Nest Boxes Research Articles

Do Activity Sensors Identify Physiological, Clinical and Behavioural Changes in Laying Hens Exposed to a Vaccine Challenge?

This study aimed to identify if sensor technology could be used to detect sickness-type signs (caused by a live vaccine) in laying hens compared to physiological and clinical sign scoring and behaviour observation. The experiment comprised 5 replicate batches (4 hens and 12 days per batch) using previously non-vaccinated hens (n = 20). Hens were moved on day 1 to a large experimental room with various designated zones (e.g., litter, perches, nest box), where they wore two sensors (FitBark, TrackLab). Saline was applied using ocular and nasal drops on day 3 as a control. A live vaccine (Infectious Laryngotracheitis, ILT, vaccine), applied using the same method on day 6, was used to induce mild respiratory and other responses. Physiological and clinical signs, and behaviour from videos were also recorded by a single observer. There were significant changes in body weight (p < 0.001), feed intake (p = 0.031), cloacal temperature (p < 0.001) and three out of five clinical signs (ocular discharge (p < 0.001), conjunctivitis (p < 0.001) and depression (p = 0.009)) over days. A significant decrease (p < 0.001) in activity level (FitBark) and distance travelled (both sensors) were identified over the study days, and activity and distance travelled were highly significantly associated (p < 0.001) with total clinical scores, with hens showing reduced activity and distance travelled with worsening total clinical scores. With behaviour observations from videos, the proportions of sitting, foraging and feeding behaviours (p = 0.044, 0.036 and 0.004, respectively), the proportion of total visit duration to the litter zone (p < 0.001) and perch (p = 0.037) with TrackLab and the proportions of visit counts of hens in the litter zone (p = 0.012) from video scanning changed significantly with days. This study suggests that the vaccine challenge caused associated changes in clinical/physiological signs and activity/distance travelled data from the sensors. Sensors may have a role in detecting changes in activity and movement in individual hens indicative of health or welfare problems.

Population Viability of an Endangered Population of Greater Gliders (Petauroides volans) and Management Implications

The population of the endangered southern greater glider (Petauroides volans) is rapidly declining across coastal lowlands in New South Wales, Australia. Here, we focus on a typical coastal lowland glider population in Seven Mile Beach National Park, New South Wales, that is declining primarily due to habitat fragmentation. This study aimed to assess the population’s status and viability in order to guide conservation efforts. Using the double-observer distance sampling method, we estimated the population size to be 347 gliders, with a density of 0.46 gliders/ha. Population viability analysis revealed a high extinction risk, with only a 1% chance of survival over the next 50 years. Fire was identified as the primary threat, followed by a low effective population size and inbreeding. The most effective conservation strategy involved genetic reinforcement through possible translocation and the installation of up to 50 nest boxes to improve habitat (hollow) availability.

Day Late, Dollar Short: Runts of Asynchronously Hatched Songbird Broods Have Reduced Survival, Body Size, and Persistent Energy Deficits.

Many songbirds begin active incubation after laying their penultimate egg, resulting in synchronous hatching of the clutch except for a last-hatched individual ("runt") that hatches with a size deficit and competitive disadvantage to siblings when begging for food. However, climate change may elevate temperatures and cause environmental incubation as eggs are laid, resulting in asynchronous hatching and larger size hierarchies among siblings. Although previous work demonstrated that asynchronous hatching reduces nestling growth and survival relative to synchrony, the physiological mechanisms underlying these effects are unclear. To test the effects of asynchronous hatching on runt growth, survival, physiology, and compensatory growth-related tradeoffs, we manipulated incubation temperature in nest boxes of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) to increase asynchronous hatching and collected nestling morphological measurements and blood samples to assess physiology and development. Independent of heating treatment, runts from asynchronously hatched nests had lower survival than runts from more synchronous nests. Surviving runts from asynchronous nests were smaller and had reduced stress-induced corticosterone concentrations and reduced circulating glucose compared with runts from synchronous nests. Despite persistent size and energy deficits, runts from asynchronous nests did not have significant deficits in immunity or telomere length when compared with runts from synchronous nests, suggesting no trade-off between investment in immune development or telomere maintenance with growth. Overall, these results suggest that increased asynchrony due to climate change could reduce clutch survival for altricial songbirds, especially for the smallest chicks in a clutch, and that the negative effects of asynchrony may be driven by persistent energetic deficits.

Balancing model specificity and transferability: Barn owl nest box selection

AbstractExamining the transferability of habitat selection models is vital when they are used to forecast predictions in new times or places, but this issue is too often neglected. Nest boxes are often installed in agricultural landscapes to attract barn owls (Tyto spp.) and the ecosystem services they provide. For this practice to be effective, farmers need actionable guidelines for nest box design and placement to optimize nest box use. We addressed 3 primary objectives: 1) develop a nest box selection model in the well‐studied region of Napa Valley, California, USA, 2) evaluate this model's predictive performance in other regions of California, and 3) use data from all regions to build a more generalizable model. Based on data from 6 years of monitoring used and unused American barn owl (Tyto furcata) nest boxes in Napa Valley, we found that nest box selection was best predicted by nest box attributes (e.g., pole height, box height, and entrance orientation), local land cover (e.g., grassland within 75 m), and landscape‐scale metrics (e.g., grassland within 2.81 km). This model's predictions were strongly correlated with observed nest box use in Napa, but the model performed poorly when used to predict nest box use in other regions that are ecologically similar (Sonoma County) or dissimilar (Fresno, Merced, and Madera counties). A model pooling data from all regions fit the data well and again showed effects of box, local, and landscape predictors. It was more generalizable than the Napa‐only model and lost little precision when applied with forecasting predictions to Napa in particular. Taken together, our results indicate that local data should be used to make the most reliable predictions of nest box use. Until those data are available, general recommendations should be made from models that pool data from as many regions as feasible and should provide appropriate caveats. Results of this work can inform nest box design and placement for the benefit of farmers and owls in California, and future research should examine nest box selection by barn owls in other areas of the world with different climates and local habitats.

Human Interests and Animal Rights in Robert Lowell’s Sonnets

Abstract While Robert Lowell’s interest in animals is partly temperamental—he is fascinated by them—his awareness also seems to have intensified during the mid-1960s, in the decades just before the rise of the modern animal rights movement. Several of his sonnets from these years examine how people consistently misunderstand, are drawn to, and exploit other animals. These sonnets (on trapping mink and building nest boxes; on monkeys as pets and possibly in zoos and experiments; on rats in laboratory experiments; and on dairy cows) demonstrate how lyric can represent the vexed, ambivalent, blinkered feelings that shape our interactions with nonhumans.

One size does not fit all: Intra– and interspecific variation of den site use in two marsupial glider species in fragmented forest

Habitat fragmentation poses challenges to arboreal mammals relying on tree hollows for denning. Knowledge of species-specific den preferences is needed to realise the full potential of restoration actions. Current advice regarding artificial den design is often highly rigid and specific, where there may be intra- and interspecific variation in den use that is not considered. We investigated denning preferences of the Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) and Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) in remnant forest reserves, exploring the use of natural hollows and nest boxes, and which attributes of the dens were predictive of use. We radio-tracked 15 Squirrel Gliders and seven Sugar Gliders to denning locations where den characteristics were assessed and compared to randomly selected hollows not known to be used within the home range of the radio-tracked gliders. The hollow entrance size was the only variable that predicted den use in both species. Contrary to expectations, nest boxes were used proportionally more than natural hollows. This highlights that nest boxes can be an effective temporary solution to provide interim den sites for gliders in degraded forest remnants. Also contrary to expectations, hollow height showed only a weak correlation with den use. Seasonal variation and individual behaviours may influence glider preferences, emphasizing the need for nuanced management strategies. Based on these findings, we recommend against a one-size-fits-all approach in the application of artificial hollows for the restoration of glider denning habitat, especially in terms of the aspect and entry height, so that intra- and interspecific variation in den use can be accommodated.

Ecology and phenology of the bat tick Argas (Carios) dewae (Acari: Argasidae).

