SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 
143 
description of nests and eggs 
We discovered the first nest at —1730 hrs on 13 
Jane 2008 with an adult incubating two eggs. It was 
in a gap within the forest next to a trail, —200 m 
from the Lliquino River margin (01° 31' S, 77 33' 
W. 327 m asl), Pastaza Province, Ecuador. At first 
contact, the bird’s identity could not be accurately 
ascertained because it rapidly flushed. However, 
several photographs were obtained at a later visit in 
the afternoon of 19 June (Fig. 1A). We found a 
second nest on 8 December 2008 on the border of 
the Lliquino River (01° 28' S, 77° 32' W, 442 m 
asl) near the Kichwa community of Huito. An adult 
flushed quickly from the nest that contained only 
one egg. We visited the nest during the night of 
12 December 2008 to properly identify the nest 
owner and take photographs (Fig. 2A) and mea¬ 
surements. We visited nests at night because of the 
tendency of adults incubating both nests to flush 
when we tried to photograph them during the day. 
Birds at both nests were identified as Chestnut¬ 
headed Crake because of their chestnut head with 
an olive-brown mid-line extending from the nape 
to the back. The bill was black and yellow, legs 
pinkish red, and irises red (Figs. 1 A, 2A). 
The first nest (Fig. IB) was on a fallen tree 
trunk (69 cm diameter), covered by abundant 
epiphytes and vines, 1.3 m above ground. 
Vegetation around the nest was dominated by 
vines, large-leaved plants (Maranthaceae), Iriar- 
tea deltoidea palms, and Melastomataceae with 
nearby bamboo (Guadua augustifolia) patches. 
The canopy above the nest was open, but many 
live plants around and above the nest provided 
shade. The nest was oriented to the west and we 
estimate it received sunlight from mid-day to mid- 
afternoon. The nest was surrounded by abundant 
leaves and attached to the twigs of a vine-tangle 
growing on the trunk. The second nest was also on 
a fallen trunk, 0.5 m above the ground next to a 
ravine. The nest was surrounded by abundant 
vegetation with many vine leaves ( Alchornea , 
Anthurium ), which concealed and provided shade 
t0 toe cup. The second nest was also in a gap with 
an open canopy. 
Both nests were similar in shape. The first nest 
Was a flat and bulky bowl-shaped platform 
(Pig- 1C). The nest base and exterior consisted 
°f a broad mass of large dead leaves, including an 
Anthurium (Araceae) leaf with a length of 
430 mm. The cup included Virola spp. (Myristi- 
c aceae) leaves, as well as woody material (i.e., 
FIG 1 (A). Chestnut-headed Crake (Anurolimnas 
castaneiceps) incubating, June 2008, Lliquino River 
Pastaza, Ecuador. (B). First nest of the chestnut-headed 
Crake with two eggs, June 2008, Lliquino River, Pastaza, 
Ecuador. (C). Detail of the interior of the first nest, Lliquino 
River, Pastaza, Ecuador. (Photographs by G. Buitron-J). 
sticks, vine twigs). Sticks were the main material 
supporting and surrounded the eggs. Moss abun¬ 
dantly grew over the trunk next to the nest but it 
was not part of the nest materials. The outer 
diameter of the nest was 200 X 170 mm 
(measured at perpendicular angles). The inner 
cup diameter was 53.9 X 70.1 mm and the depth 
was 100 mm. The second nest was also a bulky 
bowl-shaped platform built with many dead 
