Uejima el al. • BREEDING AND FORAGING OF THE PLUSH-CRESTED JAY 
93 
TABLE 6. Number of feeding events by strata and 
aging substrate of Plush-crested Jays at each of the study 
lies in southern Brazil: Vila Velha State Park (VVP), 
Klabin Ecological Park (KEP), and Ribeirao do Tigre 
Farm l RTF I. 
Sc* 
VVP 
KEP 
RTF 
Totals 
Indemon 
Branches 
164 
204 
56 
424 
Leaves 
132 
187 
70 
389 
Epiphytes 
81 
106 
30 
217 
.Air 
8 
17 
13 
38 
Subtotals 
385 
514 
169 
1.068 
Middle level 
Branches 
122 
168 
89 
379 
Leaves 
138 
224 
90 
452 
Epiphytes 
82 
137 
39 
258 
Air 
6 
17 
8 
31 
Subtotals 
348 
546 
226 
1.120 
Subcanopy 
Branches 
11 
118 
42 
171 
Leaves 
17 
93 
56 
166 
Epiphytes 
17 
32 
18 
67 
.Air 
0 
12 
6 
18 
Subtotals 
45 
255 
122 
422 
Ground 
186 
142 
42 
370 
Totals 
964 
1.457 
559 
2.980 
Ihe number of foods cached did not differ between 
seasons (G = 
2.06; df = 
3; P > 0.01). 
DISCUSSION 
'l ;lr ger size of the territory at RTF than a 
' p and KEP was probably related to the amount 
01 Su Pplementary food at the two latter sites. 
L:ir ^ territory sizes at RTF may compensate for 
' u ' *vith lower food availability. Marzluft and 
VJlherlm (2006) observed that crows and ravens 
11 'spp.) had smaller home ranges and higher 
ambers of fledglings near settlements. However, 
1 to und larger home ranges at KEP than at VVP. 
;ilhou gb nock Size was similar. This may be due 
l| higher predation rates at VVP (lower fledgling 
Auction) than at KEP. allowing a smaller home 
r ^ e - Territory size expanded at all sites during 
!!,c summer (Fig. 2). probably due to addition of 
iled glings to flocks or possible variation in food 
abundance. 
of the available data published on 
•oiiocorux species indicate communal bleeding 
" [ Un active nest in each group and helpers in 
IL ‘nest during the nesting period and while the 
.’"iing are dependent (Anjos el al. 2009). We 
documented this system in our study of the Plush- 
crested .lay. Alternation among individuals was 
observed during the incubation period, unlike for 
most Cyanocorax jays, where only one individual 
incubates (e.g.. Inca Jay |C. yncas |: Alvarez 
1975). This behavior appears similar to that of 
the Curl-crested Jay (C. crisiatellus), where short 
substitutions were observed (Amaral and Macedo 
2003). Two individuals were observed incubating 
for Azure Jays (C caendeus). at times with relief 
(Boesing and Anjos. In Press). Brooding Plush- 
crested Jays were observed being ted by several 
individuals of the flock, as reported for most 
Cyanocorax jays (e.g.. Moore 1938. Crossin 
1967). The type of vocalization (pair call) before 
feeding lias also been recorded for other Cyano- 
coiilx species: Curl-crested Jay (Amaral and 
Macedo 2003), Tufted Jay (C. dickeyi) (Moore 
1938. Skutch 1987), and Azure Jay t Anjos and 
Vielliard 1993; Boesing and Anjos. In Press). 
Feeding of both nestlings and the brooding 
bird by helpers is common in several species of 
Cyanocorax jays (e.g.. Bosque and Molina 2002. 
Amaral and Macedo 2003). Breeders assisted by 
helpers were observed to fledge more young in 
the case of the Florida Scrub Jay (Aphelocoma 
coerulescens) (Woolfenden and Fitzpatrick 1984). 
a cooperative jay in North America. We observed 
possible predation of nestlings and fledglings by 
hawks (Roadside Hawk |Huteo magnirostris] and 
Yellow-headed C.aracara \Milvago chimachima]), 
marsupials (e.g.. Didelphis spp.), and reptiles 
(e.g.. Tupinambis spp.). One South American 
coati (Nasna nasua) was recorded preying on a 
fledgling on the ground. The most common cause 
of the lack of reproductive success in nests of 
corvids is predation (Marzluff 1985). 
Neotropical jays occupy different forest strata, 
but preferences vary among species (Anjos et al. 
2009). The Plush-crested Jay frequents all lorest 
strata, but seems to prefer the understory and 
middle level of the forest, despite frequently using 
the ground, where food is available (VVP and 
KEP). All available layer-,, including the ground, 
are used by Inca Jays (Alvarez 1975) and 
Purplish-backed Jays (C. beecheii) (Raitt and 
Hardy 1979). Azure Jays often only frequent the 
canopy of the forest (Anjos 1991). The availabil¬ 
ity of food at VVP favors use of resources on the 
ground, whereas the density of vegetation pro¬ 
motes the use of higher strata at RTF and KEP. 
Caching behaviors are widespread throughout 
the Corvidae. Food storage is commonly observed 
