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Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus moticilla)

Nidiologicals – Peck and James (1987) and Douglas Robinson (1995)

Habitat – Gravel bottomed streams flowing through mature deciduous or mixed forest. Also nests in wooded swamp habitats on occasion.
Microhabitat – Nest built in cavities of stream banks, upturned tree roots or fallen logs.
Spring arrival – mid to late April (Ontario)
Average nest height – 0m (always nests on the ground)
Nest builder – male and female
Average # of broods/season – 1 (multiple broods not reported)
Average egg laying date – May 3 – June 12 (New York)
Average clutch size – 5 eggs
Incubation period – average 13 days
Egg colour – Whitish, spotted or blotched with ruddy brown, usually concentrated at large end
Incubation – female
Brown-headed Cowbird host – yes

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Another FBS first – a Lousiana Waterthrush nest! A territorial pair was first located on May 10th at this site but no further breeding evidence was obtained at that time. A followup visit on May 20th revealed both the male and female building this nest in the stream bank above a waterfall. So why the delay? It’s possible that an earlier nest was abandoned but it is more likely that nest construction was delayed after the pair bonded, which is typical according to previous studies (Robinson 1990). On May 20th the pair were observed entering the nest site, which at that time was bascially a mud bowl with a bulky leaf exterior.  The pathway of leaves visible here is a common feature of a Louisiana Waterthrush nest but is not always built. The above photo illustrates this ‘pathway’ constructed of dead leaves, which are noticeably damp and likely collected from the water. The wet leaves and the addition of mud are probably used for adhesion and support of the nest exterior and pathway.

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There were four eggs in the nest this morning, which suggests that egg laying began by May 22nd at the latest (1 egg is deposited per day). There might be one more egg still to come as the average clutch size is five (Bent 1953). I watched the female incubate for about an hour before she slipped away for a break. The male was present, he sang on two occasions nearby and made short excursions to the waterfall but never approached the nest. With the female on break, I approached the nest to check its contents and snap a few quick photos.

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The interior of the nest had transformed since my last visit. What was formerly an excavated mud bowl had become a neatly constructed cup nest lined with fine grasses, rootlets and animal hair.

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This last photo shows the nest site context. This would be considered a fairly exposed nest site for the species. This spot wasn’t on my radar during my initial scan of the banks along the waterfall. There were several other sites that would have been more enclosed, shaded and difficult for non-avians to access. You can just barely see the stream bottom in the lower left corner. Luckily, relocating this nest has always been instantaneous thanks to the convenient tree root pointing to its location! Waterthrushes never fly directly to their nests, instead, they approach the nest by walking from a distance as great as 10m – very typical behaviour for ground nesters. This is nicely demonstrated by the following video of the female at the nest from this morning – whom I could have watched for hours if not for the oppressive heat today. If all goes well, the eggs will hatch in 8-10 days and I’ll be back to check on the family in early June.

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Finally, here is a short video of an adult female LOWA at the nest from today’s visit. Just to avoid any confusion, I should mention that during the video you might hear a Northern Waterthrush singing nearby. The two waterthrush species “get along” very well and exhibit little or no interspecific aggression (Craig 1984). The video can be viewed at higher resolution here.
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