JAN 5 Copulation; JAN 8 Both adults carrying sticks

[NewMexiKen]

Luis photographed the pair copulating on January 5. If successful, the first egg is usually laid in 7-14 days. At this nest there was documentation of the events during four breeding seasons. First egg was laid betweem 5 and 14 days after copulation, average of 10.5 days (median 11.5 days). Since copulation can be unsuccessful and often occurs severl times before the eggs are laid, two other observations of 18 and 27 days were not included in the calculation. As these are ground-based observations, egg-laying is inferred from their behavior-- when the female settles down deep and rarely leaves the nest. Tending the eggs and exchange of incubation duties are subsequent observations which increase the certainty after eggs have  been deposited.

This morning (JAN 8) both members of the pair gathered nest materials. I arrived at about 7:20 AM and at first the nest was empty. Soon a very large stick was carried in from behind the nest shortly after I arrived. I do not know which member of the pair carried it, but it wasso long that it posed a challenge which both struggled to solve. They actually cooperated in moving the stick higher up into the nest structure:

 





In this photo the female (Jewel) is to the left of her mate Pride :



The male is on the left in this photo:



Jewel made fewer flights. Here she is carrying in a stick:



Pride can be identified by some damage to the (about) 6th secondary feather (counting out from his body) in left wing. His tail feathers are also a bit pigmented or stained.:

   

More photos of Pride carrying sticks: