The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 124 ( 1 ): 81 - 86 , 2012 
TERRITORIAL FIDELITY TO NECTAR SOURCES BY 
PURPLE-THROATED CARIBS, EULAMP1S JUGULARIS 
VINITA GOWDA, 124 ETHAN J. TEMELES. 1 AND W. JOHN KRESS 2 
ABSTRACT—We present the first record of territorial site-fidelity across multiple years by Purple-throated Caribs 
lEulampisjugularis) on three different islands in the eastern Caribbean, St. Kitts. Dominica, and St. Vincent. Marked male 
Purple-throated Caribs were monitored throughout the flowering season ot their main nectar resources. Heliconia carihaea 
St. Kitts and Dominica) and H. hihai (St. Vincent), both native perennial herbs. Individual males were observed defending 
the tat Heliconia patches for 3 years (St Vincent). 4 years (St Kilts). and 5 years (Dominica), and remained near these 
patcho e.en when they were not in flower. The territorial behavior and resource dependence of Purple-throated Caribs on 
native heliconias likely have a key role in the coevolution of this specialized plant-pollinator interaction. Received 17 
Man h 2011. Accepted 2 August 2011. 
Territoriality is a costly and often complex 
behavior involving exclusive possession and/or 
defense of an area against conspecific and hetero- 
specific animals (Carpenter 1958; Brown 1964. 
'W; Pyke 1979). Territorial defense of food 
resources is common by nectar-feeding birds (Gill 
and Wall J975,Cruden and Hermann-Parker 1977, 
tf <bl and Frost 1980. Armstrong 1992, Evans 
•'^l Non-hermit hummingbirds (Trochilinae), in 
particular, defend nectar-rich flower patches from 
u, 'b conspecific and heterospecifics (Wolf and 
'binvwoith 1971, Kodric-Brown and Brown 1978, 
l " 1(on 1998, Tetneles et al. 2005). Territories, in 
l ' l)nie s pccies, also function as central breeding 
formates to attract females by offering them 
''uers rich in high-energy nectar (Wolf 1975, 
lemel es et al. 2005, Temeles and Kress 2010). 
Emtorial defense by hummingbirds may vary 
duration from several hours a day (e.g., 
' Illes *978, Cotton 1998) to several days, weeks 
months per year (e.g., Temeles et al. 2005). 
^■mtorial defense by hummingbirds of the same 
^ over multiple years, however, has been 
reported (but see Bassett and Cubic 2009). 
specifically, territorial fidelity by hummingbirds. 
the same individual uses the same plants 
lW Consecutive years, is undocumented. 
Species in the Heliconia (HeJiconiaccae) are 
priniar y sources of nectar for hummingbirds in the 
^Panmcnt of Biological Sciences. George Washington 
"' VCT %, 2023 G Street NW. Washington. D.C. 20052. 
tSA. 
Current address. Department of Botany. MRC-166. 
0 Box 37012, Smithsonian Institution. Washington. 
UC 20013. USA. 
. Apartment of Biology. Amherst College. Amherst. M A 
0) «K, USA. 
‘Corresponding author; e-mail: vinitagowda@gmail.com 
Neotropics, and territorial defense of Heliconia 
flowers by hummingbirds is common (Linhart 
1973, Stiles 1975, Kress 1983. Dobkin 1984). 
Heliconias on the islands of the eastern Caribbean 
are a primary and predictable source of nectar for 
hummingbirds, especially the Purple-throated 
Carib (Eulampis jugularis) (Wolf and Hainsworth 
1971. Wolf 1975. Temeles and Kress 2003, 
Gowda and Kress 2008). Only two native species 
of heliconias occur on the islands of the eastern 
Caribbean; H. bihai and H. carihaea. The 
flowering season of //• carihaea ranges from 
March to July with a peak in May, although rarely 
individual plants may produce single inflores¬ 
cences from August to February. In contrast, H. 
hihai Bowers all year with a peak in April (Gowda 
2009). Male Purple-throated Caribs. depending on 
the island, defend feeding and/or breeding terri¬ 
tories of either H. carihaea or H. hihai, or both, 
whereas female Purple-throated Caribs trapline- 
lorage at undefended plants or rarely defend 
feeding territories (Wolf 1975; Temeles et al. 
2005, 2006). Heliconia plants are long-lived 
(Berry and Kress 1991). and individual birds 
may use the same plants over successive years. 
We report on long-term territoriality and site- 
fidelity of Purple-throated Caribs of the same 
patches of heliconias over several years on St. 
Kitts. Dominica, and St. Vincent, three islands in 
the Lesser Antillean Archipelago of the Eastern 
Caribbean. We also report on additional food 
plants used by this species. 
METHODS 
Field Procedures. —Field work was conducted 
between 2003 and 2009 on St. Kitts (17' 20' N. 
62' 45' W), Dominica (I5 C 25' N, 61° 20' W), 
and St. Vincent (13° 15' N. 61° 12' W; Fig. I). 
81 