Although 12 soft tick species (Argasidae) are native to Australia, the ecology of most is poorly known. Argas dewae parasitizes several insectivorous bat species and has been recorded on humans. Therefore, understanding its ecology is crucial for wildlife health management and public health preparedness. To address this knowledge gap, A. dewae populations were monitored from 2 bat hosts (Chalinolobus gouldii and Austronomus australis) using bat boxes at 3 sites in Victoria, Australia, for 28 months (July 2005–December 2007). A phenological profile undertaken for A. dewae revealed that tick load on bat hosts increased throughout winter and peaked in the first month of spring, before collapsing and remaining low throughout the drier late spring and summer periods. There was also further investigation of the relationship between 2 response variables (tick infestation risk and tick load) and a range of explanatory variables (body condition index, sex, age class, bioseason, site, bat density per nest box). In C. gouldii, site was the only significant predictor of A. dewae infestation risk, while load was correlated with several variables including age class, sex, bioseason, roost density and body condition index. This paper also reports the first records of A. dewae from 6 bat species in 3 bat families (Miniopteridae: Miniopterus australis; Molossidae: A. australis; Vespertilionidae: Chalinolobus morio, Myotis Macropus, Vespadelus darlingtonia, Vespadelus regulus) and a second record of A. dewae from a human. The first distribution records are presented for A. dewae in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland.

Artificial Light at Night Advances the Onset of Vocal Activity in Both Male and Female Great Tits During the Breeding Season, While Noise Pollution Has Less Impact and Only in Females.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) and noise pollution are two important stressors associated with urbanisation that can have a profound impact on animal behaviour and physiology, potentially disrupting biological rhythms. Although the influence of ALAN and noise pollution on daily activity patterns of songbirds has been clearly demonstrated, studies often focus on males, and the few that examined females have not included the potential influence of males on female activity patterns. Using free-living pairs of great tits (Parus major) as a model, we examined for the first time the effects of ALAN and noise pollution and their interaction on the onset of (vocal) activity in both members of a pair. We focused on the egg-laying phase, when both sexes are most vocally active. The onset of male dawn song, female emergence time from the nest box and the onset of female calling in the nest box were measured and used as a proxy for the chronotype. The repeatabilities for all chronotype proxies were high, with higher repeatabilities for males. Consistent with previous studies, ALAN advanced the onset of male dawn song, while it did not elicit a strong response in female emergence time. Additionally, our results suggest an indirect effect of ALAN on the onset of female vocal activity via acoustic interaction with the male. Noise pollution advanced the emergence time in females, while an interaction between ALAN and noise pollution was found for the onset of female calling. In agreement with previous studies, several covariables were shown to have an influence on the activity onset. Taking several proxies for chronotype into account, this study has provided robust evidence of effects of ALAN on male and female cavity-nesting songbirds during the egg-laying period.

Barn Owls as a Nature-Based Solution for Pest Control: A Multinational Initiative Around the Mediterranean and Other Regions

Pest rodents cause extensive damage to crops worldwide. Up to 40% of global crop production is lost annually to pests and diseases, with rodents accounting for 15–30% of this loss amounting to billions of dollars each year. The current method of controlling rodent populations involves the extensive use of chemical rodenticides. While effective in the short term, these chemicals pose serious environmental and health risks, leading to secondary poisoning of non-target species and other long-term negative ecological consequences, underscoring the need to adopt more sustainable pest-control measures. Nature-Based Solutions (NbSs), on the other hand, are increasingly recognized for addressing environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development, and they include actions that protect, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems. In this context, Barn Owls (Tyto alba) are highly effective as a natural pest-rodent control agents in agro-ecosystems. The species has a wide distribution and adaptability to various environments, and its diet consists predominantly of small mammals, with rodents making up from 50–60% up to even 90–95% of the diet according to different geographical regions. Each Barn Owl family can consume thousands of rodents annually, creating a high potential to reduce crop damage and infestations. Deploying nest boxes in agricultural areas can significantly increase Barn Owl populations, ensuring continuous and effective rodent control. Limitations of this solution must also be taken into consideration such as predation on rodents and small mammals that are not pests, and possible competition with other nocturnal birds of prey. Ιn the current paper, we aim to introduce the concept of owls as a NbS for pest rodent control and outline the main challenges, pitfalls, advantages, and disadvantages of implementing this solution in a new geographical region, and all the necessary in-between steps (scientific, societal, administrative, educational) that have to be followed for a successful implementation. So far, several countries have successfully implemented Barn Owl nest box schemes, with Israel and Cyprus achieving reduction in the use of pesticides by 45% and 58%, respectively, whereas the project is spreading to other Mediterranean countries (Jordan, Palestine Authority, Greece, Morocco, Spain), in palm plantations in Malaysia and USA, and in the vineyards of Napa Valley in California. The success of Barn Owl nest box programs relies on integrating scientific research, societal needs, supportive policy frameworks, and education. Barn Owl nest box programs are both bottom-up and top-down initiatives, in need of the participation of farmers and local communities to establish and deploy the Barn Owl solution. Continuous research is also necessary to explore systematically Barn owl trophic ecology, foraging and breeding ecology, interactions with agricultural landscape, and land uses in temporal and spatial scales, and challenges such as habitat suitability, availability of nesting sites, and regional ecological conditions must also be addressed.

