SHORT COMMUNICATIONS 
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Ramphocinclus brachyurus (Temple et al. 2006, 
2009). 
The tremblers (Cinclocerthia spp.), in particu¬ 
lar. are poorly known. Since their description in 
the mid-19th century, the Brown Trembler (C. 
ruficauda) and Gray Trembler (C. gutiuralis) have 
been periodically lumped and split: the genus 
included at least two species in the late 19th 
century (Cory 1886), was monotypic in the early 
20th (reviewed by Storer 1989), and split again 
later that century (AOU 1991). Recent morpho¬ 
logical (Storer 1989) and molecular (Hunt et al. 
2001) phylogenetic analyses support recognition 
of two distinct trembler species. Presently, the 
Martinique and St. Lucia populations are recog¬ 
nized as Gray Trembler and all other Lesser 
Antillean island populations are recognized as 
Brown Trembler (AOU 1998. Cody 2005). Only 
two studies of Brown Trembler natural history 
exist, both from Dominica: Zusi (1969) investi¬ 
gated feeding ecology and Markowsky et al. 
(1994) studied the function of the species' 
namesake trembling wing display. No formal 
studies have examined Gray Trembler behavior 
and/or ecology, and we suggest that published 
descriptions of the nest and eggs of this species 
are suspect. 
Nearly all mimids are known to construct open- 
cup nests with a few exceptions (Cody 2005). 
Outliers include Sage {Oreoscoptes monftmus) 
and Brown ( Toxostoma rufurn) thrashers which 
are occasional ground-nesters (Cody 2005), cav¬ 
ity-nesting Pearly-eyed Thrasher (Margawps 
fuscatus) (Arendt 2006) and. according to pub¬ 
lished accounts, Gray Trembler. Cody (2005:481) 
and Keith (1997:108) describe Gray Trembler 
nests as “domed” with both nest descriptions 
based on Danforth (1935:74), who reported a St. 
Lucian Gray Trembler nest as, * 'a domed structure 
made of dry grasses, with the entrance at the 
side” containing eggs (not described). Danlorth’s 
second-hand account was based on a description 
recounted by a resident or St. Lucia. In contrast, a 
"cup-shaped” Brown Trembler nest sent from 
Dominica was described by Bond (1941:372). 
Quoting his correspondent, the nest was “situated 
in a fairly high coconut palm at the base of a 
frond, in the little hollow where it grew out of the 
trunk”; and “although a nest, similarly situated, 
was found in St. Lucia (Cinclocerthia ruficauda 
ntacrorhyncha), the usual nesting site of this 
species would seem to be in the cavity of a tree or 
in the hollow stump of a tree-fern.” Whether 
Bond or another person observed the nest on St. 
Lucia is unclear. Bond’s (1971:170) field guide 
reiterated that Brown Tremblers (considering, at 
the time. Gray Tremblers as conspecific) nest “in 
a cavity of a tree or tree fern, or at the base of a 
palm frond." 
A source for description of Gray Trembler eggs 
is also ambiguous. Bond (1971:170) described the 
eggs of “Trembler" as “greenish-blue” with a 
clutch size of 2-3 without specifying a source. 
Subsequent authors (e.g.. Raffaele et al. 1998, 
Cody 2005) appear to have applied Bond's 
description to the eggs of both Gray and Brown 
tremblers, although Bond did not distinguish 
between the species. 
Our objective is to report unequivocal descrip¬ 
tions of the nest structure and eggs of a Gray 
Trembler on St. Lucia, West Indies documented 
by photographs. We also discuss the validity of 
prior reports of the nesting biology of this species 
and its sister taxon, the Brown Trembler. 
STUDY AREA 
Our observation of a Gray Trembler nest 
occurred during study of the White-breasted 
Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus) within the 
Mandele Range, a 680-ha fragment of regenerated 
dry forest on the east coast of St. Lucia, West 
Indies between the towns of Dennery and Praslin 
(Anthony and Domelly 2008). The vegetation 
consists of littoral woodland and scrub species, 
transitioning into deciduous tropical dry forest 
away from the coast, and interspersed with 
subsistence agriculture and charcoal pit clearings 
(Temple 2005). A large portion of the Mandele 
Range is currently being developed into a multi¬ 
use resort, resulting in dry forest destruction and 
landscape fragmentation (Mortensen 2009). The 
Gray Trembler nest observed wax in a 47.6-ha 
forested plot on the development property. 
OBSERVATIONS 
Nesting Phenology. —We observed a Gray 
Trembler carrying a stick to the top of an 
understory tree ~15 m from a forest edge, adding 
the stick to a nest already under construction at 
0850 lirs on 24 June 2007: the nest possessed a 
well-formed cup by 27 June 2007. We observed 
(using a digital video camera attached to a long 
stick) three eggs in the nest on 2 July 2007. Later 
that day. we observed an adult Gray Trembler 
incubating the eggs. The last day of egg 
observation was 13 July 2007, and the first 
