Swainson's flycatcher - First breeding record


Germán detected the nest during construction. He tells us that "I found this flycatcher building the nest in a lamp post. The bird was carrying sticks and placing them very high in the holes. It was funny to see the bird bump its head trying to get the wider sticks into the hole. There was a pair, I saw them together, though I can not assure both of them carried sticks. It came every minute or so they were away for some 5 or 10 minutes , perhaps to eat something".
On that same day Carlos also saw the pair. When he came back the following Thursday, he waited for half an hour but the flycatchers did not show. What called his attention was too many active bees in the place. In later visits we checked the nest with no news of the flycatchers.
Swainson's Flycatcher
20-11-16 © Germán Pugnali
Swainson's Flycatcher
20-11-16 © Juan Carlos Ferreyra
Swainson's Flycatcher
20-11-16 © Germán Pugnali
Swainson's Flycatcher
20-11-16 © Germán Pugnali
Swainson's Flycatcher
20-11-16 © Germán Pugnali
Swainson's Flycatcher
20-11-16 © Carlos Agulian

On 4th of December Germán finds this nest in a white cedar at 100 meters from the lamp post. "There is a pair carrying food to this nest. It is a tree with two holes. Interesting since the lamp post of their first attempt also had two holes which were used as entrance and exit". In later visits feeding activity was confirmed. The last record of the birds in the nest was on 14th.
Swainson's Flycatcher
04-01-17 © Germán Pugnali
Swainson's Flycatcher
12-01-17 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Swainson's Flycatcher
12-01-17 © J. Simón Tagtachian
Swainson's Flycatcher
14-01-17 © Ricardo Palonsky

On 19th Claudia found two fledgelings being fed by adults in the vicinity of the nest and Gustavo found them again on 22nd.
Swainson's Flycatcher
19-01-17 © Claudia Vilma Mon
Swainson's Flycatcher
19-01-17 © Claudia Mon
Swainson's Flycatcher
19-01-17 © Claudia Vilma Mon
Swainson's Flycatcher
22-01-17 © Gustavo Ramos
The Swainson's flycatcher nests in natural or artificial holes, but it builds a cup with sticks inside. The construction of this cup may take some 10 days. Dates are consistent to think this is the same pair which abandoned the artificial nest and decided on this new one. With Gustavo's photo the cycle of the first successful nesting by Swainson's flycatcher is finished.