STUDY ON NESTING TRENDS OF AVIAN FAUNA IN MACHKOT FOREST RANGE AND URBAN ENVIRONMENT SITE OF JAGDALPUR, BASTAR DISTRICT, CHHATTISGARH

The present study offers a detailed examination of bird nesting patterns observed from April to June 2024 in two distinct environments: the urban area of Jagdalpur and the forested Machkot region. A total of 199 nests, spanning 24 species and 17 families, were recorded across these locations. In the urban setting of Jagdalpur, 135 nests from 9 species in 7 families were found, with birds primarily using man-made structures like electric poles and boxes due to the limited availability of natural nesting sites. In contrast, the Machkot forest supported 58 nests from 22 species across all 17 families, with a strong preference for natural tree sites. Species such as the Indian pied myna and House sparrow demonstrated notable adaptability to artificial nesting environments in urban areas, whereas the forest environment offered a wider range of natural nesting options, leading to greater avian diversity. The study also noted the severe impact of environmental disturbances, such as summer forest fires which resulted in a total loss of nests in affected areas, and a significant negative correlation between high red ant densities and nesting success. Differences in nesting preferences were evident, with urban birds frequently employing artificial materials and structures, while forest-dwelling species utilized natural materials and tree features. Various nest types including cup, platform, pendant, cavity, ground, and mud nests - reflected the availability of materials and environmental conditions. The findings emphasize the need for conservation measures, such as providing artificial nest boxes and planting trees in urban areas, alongside addressing environmental threats in forested regions. This study underscores the stark differences in nesting ecology between urban and forest habitats, illustrating the adaptability of urban species and the rich diversity of forest environments.

Barn Owl (Tyto alba)† Habitat Suitability, Nest Box Occupancy, and Management Implications Based on Kentucky Surveys 2010–2022

ABSTRACT Barn Owls (Tyto alba) are a species of conservation interest, but management of nesting populations can require significant effort. To focus management activities, we conducted analyses of statewide survey data collected for Barn Owl nests (n = 515) and roosts (n = 145) in Kentucky, USA, from 2010–2022. Nest and roost sites included natural (e.g., trees, rock shelters) and human-made (e.g., barns, attics, hunting blinds, silos, etc.) structures and nest boxes (n = 270) installed on various substrates. Using data related to land cover, agricultural features, and other habitat-related variables, we examined factors influencing Barn Owl site occupancy by creating habitat suitability models. Additionally, we assessed changes in nest box occupancy over time and the factors that influenced nest box occupancy. The Shannon habitat diversity index and number of buildings within 75 m were the most important variables for habitat suitability throughout the study area, though the proportion of hay/pasture/grassland within 625 m and distance to an area intensively managed for Barn Owls were important regionally. Barn Owl nest box occupancy increased over the course of our study, likely due to management efforts. Owls were more likely to occupy nest boxes if they were installed on tall feed silos, retired utility poles, or barns. Moreover, nest boxes installed at sites where we observed owl pairs (prior to installation) were more likely to become occupied and used sooner than nest boxes installed opportunistically. Future management should focus on installing nest boxes for known pairs, on unused feed silos, on retired utility poles on reclaimed surface mines, and near areas intensively managed for the species.

