Hábitos reproductivos de la Zacua Mayor (Psarocolius montezuma) en Bacalar, Quintana Roo, México

Abstract

I REPORT HERE MY OBSERVATIONS OF BREEDING COLONIES OF MONTEZUMA OROPENDOLA (PSAROCOLIUS MONTEZUMA) AT BACALAR, SOUTHERN QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO, FROM 1986 THROUGH 1992. THE BREEDING SEASON WENT FROM FEBRUARY TO AUGUST. MENTEZUMA OROPENDOLAS USED FIVE TREE SPECIES TO BUILD THEIR BREEDING COLONIES. THE MEAN NEST NUMBER PER COLONY WAS 57.5, RANGRING FROM 21 TO 85. RAPTORS WERE THE MOST OBVIOUS PREDATORS. THE GIANT COWBIRD (SCAPHIDURA ORYZIVORA) PARASITE OROPENDOLA S NESTS, AND SOME PARASITIC INSECTS CALLED ""COLMOYOTES"" (DERMATOBIA SP.) WERE FOUD TO CAUSE CICKEN DEATHS. DUE TO THEIR FEEDING HABITS, OROPENDOLAS ACT AS IMPORTANT SEED SCATTERERS, FLOWER POLLINATORS AND CONTROLLERS OF INSECT POPULATIONS.