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THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Voi 123, No. 2. June 2011 
DISCUSSION 
The lime of year Black Catbird breeding occurs 
on NTC is unclear. The catbirds we studied were 
extremely territorial. Pair A displayed courtship 
behavior but we saw no copulation, nesting, 
feeding of young, or newly fledged young for 
any pair. Breeding is from May to August both in 
Quintana Roo. Mexico (LaPergola et al. 2009) 
and in the Shipstem Nature Reserve in northeast¬ 
ern coastal Belize, where maximum nesting 
occurs in June (Morgenthaler 2003). 
Territoriality .—The catbirds at NTC allowed 
no other catbirds in their territories but studies at 
habitat components, especially in Caribbean 
island and coastal lowland littoral ecosystem!, 
inhabited by the catbird. Several of these same 
plant species are also important as ecosystem 
components and for food for the White-crowned 
Pigeon, the second most common avian species in 
the buttonwood-coconut ecosystem at NTC, This 
pigeon has a much wider distribution than the 
catbird (Goodwin 1977, Bancroft and Bowman 
2001). but occurs with the catbird through much 
of its range. Both are near threatened species 
(IUCN 2010), and knowledge of shared depen¬ 
dence on certain plant species is important 
other localities report different results. Extreme 
territorial defense is either not typical in some 
Black Catbird populations or lessens during the 
nesting season. Black Catbird breeding studies in 
the Shipstem Nature Reserve indicated “they do 
not express a very strong territoriality” (Mor¬ 
genthaler 2003:24). Nests there were mostly 20 to 
40 m apart but occasionally <20 m apart 
(Morgenthaler 2003). “Several concurrently ac¬ 
tive nests were <3 m apart” in Quintana Roo 
(LaPergola et al. 2009:66). 
Wing-Flashing and Tail-Fanning.—The func¬ 
tion of wing-flashing is not fully understood but is 
used by the Black Catbird and several other 
species, including several mimids. It may he used 
in aggressive behavior (e.g., territorial display and 
to frighten predators), foraging (to startle insects) 
r n T" g malin S rituals (Selandcr and Hunter 
lQQTv T A neS r 1980 ’ Derrickson and Breitwisch 
1992). One of the more noted cases of wing¬ 
flashing is in the Northern Mockingbird. (Se- 
land f Hunter I960. Derrickson and Brcit- 
WJSC 1992). Tail-lanning. similar to that illus- 
^ated tor the Gray Catbird by Cimprich and 
Moore (1995). was a display that at times 
accompanied wing-flashing by Black Catbirds at 
me Tail-fanning was especially noted durino 
courtslnp muals at NTC bu, a study by Jablonskl 
( 999) also lound .t increased flushing and 
capture of arthropods. Tail-fanning increased 
foraging success of the Painted Whilestart (Mvio- 
borus pictus), another tropical passerine, and 
taiTfw" Premise ,hat wing-flashing and 
Saw ng may SCrVC as a successful foraging 
strategy m some avian species 6 h 
Important Plants,- Black Catbirds feed on both 
animal and vegetable matter, and plants that 
Produce fruits on which they feed areVsped ally 
important. Several plants arc also important as 
(Appendix). 
CONSERVATION IMPLICATIONS 
Several factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic, 
threaten Black Catbird populations. These in¬ 
clude: (1) habitat fragmentation, especially from 
tourism developments. (2) hurricanes and subse¬ 
quent wildfires, (3) small clutches of two to three 
eggs, and (4) low fledging rates. 
The species’ is listed as a “Species of Concern" 
by Jones and Vallely (2001:56) and its declining 
status suggests the possible need fora more critical 
designation than near threatened (IUCN 2010), 
especially for Belize and Guatemala, and possibly 
for Mexico. The Black Catbird is vulnerable to 
habitat fragmentation resulting from hurricanes and 
development, especially for tourism (Miller and 
Miller 1991, 1998; Stattersfield and Capper 2000: 
Jones and Vallely 2001; Morgenthaler 2003; Jones 
2005). Deleterious impacts in Belize from devel¬ 
opment ol coastal ecosystems, offshore islands, and 
inland wetlands are widespread. Miller and Miller 
(1998: 545) noted the increased avian species 
richness of “both resident and migrant species as 
well as individuals” in riverine riparian and coastal 
ecosystems in Belize. It is in those ecosystems that 
most development for tourism, urbanization, and 
agriculture is occurring. 
Miller and Miller (1991) postulated thaL 
originally there was sufficient suitable habitat 
that when portions were destroyed by hurricanes, 
the species continued to exist in undamaged 
refuges. Catbirds from these refuges could 
repopulate recovering damaged areas. However, 
there is a lessened probability of the existence of 
Black Catbird refuge areas with continuing 
ecosystem loss and fragmentation. Fires that bum 
through the debris left by hurricanes are, at times, 
a greater threat to the Black Catbird and other 