Nest box-mounted PIT tag readers reveal cryptic recruits of cavity-nesting waterfowl in south Louisiana

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis; BBWD) are rapidly expanding northward into the core range of the eastern Wood Duck (Aix sponsa; WODU), yet little is known about BBWD nesting ecology. Typical field methods to study cavity-nesting waterfowl (i.e., weekly nest monitoring) preclude a full understanding of important breeding information, including nest prospecting and parasitic egg laying. To address this, we used subcutaneous passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags embedded in adults and PIT tag readers mounted on nest boxes with the objective to (1) identify individuals that used nest boxes but were not physically captured on a nest, (2) quantify box visitation, and (3) quantify BBWD pair and WODU hen behaviors during the prospecting, laying, and incubation periods. We deployed RFID readers on 40 nest boxes from March–December 2022 in Louisiana with the potential to detect BBWD and WODU marked with PIT tags in 2020–2022. We detected 48 (BBWD n = 26, WODU n = 22) adults of both species via RFID readers, and 33% (n = 16) of individuals (50% of BBWD, n = 12; 14% of WODU, n = 3) were never otherwise recaptured in 2022, meaning that traditional field methods for cavity-nesting waterfowl fail to document a substantial number of birds potentially contributing to the population via parasitism. We also used Bayesian generalized linear models to determine that both species visited a similar number of “new” (< 1 year old) and “old” (> 1 year old) nest boxes (β = 0.66, CI = -0.30, 1.64). However, BBWD preferentially visited (and subsequently nested in) old boxes at a significantly higher rate than WODU (β = 1.32, CI = 0.97, 1.66). Due to the generalist nature and rapid expansion of BBWD, an apparent aversion to newly installed boxes was unexpected, especially since there were several successful WODU nests in the new boxes before BBWD began nesting in 2022. Our study is one of the first to evaluate BBWD nesting behaviors within the core WODU breeding range, and the first to use nest box-mounted PIT tag readers to observe BBWD behavior.

The Effect of Hive Type on Colony Homeostasis and Performance in the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

The colonies of honey bees are mostly sessile organisms. Consequently, the type of nest boxes that beekeepers provide to their bees should impact a colony's ability to maintain homeostasis, which is a key determinant of performance and fitness. Here, we used European honey bees (Apis mellifera) and provided them with two hive setups widely used and known as Langstroth and Warré. We compared colony performance in a Mediterranean climate for five months from late spring to early autumn, which covered the most active time of bees and included periods of heat and drought. We found that irrespective of hive type or season, honey bees kept hive temperature and humidity within a remarkably narrow range. Nevertheless, the hive type impacted the daily fluctuations in temperature and humidity. In Warré hives, where bees have more autonomy to build and maintain their combs, we found that bees were able to reduce daily fluctuations in temperature and humidity and kept both measures closer to the overall average. This increase in colony homeostasis found in Warré hives negatively correlated with other hive performance indicators, such as immunocompetence. We conclude that different hive types affect key areas, such as the central part of the colony with frames of developing brood or the queen, which are the most susceptible individuals. This implies that climatic changes resulting in extreme weather events are expected to impact colony performance and fitness, especially in non-managed honey bees that are limited by available nesting sites. For managed bees, adaptations to existing hive setups could be provided to help bees minimize the effects of abiotic stress.

Barn owl site occupancy and breeding success in relation to land use and nest box characteristics

AbstractAgricultural landscapes play a crucial role in enhancing biodiversity because of their widespread presence over the Earth and their ability to encompass diverse ecosystems. Recognizing this, numerous governments are incentivizing farmers through direct payments to adopt sustainable practices, such as managing extensive pastures and meadows, planting wildflowers, or establishing hedgerows. However, the benefit of such sustainable practices on vertebrate species is not well understood. From 2018 to 2020, we investigated nest occupancy, fledging success, and clutch size of a Swiss population of barn owls (Tyto alba) with respect to nest box characteristics and the presence of extensive agriculture and urbanization in areas surrounding nest boxes. Our results revealed that extensively used pastures were negatively associated with site occupancy but positively associated with clutch size. The proportion of urban areas was negatively related to both site occupancy and clutch size. The altitude of the nest box location was negatively correlated with occupancy, and the number of nest boxes placed at the same site (either 1 or 2) was positively correlated with site occupancy. Moreover, clutch size, but not fledging success, was larger in nest boxes placed outside barns than in nest boxes placed inside barns. Based on these findings, we recommend installing nest boxes at locations &lt;700 m in altitude and in pairs on the same barn, incorporating biodiversity promotion areas into agricultural landscapes, and avoiding dense urban areas in favor of rural zones with lower urban density. Understanding the nuanced relationships between nest box characteristics, environmental factors, and breeding success provides valuable insights for optimizing artificial nesting sites and enhancing the overall reproductive success of barn owls.

