Causes and consequences of nest-site fidelity in a tropical lekking bird: Win-stay-lose-shift tactics are unrelated to subsequent success, but site-faithful females nest earlier

Abstract

Abstract Nest-site selection influences the survival of care-giving parents and their offspring, but search costs and site availability may limit site choices. Returning to previous nest sites may reduce costs and allow parents to better avoid local predators or access familiar resources. We investigated nest-site fidelity in the Lance-tailed Manakin (Chiroxiphia lanceolata), in which long-lived females raise offspring without male assistance, and found that site choices are responsive to past success but do not predict future outcomes. We compared georeferenced nest locations for the same females detected in consecutive years (245 comparisons for 138 females) and females nesting repeatedly within a year (137 comparisons for 97 females). Females were faithful to nesting sites in 13.9% of comparisons across years and 10.2% within years, and were more likely to nest again in the same site if their offspring fledged. When switching sites, females moved farther if their previous nest failed. Nest-site fidelity was unrelated to mate fidelity or female age. We then assessed whether site choice related to subsequent female survival, nest timing, or nest survival. Contrary to the hypothesis that win-stay-lose-shift tactics improve subsequent nesting outcomes, we found females were no more likely to fledge chicks or survive to a later year after they reused nest sites. However, across years, site-faithful females nested earlier on average than females that switched sites. Early nests were more likely to fledge chicks, and early-nesting females were more likely to renest when their first nesting effort was complete. Win-stay-lose-shift tactics may allow females to avoid areas where predation is likely, but new nest sites are not safer. Females that reuse nest sites benefit from early nest initiation, which both correlates with immediate success and creates potential for longer-term benefits of fidelity through increased opportunities to renest throughout the breeding season.