Quilodran el at. • NESTING OF THE THORN-TAILED RAYADITO 
741 
both the structural simplicity and the low density of 
breeding birds would limit nest predators present in 
these artificial forests. However, we observed that 
predation and breeding success rates were similar 
to those in native forest. Potential Rayadito nest 
predators in pine plantations include mice, opos¬ 
sums (Thylamvs elegans) (Estades 2001b). and 
the long-tailed snake (Phyloctrias chamissonis ) 
(Escobar and Vukasovic 2003). 
We did not find any effect of distance lo native 
lorest on the use rate of nest boxes or on nesting 
success. Rayaditos breeding in native forest 
patches usually move several hundred meters into 
the adjacent pine plantations during the non¬ 
breeding season (Estades 2001b, 2006). Thus, it is 
likely birds were able to detect the presence of 
nest boxes throughout the entire range of 
distances in our study. 
Ise of an artificial habitat for nesting reflects 
some level of behavioral plasticity by the Thorn¬ 
tailed Rayadito. Examples of the latter arc use of 
pine needles as one of the main materials for nest 
construction, and consumption of pine seeds by 
this insectivorous species (Estades 2001a). 
Our results support the use of nest boxes to 
offset the scarcity ol cavities in a landscape 
dominated by plantations of fast growing pine, 
thus allowing nesting by cavity-dependent birds 
(Munoz-Pedreros et al. 1996, White and Seginak 
2000. Bull 2003. Maicas and Haeger 2004. 
Woodley el al. 2006, Cockle el al. 2008). U se of 
artificial nest boxes, together with other manage¬ 
ment tools such as maintenance of snags and 
enhancement of the understory (Tomasevic and 
Estades 2008), may he important methods to 
mitigate the negative effects of pine plantations on 
forest birds in Chile. 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
rhis study was funded through grants to R. A. V.isquez 
(FONDECYT 1090794. PFB-23-CONICYT). and grant P05- 
0,) - Millenium Scientific Initiative of the Ministry of 
Economy, Advancement and Tourism of Chile. C. E. Estades 
hunks FONDECYT for grant 108046.3. Minineo kindly 
granted access to the study area and provided cartographic 
information. The School of Foa*st Science and Nature 
Conservation of the University of Chile contributed with 
lodging. C. S. Quilodnirt acknowledges .support from an IEB 
scholarship. R F. Zuniga, C. I Venegas, and D I. Medina 
helped set up the nest boxes, and F. M. Muureira. N. D. Von 
Kunowsky, M. A. Chavez, and C A. Pernollet helped with 
fieldwork We thank Kristof Zyskowski. an anonymous 
reviewer, and C. E. Braun for valuable comments and 
suggestions on an earlier version of this paper. 
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