324 
THE WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY • Vol. 124. No. 2. June 2012 
80 - 
70 
Third year Total 
■ Pair ■ Group 
first secon/r:!^ °' ^ shnw ‘ ng males ’ ,ema * es - pairs, and groups of Red-billed Curassows obtained during the 
first, second, and third year of the study in Vale Natural Reserve, Brazil. 
The overall capture frequency was si milt 
between wet and dry seasons (y 2 = ().25, df = | 
P > 0.5) (Table 1). However, analyzing each yea 
separately, records were more frequent during th 
dry season in the first year (y : ~ \ 7.8, df = 1 p < 
0.005). and during the wet season of the secom 
year (y- = 20.4. df = 1. P < 0.005); the captun 
frequency was similar between seasons in the thin 
year (r = 0.82, df= 1, P > 0.1; Table I ). 
Smgle individuals were captured more ofter 
(85%. n = 167) than either pairs or groups (15% 
" ~ 30) - Males were commonly capturec 
(57 7c, n - 112), followed by females (28%, n = 
55), pairs (8%. n = 16), and groups (7%. n — 14 
Fig- 2). The proportions of males, females, and 
associations (pairs and groups) differed (y- = 
53.8. df = 2, P < 0.005) and varied from year to 
year (*- - 10.9, dl = 4. P < 0.05), Individual 
males were captured more often than expected in 
the first and third years while individual females 
were captured more than expected in the second 
year. Croups were captured more than expected in 
tne tirst and second years. 
Six of the 14 recorded groups were of two 
females, four were Iwo males, two were a male and 
two females otte was three females, and one was 
four females (two adults and two young). Captures 
ot a male and two remales were obtained in 
ovem ei (tirst year) and in June (third year). The 
HrZ , TT SeX individuals ««« captured 
Red-billed Curassows were captured over a lb- 
hr interval with the first record at 0523 hrs and the 
last at 1812 hrs (Fig. 3). Captures had a binuxiai 
distribution; the first peak occurred soon after 
0600 hrs and the second after 1600 hrs (Fig. 3). 
This bimodal distribution was similar amorrst 
years. Males and females had similar daily 
activity patterns (y 2 = 5.5. df = 7, P > 0.5), 
DISCUSSION 
The cameras were useful to gather information 
on aspects of the natural history of Red-billed 
Curassows. The relatively large bode size (total 
length ~ 90 cm. 3.5 kg) and mostly terrestnal 
habit o! these birds were adequate to trigger the 
infrared sensors of the camera traps. 
Information about the natural history of the Re 1 
billed C urassovv is often anecdotal. It is generally 
considered monogamous (Sick 1997) although 
polygyny has been observed in captive birds or 
hunted populations, due to the female-biased v * 
ratio resulting from instances where males are 
more heavily hunted (Sick 1970). Single-^' 
groups have also been seen during the 
breeding period (Collar and Gonzaga 1988. Sick 
1997). However, this species has also been report 
to be polygamous (Augusto Ruschi in Ddaco- 
and Amadon 1973) while others (Sick 1970 .0-'U 
and Gonzaga 1988) suggest they live in pairs or 
family groups of up to four individuals. 
Our data demonstrated the occurrence of a i 1 
with two females in two independent record 
suggesting polygyny. These findings air aho 
supported by observations in Cupido and R<-’ ,u f 1 
