Nest Boxes Research Articles

The use of trail cameras to monitor species inhabiting artificial nest boxes.

Artificial boxes are commonly used in studies of cavity‐dwelling animals of various taxa. One advantage of nest boxes is that cameras can be used to monitor animals inside the cavity, however, most cameras used today have to be built de novo or modified or are expensive.Here, we describe a method for monitoring nest boxes using off‐the‐shelf models of trail cameras that can record photographs and videos in daylight and darkness (TCM; Trail Camera Method). The cameras can record sequentially within a given time lapse or an infra‐red motion sensor can be triggered by activity in the nest box.Using TCM in a Great Tit (Parus major) nest box population, we studied the hourly pattern of the first egg laying and the first egg hatching. We found that Great Tits laid eggs within 2 h of the sunrise while the timing of hatching spanned the 24‐h day. Moreover, we found that the hour of hatching affects the nestlings’ mass on the 2nd day of life, but not on the 12th day of life.Comparing to traditional nest box checks, TMC requires about 75% less time to obtain data on the timing of egg laying and hatching. Moreover, the hour estimation error was several orders of magnitude greater with the traditional method.Our data demonstrate that commercially available trail cameras are an affordable and convenient method of monitoring artificial cavities. Trail cameras are small, standalone, weather‐proof devices with integrated powering, memory storage, lighting, and recording systems. They could be easily swapped between boxes or removed. After small modifications of the box, they could be used to monitor a wide variety of behaviors of many animal taxa.

Role of The Barn Owl Tyto alba javanica as a Biological Agent For Rat Pest Control in The Oil Palm Plantation of Bumitama Agri Ltd.

The Rat was one of the main pests in oil palm plantations cause able to significantly reduce oil palm yield. This research aimed to know the role of T. alba in controlling rat pest attacks in oil palm plantations. Observations were made on estates that had different ratios/hectare of T. alba nest boxes such as Pantai Harapan Estate (1:54), Kruing Estate (1:80), and Sungai Mirah Estate (1: 162). The presence of T. alba was observed every month at each nest box. The attack rate of rats was observed every month during January – December 2020 through a census attack in each plant block. Kruing estate was the highest nest box occupancy rate of T. alba of 37 %. The occupancy rates of Pantai Harapan Estate and Sungai Mirah Estate were 31% and 6%, respectively. While the rate of rat attacks in Pantai Harapan Estate, Kruing Estate, and Sungai Mirah Estate were 0.70 % a, 0.60 % a, 2,30 % b, respectively. The barn owl T. alba can control the attack of rats naturally and reduce the use of rodenticide. Rodenticide applications at Bumitama Agri Ltd for rat pest control in 2020 also decreased by 45% when compared to applications in 2019.

Prey Delivery Inside an Artificial Nest Box and Burrows Used by Nesting Burrowing Owls in el Paso, Texas

ABSTRACT Determining the diet of species that nest underground, such as the Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia), is challenging. Prey information for Burrowing Owls is often limited to prey remains at nest sites and in owl pellets, images collected from above-ground trail cameras, or direct observations of prey acquisition and delivery. To document prey use and nesting behaviors, we equipped an artificial nest box and burrows at Rio Bosque Wetlands Park in El Paso, Texas, with a digital video recorder and three underground infrared cameras. Herein we document the types and frequencies of prey items delivered inside the nest box during the 2019 nesting season, as reflected in videos and images collected continuously from 1 April to 5 July. We reviewed 23,039 video files and documented 580 prey deliveries. We identified 463 (80%) of the delivered prey items to class and 237 items (41%) to family. Invertebrates made up 75% and vertebrates 25% of the identifiable prey items by frequency. Most (55%) of the invertebrates were insects, especially in the orders Orthoptera and Blattodea; scorpions (Scorpiones) were the second most common group (2% of all items). Vertebrate prey were delivered less often and mostly consisted of rodents (14% of all prey items), especially heteromyids, followed by squamate reptiles (6%). Results from this project will aid in conservation and management of this species.

