Great Kiskadees usually build large globular or domed nests on high, exposed sites atop isolated trees
(von Ihering 1904; Haverschmidt 1968, 1974; pets. obs.). The nests contain a lateral entrance and are
firmly attached to the forks of branches (Euler 1900, Sick 1985). On 18 September 1989, I located a Great Kiskadee nest in a cavity (hereafter "niche") 7.84 m above the ground in the front wall of the Imaculada Conceio Church in Piracicaba, southeastern Brazil. The nest faced a public square that contained many trees. It was in a corner of the building and partly protected by a large vertical column. Internal dimensions of the niche were: width, 13 cm; height, 47 cm; and horizontal depth, 25 cm.
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The globular nest occupied the entire width of the niche, although a small space occurred above the nest. The entrance hole was at the front of the nest.I observedt wo adultsf eeding at least two nestlings at the nest entrance, and the ground below the nest was littered with insect fragments and pellets. The nest was inactive on 25 September, but by 8 October a pair of House Sparrows (Passedro mesticuosc) cupiedt he nesta nd subsequently nested successfully The remainso f the kiskadeen est were visible on the church wall five years after I discovered the nest.
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Great Kiskadee On 7 December, I found another nest, nearly identical to the nest described above, in a niche 10.54 m above the ground in a side wall of the same church. This nest also was partly protected by a vertical column. Old pellets typical of those produced by Great Kiskadees were on the ground beneath the nest. Judging by the appearance of the nest and pellets, I am confident that the nest was constructed by Great Kiskadees. On 27 November, I found a third kiskadee nest in this same niche, but saw no kiskadees The literature contains several reports of Great Kiskadees nesting in niches, including inside domed nests of other birds and in an old woodpecker hole (Haverschmidt 1974).
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In addition, Great Kiskadee may build open-cup nests in concealed sites (e.g. beneath palm leaves or among dense foliage over water or build an open nest that gradually is covered during the first part of incubation (Traylot and Fitzpatrick 1982). Therefore, nest structure is not especially rigid in this species, perhaps suggesting an evolutionary pathway from open nests to globular nests.