Nest Box Cameras Provide Insight into Causes of Nest Failure for American Kestrels

ABSTRACT Although nest failure is a common occurrence in birds, oftentimes the causes, or details, of the failure are unknown because nests cannot be monitored closely or continuously. This inability to monitor nests in ways that allow for a detailed understanding of nest failure can hamper our ability to conserve declining species, such as the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). Here we describe previously unreported observations from continuous video monitoring in kestrel nest boxes and biweekly nest monitoring via an extendable fiber optic endoscopic camera. From continuous video monitoring we observed adult kestrels consume a kestrel egg with little to no development and a European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) pierce and remove an abandoned kestrel egg from a nest box. From biweekly monitoring with a fiber optic camera, we inferred that nest abandonment by kestrels was associated with eggs not developing either from infertility or early-stage embryo death. Although it is unclear how common such occurrences may be across the broader range of kestrels, these observations may provide impetus to explore these causes of nest failure more closely.

Individual consistency of hissing displays across night and day in a free-living female songbird

Birds have evolved a variety of antipredator strategies, which have been extensively studied during day-time. Yet, how diurnal birds directly respond to nocturnal predation threats remains largely elusive, despite that predation risk can be high during both night- and day-time. One form of antipredator behaviour found in several tit species when confronted with a predator at the nest is the hissing display. As for many forms of antipredator behaviour, studies on hissing displays have so far focussed on the day-time. Here, we exposed cavity-nesting free-living female great tits (Parus major) to simulated predator intrusions inside their nest box during both night- and day-time. We showed that 28 % of females uttered at least one hissing call during night-time, while the occurrence of hissing calls was higher during day-time (84 %). Hissing females at night, compared to non-hissing females, produced more hissing calls during day-time, providing evidence for individual cross-context consistency. Night-time hissing behaviour did not predict lay date, clutch size, breeding or nest success, indicating the absence of consequences in terms of current reproduction. Together, we reveal the hitherto undescribed occurrence of hissing displays at night in a cavity-nesting bird, while simultaneously strengthening the evidence for the existence of hissing behavioural types.

Anthropogenic noise and light pollution decrease the repeatability of activity patterns and dampen expression of chronotypes in a free-living songbird

Anthropogenic environmental change is introducing a suite of novel disturbance factors, which can have wide-ranging effects on mean behavior and behavioral repeatability. For example, exposure to sensory pollutants, such as anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night (ALAN), may affect consistent and repeatable individual-level timing of daily activity, which is referred to as chronotypes. Although chronotypes have been increasingly documented in wild animal populations and may affect fitness, evidence for long-term stability across life-history stages and seasons is notably lacking. Furthermore, how multiple anthropogenic stressors may interact to erode or magnify the expression of chronotypes remains unclear. We tested for existence of chronotypes across life-history stages and seasons in suburban female great tits (Parus major), using emergence time from nest boxes in the morning as a proxy for activity onset. We then examined joint effects of noise pollution and ALAN on expression of chronotypes, and tested for effects of noise, ALAN, and weather conditions on mean emergence time. We found repeatability of daily activity patterns (emergence times) across life-history stages and seasons, providing evidence of chronotypes, as well as interactive effects of anthropogenic disturbance factors and weather conditions on population mean behavior. Furthermore, across-season repeatability of emergence times was approximately double in magnitude in low light and low noise conditions, relative to in conditions with higher light and/or noise pollution. Thus, joint exposure to these sensory pollutants tends to erode expression of chronotypes. This effect was driven by higher among-individual variance in the relatively undisturbed environment and collapse of this variance in the more disturbed environments. Decreased repeatability in environments with high disturbance levels may reduce potential for behavioral traits, such as chronotype, to be the target of selection and limit adaptability.

Eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus) populations persist in Central Coast forests after the Black Summer bushfires

The 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires are an example of Australia’s climate-induced, changing fire regimes, where flora and fauna suffer both direct and indirect impacts as the result of large fires. The eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus) is a species that may be affected and, although its general ecology is well understood, there is limited knowledge of its response to wildfire. Using clusters of nest boxes across two state forests on the New South Wales Central Coast, detection histories were created from 2017 to 2023. Estimates of occupancy, detection and extinction were produced, where the top ranked model included Fire severity as a covariate of extinction. Extinction probability was highest in unburnt areas, 0.55 (95% CI = 0.13–0.82) and lowest in moderate fire severity areas, 0.15 (95% CI = 0.003–0.52), although all estimates were highly uncertain. Detection probability was 0.35 per cluster visit (95% CI = 0.26–0.45) and occupancy probability was 0.77 (95% CI = 0.39–0.98), indicating a high probability of occupancy at sites affected by fire. This suggests that eastern pygmy possums may benefit from post-fire resources, such as flowering shrubs, as well as their flexible den selection, providing a niche that other arboreal animals may be unable to exploit so soon post fire.

Burrowing Owls Require Mutualist Species and Ample Interior Habitat Space

Mitigating habitat loss of western burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) often involves relocation from California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi) burrows to offsite nest boxes. Naval Air Station Lemoore (NASL), Kings and Fresno counties, California, initiated this approach to displace a regionally important population from airfield grasslands. We examined monitoring data of burrowing owls and fossorial mammals at NASL to assess mitigation options. Occupied nests increased by 33 (61%), with 47 nest box installations in 1997–2001, peaked at 87 in 1999, then declined by 50 through 2013. Although ≥13 nest boxes were occupied in 2000, none were occupied in 2003–2013. Within a 43.1 ha isolated grassland monitored for 13 years, nest site reuse in ground squirrel burrows averaged only 17% between any 2 consecutive years. Compared to the average density across grassland study areas, ground squirrel burrow systems/ha numbered 43% higher within 60 m of occupied nests and non-breeding-season burrows. Vegetation clearing to restore kangaroo rat (Dipodomys n. nitratoides) habitat preceded a 7.4-fold increase in ground squirrel burrow systems and a 4-fold increase in occupied nests, but drought-induced extirpation of ground squirrels eliminated occupied nests from the 43.1 ha grassland study area. Ground cover near occupied nests averaged 58% of the mean vegetation height and 67% of the mean percentage of bare ground in the field. Both nest sites and non-breeding-season burrows occurred &gt;60 m interior to field edges 1.4 times more than expected. Non-breeding-season burrows averaged 328 m from same-year nest sites, and only 7% of non-breeding-season burrows were also used as nest sites. Mitigating habitat loss should be made more effective by fostering natural burrow construction by fossorial mammals on patches of short-stature vegetation that is sufficiently expansive to support breeding colonies of ≥12 pairs averaging ≥60 m from the field’s edge and a separation between non-breeding-season burrows and nest burrows minimally equal to mean nearest-neighbor distances among nests.

STUDI PERILAKU LEBAH KELULUT Tetragonula fuscobalteata (APIDAE: MELLIPONINAE) DALAM MENEMPATI SARANG KOTAK BARU

Kelulut bees have different habits when building nests between species. Tetragonula fuscobalteata is a type of the kelulut bee that is widely cultivated. Collecting bee colonies is generally carried out using various techniques, including nest dismantling, grafting, and bait techniques. Much research has been conducted on broodstock of kelulut bees, such as colony propagation techniques and the use of nest grafting methods, but research on the behavior of placing kelulut bee colonies in new nest boxes, especially on the T. fuscobalteata species, has never been carried out and done a lot. Therefore, this study aims to provide data regarding the behavior of placing T. fuscobalteata kelulut bee colonies in new nest boxes and measuring the temperature and humidity in new nest boxes sprayed with propolis extract liquid. This research used a direct observation method on new nest boxes that had been sprayed with propolis extract, and propolis was attached to the box entrance hole. The results showed that the movement behavior of the T. fuscobalteta bee colony from the old nest to the new nest occurred on the third day after repairing the nest and building the nest in the form of making honey bags, eggs, and bees. Bread occurs for 5 days. The ideal temperature in the nest is between 27.7 0C-29.70C, and the ideal humidity is between 70%-80%. The results of this research can be a reference for kelulut honey bee breeders, especially the T. Fuscobalteata, about the propagation of kelulut bee colonies