“Remember to breathe (but don’t make a sound!)”: constructions of childbirth in post-apocalyptic narratives

ABSTRACT The United States continues to favor heavily medicalized childbirth, an approach that strips agency from birthing women and contains higher risks of complications and maternal death, especially for women of color. Mainstream popular culture has also misrepresented heavily medicalized birth as safer than deliveries with fewer interventions. The rise of post-apocalyptic narratives has introduced a new lens on mediated birthing experiences. In dystopic realities, women deliver without the existence of functioning hospitals or practicing physicians. This paper uses a narrative analysis of pregnancy, labor, and birth on The Walking Dead (2010-) A Quiet Place (2018), and Bird Box (2018). Findings suggest that these texts reinforce a narrow image of pregnant women and present a distorted picture of the birthing process. Moreover, even in a dystopia, these constructions reinforce the medical model of childbirth. Overall, such narrativesKatie.Foss@mtsu.edu

Experimental manipulation of humidity in a cavity-nesting bird influences ectoparasites' abundance.

Climate change effects on host–parasite interactions have been poorly studied in arid or semi-arid habitats. Here, we conducted an experiment aimed to increase the temperature inside European roller Coracias garrulus nest boxes located in a semi-arid habitat on different nest-site types to look for effects on different ectoparasite abundances and nestling growth. Average nest temperature was slightly higher in heated nests than in control nests, although differences were not statistically significant. However, relative humidity was significantly lower at night in heated nests as compared to control nests. The abundance of sand flies, mites and carnid flies was significantly higher in heated, less humid, nests while biting midge abundance was significantly lower in heated nests. Other ectoparasites were not significantly affected by treatment. Relative humidity was high even in heated nests, reaching more than 60%. Sand fly abundance was higher in nests located in sandstone walls, while mite abundance was higher in isolated farmhouses. In addition, sand fly prevalence was higher in nests located in isolated farmhouses and sandstone walls. Heat treatment, nest-site type or ectoparasite abundances did not affect the nestling body mass, wing length or their growth at different nestling ages.

Genetic and Social Transmission of Parental Sex Roles in Zebra Finch Families

Parental care plays a central, reinforcing role in the evolution of sex roles and its development is often reported to be driven by genetic, rather than environmental effects. Based on these studies, however, genetic inheritance does not account fully for the often-significant phenotypic variability observed within species, a variation that we hypothesized may be explained by social effects from parents. Following a full cross-fostering design, here we aimed at disentangling genetic and social parental effects in the ontogeny of parental behaviours. Clutches of eggs were swapped, and we monitored parental behaviours in two consecutive generations of a captive population of the socially monogamous, biparental zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Using nest box cameras, parental behaviour was recorded for 3 h in two reproductive stages: on day 8 of incubation and day 10 post-hatching. These fostered birds, after becoming fully matured, received a pair randomly and we observed parental care of this second generation too, following the same protocol. We then compared various parental behaviours (such as time spent incubating, or number of nest attendances during offspring provisioning) in the second generation to those of their genetic and social parents. Based on the results of our experiment, both genetic and social effects can contribute to intergenerational transmission of specific parental behaviours, with various weights. However, the strongest and most consistent effect that we found is that of the current mate; a social effect that can manifest both in negative and positive directions, depending on the behavioural trait. Our study suggests context-specific and sexually different genetic, social and non-social environmental effects in the ontogeny of parental sex roles and outline the importance of parental negotiation in explaining individual variation of parental behaviour in biparental species.

Evening Bats (Nycticeius humeralis) Use Bird Nest Boxes as Day Roosts in Northeastern Arkansas

Forest bats, including evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis), sometimes roost in manmade structures, such as barns and bridges, but here we report the first observations of evening bats using bird nest boxes for roosting on multiple occasions between 2012 and 2019, a few kilometers north of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Most encounters were in August, when the nesting season is almost finished. We discuss timing and factors that may explain use of bird nest boxes for roosting by bats.

