Breeding

There is very little information available on Hispaniolan Trogon breeding, and what information is presented here is principally from two studies: Townsend et al. monitored nests in the Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic (30 Townsend, J.M., C.C. Rimmer, S.C. Latta, D. Mejia, E.G. Garrido, and K.P. McFarland. 2018. Nesting ecology and nesting success of resident and endemic tropical birds in the Dominican Republic. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130(4): 849-858. Close ), and nests in natural cavities and artificial nest boxes were monitored at the La Sal Biological Station in Ebano Verde Ecological Reserve, Dominican Republic (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data; see Conservation and Management). The breeding season is principally April–July. This species nests in tree cavities, and lays 2–3 pale greenish eggs.

Bond found active nests (nests with eggs) in May and June (31 Bond, J. (1928). The distribution and habits of the birds of the Republic of Haiti. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 80: 483–521. Close , 15 Johnsgard, P. A. (2000) Trogons and quetzals of the world. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., USA. Close ), while Townsend et al. monitored active nests from May to July (30 Townsend, J.M., C.C. Rimmer, S.C. Latta, D. Mejia, E.G. Garrido, and K.P. McFarland. 2018. Nesting ecology and nesting success of resident and endemic tropical birds in the Dominican Republic. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130(4): 849-858. Close ). Of 8 nests monitored at a cloud forest site in Sierra de Bahoruco, the earliest hatch date was 6 May and latest hatch date was 18 June (30 Townsend, J.M., C.C. Rimmer, S.C. Latta, D. Mejia, E.G. Garrido, and K.P. McFarland. 2018. Nesting ecology and nesting success of resident and endemic tropical birds in the Dominican Republic. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130(4): 849-858. Close ). No precise data exist on laying or fledging dates.

Nest monitoring at the La Sal Biological Station in Ebano Verde Ecological Reserve (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data) evaluated 15 nests in artificial boxes. Nest selection began in the first half of March and lasted until the end of May. The laying period was from the beginning of April to the beginning of June, incubation from the end of April to the end of June, and hatching from the beginning of May to the end of June. The first fledglings left the nest at the end of May and the last fledglings fledged in late July.

Selection Process

Information needed.

Site Characteristics

The nest is a cavity in a tree, including cavities of Hispaniolan Woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus) (31 Bond, J. (1928). The distribution and habits of the birds of the Republic of Haiti. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 80: 483–521. Close ).

The artificial nests occupied by the Hispaniolan Trogon at Ebano Verde Ecological Reserve were mostly located in pine trees (Pinus caribaeae, 83%). Of 12 nests monitored, 6 in artificial boxes and 6 in natural nest cavities, the average height of the cavity was 7.40 m. There was no preference for cavity orientation. 80% of the selected nests were below the forest canopy, but nests were preferred with an open cavity front (without vegetation obstructing the nest exit flight) and with a perch close to the cavity entrance (3.51 m from the nest), which was widely used during visits to feed the chicks (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data).

Construction Process

Information needed.

Structure and Composition

Information needed.

Dimensions

The average cavity dimensions in six natural nests evaluated in Ebano Verde Ecological Reserve (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data) were: entrance dimensions, 5.9 cm horizontal x 5.8 cm vertical; cavity depth, 32.75 cm.

Shape

Round-ovate (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data).

Size

Egg measurements ranged from 27.9 x 23.5 mm to 31.4 x 23.9 mm (1 Wetmore, A., and B. H. Swales (1931). The birds of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. United States National Museum Bulletin 155. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA. Close ).

Mass

Information needed.

Eggshell Thickness

Information needed.

Color and Surface Texture

Eggs are pale green and unmarked (1 Wetmore, A., and B. H. Swales (1931). The birds of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. United States National Museum Bulletin 155. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA. Close ) or have a bluish-green hue (different from the Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus) which lays completely white eggs; S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data).

Clutch Size

Clutch size is 2–3 eggs (1 Wetmore, A., and B. H. Swales (1931). The birds of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. United States National Museum Bulletin 155. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, USA. Close , 30 Townsend, J.M., C.C. Rimmer, S.C. Latta, D. Mejia, E.G. Garrido, and K.P. McFarland. 2018. Nesting ecology and nesting success of resident and endemic tropical birds in the Dominican Republic. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130(4): 849-858. Close ). Of 12 nests monitored in Ebano Verde Ecological Reserve, 11 clutches consisted of 3 eggs, with only one clutch consisted of 2 eggs (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data).

Egg Laying

Laying occurs on alternate days (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data).

Incubation period of a single nest monitored at a Sierra de Bahoruco cloud forest site was 20 days (30 Townsend, J.M., C.C. Rimmer, S.C. Latta, D. Mejia, E.G. Garrido, and K.P. McFarland. 2018. Nesting ecology and nesting success of resident and endemic tropical birds in the Dominican Republic. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130(4): 849-858. Close ). Incubation period in all 12 nests monitored nests in Ebano Verde Ecological Reserve was 16 days (S. Guerrero, M. Cañizares, and Y. Segura, unpublished data).

Information needed.

Information needed.

Brooding

The brooding period of nests at a Sierra de Bahoruco cloud forest site was 23–24 days (30 Townsend, J.M., C.C. Rimmer, S.C. Latta, D. Mejia, E.G. Garrido, and K.P. McFarland. 2018. Nesting ecology and nesting success of resident and endemic tropical birds in the Dominican Republic. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 130(4): 849-858. Close ).

Feeding

Both parents have been observed bringing food to an active nest monitored in Sierra de Bahoruco, near Caseta #2 during June 2004 (Eladio Fernandez, personal observation). Food items included fruit of the sierra palm (Gaussia attenuata), vertebrates (Anolis lizards), and invertebrates (katydids (Tettigoniidae), walking sticks (Phasmatodea), and unidentified caterpillars (Lepidoptera)). Adults perched briefly on several nearby branches before delivering food into the nest cavity.

Little is known regarding other aspects of parental care.

Undocumented.

Undocumented.

Information needed.

Information needed.