Erwin E. Klaas

“ With the exception of a synoptic collection presented to the Departamento de la Fauna Silvestre, Dirección General de Caza, México, D.F., all of the specimens mentioned are in the museum at the University of Kansas.
Unless otherwise indicated, specimens taken were not molting. For birds undergoing postnuptial or postjuvenal molt, the degree of advancement of the molt is indicated by the numbers of primaries and rectrices that are new or partly ensheathed. Information on the condition of the testes refers to the left testis unless otherwise noted. ”

“ Skutch suggested that the motmots he observed in Central America were solitary nesters, and nest in "groups" only where suitable nesting sites are scarce. In Campeche, many suitable, seemingly identical, but unused, nesting sites were available within a few hundred yards of the site of the actual nesting "colony." Moreover, most of the burrows were only a few feet apart and no agonistic behavior was witnessed. It seems that this motmot is characterized by colonial nesting habits in Campeche, even where abundant sites for individual nesting efforts are available. ”

“ Paynter referred two specimens taken in late September and three January-taken specimens to S. r. stuarti, the highland race that breeds from the mountains of southern Veracruz to Guatamala.
Allan R. Phillips had identified two immature individuals (40694 and 40712) from Pisté as S. r. stuarti; one specimen from Puerto Juarez also is an immature and is nearly identical to those from Pisté. Two adults from Pisté (40691 and 40710) are noticeably darker dorsally than the immatures but are molting extensively and their identification to subspecies is equivocal. ”

“ Its area is approximately 143,500 square kilometers and includes the Mexican states of Campeche and Yucatán and the sparsely settled Territory of Quintana Roo, plus parts of British Honduras and the Petén region of Guatamala. The peninsula has a mean breadth of about 300 kilometers and a coast line of about 1100 kilometers.
Topographically, the peninsula is a low-level plain that rises gradually inland to the south. The coast on the north and west is low, sandy, and semi-barren; openings through the outer coastal strand lead to narrow brackish lagoons surrounded by mangroves. ”

“ They were easily caught by hand and later prepared as specimens. One was a male and the other a female; each had a brood patch.
Possibly females of this species raise more than one brood in a single nesting season, but I have no direct evidence of this. Such an hypothesis is suggested by the different stages of nestings found in the burrows. Moreover, there were more than twice as many burrows as motmots in the area. The largest number of individuals counted at any time near the colony was 20 adults (about an hour after sunrise) . ”

“ According to him, eggs are laid in April and May in Honduras and Guatamala, although he did not state that breeding does not occur in other months. The observations in Campeche in early July suggest that breeding can occur over an extended period; Paynter (1955a:158) found the species to be in various stages of reproductive activity in April on the peninsula. ”

“ All of the birds were perched between 30 and 60 feet above the ground on dead limbs of large trees, and all were perched on the same side of the road facing the light of a full moon. None was less than 200 meters from the next; few flew at the approach of our vehicle. In addition to one specimen taken along the road, another was taken from a fence post in a milpa on the same night. It was approached close enough to be shot with a 22 caliber pistol loaded with dust-shot. All specimens had thick layers of subcutaneous and visceral fat and their gonads were small and seemingly inactive. ”

“ A village in east-central Quintana Roo. Field work was centered at Rancho San Miguel, about four kilometers north-northeast of the village. Mostly second growth rainforest with scattered large patches of tall trees (to 30 meters) . Several large milpas were present on the ranch some of which had been recently cleared. Our camp was at a large aguada bordered on one side by an extensive marsh with tall dense grass.
Isla Cozumel.—Lat. 20° 27′ N, long. 86° 26′ W, sea level to 10 meters. A large island, 15 kilometers east of the mainland. ”

“ A map of the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico showing localities referred to in the text.
Pueblo Nuevo X-can.—Lat. 21° 52′ N, long. 87° 26′ W, elevation 10 meters. A village five kilometers east of X-can, Yucatán, in rainforest with dense underbrush. Specimens were obtained from the immediate vicinity of the village.
Puerto Juárez.—Lat. 21° 10′ N, long. 86° 49′ W, sea level. A small port on the Caribbean Coast with alternating sand beach and limestone shore. Mangrove swamps extend a short distance inland at various points. ”

“ Daily temperatures range from 78° to 98° F. in the shade; cool sea winds prevail day and night throughout most of the year. The hottest months are May and June. In winter, fierce northers, temporales or nortes, occasionally sweep across this open region, bringing rain and cooler temperatures, lasting several days. ”

“ Two specimens were collected on the leeward side of the island about three kilometers south of the village on August 2. The only evidence of breeding was slightly enlarged testes in one male. Two individuals were sighted on the east coast of the mainland at Puerto Juarez on August 4. The species was common 3 to 13 km. west-southwest of Sisal; specimens taken there may have been migrants.
Specimens (5) : ♂, 40435, testis 3 × 1 mm., 59.0 gm. (August 2) , and ♀, 40436, ovary inactive, 49.3 gm. (August 2) , Isla Mujeres; ♀, 40434, ovary inactive, 53.6 gm. ”

“ Aztec Parakeet.—This species was most common in deciduous forest and scrub at Champotón, Pisté, Puerto Juarez, and especially Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Parakeets were extremely wary and only two were collected.
Specimens (2) : ♂, 40481, testis 3 × 2 mm., 75.0 gm., molting—extensive body molt, 8th primaries ensheathed, middle pair of rectrices are new (August 16) , and ♀, 40482, ovary inactive, 72.4 gm. (August 16) , 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto.
Amazona xantholora (Gray) : Yellow-lored Parrot.—The species was abundant in the vicinity of Champotón. Large flocks congregated near camp ”

“ Puerto Juarez.
Tanagra lauta lauta Bangs and Penard: Thick-billed Euphonia.—According to Paynter (1955a:272) , the only breeding record previously available is that of a male having slightly enlarged testes on February 12. Males taken on July 15 and on August 14 had fully enlarged testes; the gonads of several other specimens were apparently regressing, two specimens had begun to molt, and juveniles were molting into first winter plumage.
Specimens (9) : ♂, 40874, testis 7 × 4 mm. (July 15) , and ♀, 40875, ova to 1 mm. (July 15) , 71⁄2 km. W Escárcega; ♂, 40869, testis 6 × 4 mm., 14.5 gm. ”

“ Breeding apparently continues at least into July. An adult male with moderately enlarged testes (probably regressing) was taken on July 7 at Zacatel, Campeche, and a juvenile was obtained 13 km. WSW Sisal on August 10. The male at Zacatal was in mangroves alongside the ferry landing (for the ferry from Isla del Carmen) and seems to be the first specimen of this subspecies recorded for the state.
Specimens (7) : ♂, 40829, testis 4 × 2 mm., 11.1 gm., molting—1st, 2nd, and 3rd primaries ensheathed (July 7) , Zacatal, Campeche ”

“ Paynter (1955a) did not list the species for Isla Mujeres; our observations seem to constitute the first records for the island.
Mycteria americana Linnaeus: Wood Ibis.—A flock of about 15 flew over our camp 4 km. NNE Felipe Carrillo Puerto on August 14.
Sarcoramphus papa (Linnaeus) : King Vulture.—Our specimen was one of two individuals seen at a cenote.
Specimen (1) : ♂ 40403, testes inactive, 8 lbs. (July 29) , 1 km. N Pueblo Nuévo X-can. Mallophaga: Colpocephalum megalops. ”