Long-term monitoring of breeding successes of Great Hornbill ( Buceros bicornis ) and Rhinoceros Hornbill ( Buceros rhinoceros ) using artificial nest boxes in Budo-Su-Ngai Padi National Park, Thailand

Nest boxes are a conservation tool for increasing the availability of nests. The efficacy of nest boxes can be assessed by examining the breeding parameters of birds in nest boxes to see whether data are comparable with tree cavities. The hornbill artificial nest research was conducted in Budo-Su-Ngai Padi National Park, Thailand since 2003. This project aims to increase the breeding propensity of two large species of hornbills; the Great Hornbill (<em>Buceros bicornis</em>) and the Rhinoceros Hornbill (<em>Buceros rhinoceros</em>) that coexist in the study area, by utilizing nest boxes. The nest boxes were constructed from fiber-reinforced plastic. There were two designs; small nest box: 50 x 49 cm at base and 95 cm height, and large: 65 x 70 cm at base and 95 cm height. Twenty nest boxes were installed between 2004 and 2006. These nest boxes were monitored from 2004 to 2021. The study results indicated that the proportion of nest occupancy of Great Hornbill breeding in natural nests was higher than nest boxes: 48.9% and 31.4%, respectively (the two binomial proportions test gives: Zc= 4.01, P < 0.0006 < α = 0.05). The results also showed that the Great Hornbill prefers to select a large nest box than a small one: 37.3% and 17.3%, respectively (the two binomial proportions test gives: Zc = 3.4, P < 0.00068 < α = 0.05). Eight nest boxes so far have been utilized by hornbills: six by Great Hornbill with 58 nesting successes and two by Rhinoceros Hornbill with 1 nesting success. The average life cycle of the fiberglass nest box is about 11.38±4.23 SD years. The study results suggest that reproduction parameters of hornbills in nest boxes are different from natural cavities in many aspects. Our two target species do not equally benefit from nest boxes.

Citizen science and community action provide insights on a threatened species: nest box use by the brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa)

Context Landscape management and restoration in rural environments is frequently driven by community groups, who often use ‘flagship’ species to generate broader engagement. In south-eastern Australia, installation of nest boxes for hollow-dependent fauna is undertaken by many groups. Monitoring the outcomes of such projects offers opportunities for citizen science. Aims The aim of the present study was to report on a community-led project to install and monitor nest boxes to enhance the conservation of a threatened species, the brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), and to investigate the extent of nest box use, factors influencing use, changes in use through time, and the effectiveness of nest boxes as a monitoring tool. Methods A community group installed 450 nest boxes across 150 sites to monitor and provide habitat for the brush-tailed phascogale. Of these, 102 sites were stratified in relation to: (1) geographic sub-region; (2) forest patch size; and (3) topographic position. Nest boxes were inspected five times over 8 years. We modelled factors influencing nest box use at the tree, site, and landscape level. We compared nest box data with data from camera traps at 50 sites to assess their value as a monitoring tool. Key results In any given survey, up to 6% of nest boxes had individuals present and up to 22% had evidence of use by the brush-tailed phascogale. There was greater use of nest boxes when installed on ‘stringybark’ type trees than ‘box’ and ‘gum-barked’ species. Nest box use was greater for sites on forest slopes than in gullies, and use varied between years. Surveys using remote cameras were more effective at detecting phascogales than monitoring nest boxes. Conclusions Nest box monitoring can provide insights into the distribution and habitat requirements of hollow-dependent species, and engage the community in citizen science. Elements that enhance community-led monitoring include scientific input to project design, collecting data in a consistent manner, allocating sufficient time for data curation, engaging people invested in project outcomes, maintaining good relationships with stakeholders, and sharing data for analysis. Implications Collaboration between scientists and community groups can be of benefit to both parties. However, to maximise scientific and conservation outcomes there must be effective engagement and adequate resourcing for project coordination.

