BREEDING BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF THE WILLIE WAGTAIL RHIPIDURA-LEUCOPHRYS IN THE MADANG REGION, PAPUA-NEW-GUINEA

Ten breeding pairs of Willie Wagtail Rhipidura leucophrys were sedenta ry and territorial (average territory size 0.85 ha) from 16 September- 6 December 1990, at the end of the dry season and the beginning of the rainy season, an important part of the Willie Wagtail breeding season in Papua New Guinea. Nine of 15 nests found were built over water; th ey were 1-14 m above ground or water. Most were cup-shaped. easy to fi nd but difficult to climb to. Both parents built the nest. During layi ng eggs were incubated 70-80% of the time, mostly by the female. Later , the eggs were incubated for 90% of the daytime and female sitting do minance was not so clear. One-day-old nestlings were brooded most of t he day; this decreased as the nestlings grew and after day 7 became mi nimal. During the first three days of nestling life the male shared br ooding; his share decreased later. Both parents equally fed the nestli ngs. Visits with food per hour varied from 5-26, and increased with ne stling age. Males and females foraged in the same places, within 1-200 m of the nest, usually not more than 70 m away. Patterns of post-nata l growth in the Willie Wagtail are similar to those of other passerine s. Eight different hunting techniques were distinguished. Parent birds spent most of their time at the nest which they defended rather than concealed. Peak singing activity was just before sunrise.