding behavior, which is the delivery of a nuptial gift to the female by the male. The family Cotingidae comprises Neotropical birds that perform some pre-reproduction behaviors, but the genus Carpornis, endemic to the Atlantic Forest, is limited. The only possible courtship feeding behavior observed for the berryeaters was in 1979. Based on this scenario, we present descriptions of this behavior of two Brazilian species of the genus Carpornis. The observations were made in the states of São Paulo and Bahia, where males were observed delivering nuptial gifts to females. Field data show a certain pattern of behavior, mainly for C. cucullata, but further studies are needed, particularly for C. melanocephala, which, in addition to having less known about its reproduction, is also threatened.