Nest box placement influences occupancy by Yellow-headed (Amazona oratrix) and White-fronted (Amazona albifrons) Parrots in the pine savannas of Belize

Supplementation of nest boxes is a common practice to increase nesting opportunities for cavity nesters, such as psittacids (i.e., parrots), many of whom are species of conservation concern. However, understanding occupancy requirements of most psittacids remains an important challenge for effective conservation actions, including placement of nest boxes in the landscape. This study utilized logistic regression models to investigate factors that influence occupancy of nest boxes by two Amazon parrots in the lowland pine savannas of Belize. We performed combined and separate analyses of nest box occupancy by White-fronted (<em>Amazona albifrons</em>) and Yellow-headed Parrots (<em>Amazona oratrix</em>), in relation to understory cover, localized tree density, frontal visibility from the nest box entrance, tree height, tree canopy cover, nest box entrance orientation, and tree diameter at breast height. Overall, 60% of nest boxes were used by four species of Amazon parrots, with White-fronted and Yellow-headed Parrots accounting for majority of use; 27% and 28%, respectively. Tree height had a strong positive effect on nest box occupancy in the combined species analysis. Species-specific analysis revealed that Yellow-headed Parrots occupied nest boxes in taller trees, closer to previously successful nests, while White-fronted Parrots did not show strong preference for any measured characteristics. Our results demonstrate that these two species will utilize artificial nest boxes and specifically highlights the importance of selecting taller trees when installing nest boxes for use by Yellow-headed Parrots.

Chainsaw hollows carved into live trees provide well insulated supplementary shelters for wildlife during extreme heat

Context Supplementary shelters for hollow-dependent fauna, such as timber or plywood nest boxes, have much drier and less thermally insulated cavity microclimates than do natural tree hollows. Hollow-dependent endotherms can experience hyperthermia and dehydration when occupying poorly insulated nest boxes during extreme heat. Aims We investigated the effectiveness of three different types of artificial hollows in buffering hollow-dependent birds and mammals against hyperthermia and dehydration during extremely hot summer weather (ambient air temperatures &gt;40°C). Methods We recorded microclimate (temperature and relative humidity) data inside (1) chainsaw hollows carved into live trees, (2) log hollows, and (3) plywood nest boxes, during extremely hot weather events in Australia in December 2019–January 2020 (austral summer). We quantified temporal variation in microclimates inside the different supplementary shelters relative to ambient conditions and used statistical models to evaluate the effects of different factors (wall thickness and solar exposure) on internal microclimates. Key results Microclimates inside chainsaw hollows were significantly different from those in log hollows and nest boxes, remaining &gt;16°C cooler and 50 percentage points more humid than ambient conditions when daytime air temperatures reached 45°C. In comparison, nest boxes closely tracked ambient conditions throughout the day. Log hollows had an intermediate microclimate profile, getting warmer and drier than chainsaw hollows during the day, but remaining cooler and more humid than nest boxes. Conclusions Our results showed that artificial hollows more effectively mimic the stable microclimates inside naturally occurring hollows if placed inside the tree (e.g. carved into the tree trunk of live trees), rather than attached to the outside. Implications The chainsaw hollow design we tested could provide microclimate refugia that reduce the risks of hollow-dependent wildlife experiencing either hyperthermia in regions with hot summer climates, or hypothermia in areas with cold winters. We encourage managers to consider incorporating chainsaw hollows into existing nest box programs to provide fauna with well insulated microclimate refugia.

Effect of litter system and nest box type on egg production and performance of Ross 308 broiler breeders

Context Type of litter housing system is one of the most important factors affecting egg production and performance of broiler breeders. Aims The study aim was to determine the effect of litter and nest box type on selected production and performance traits of Ross 308 broiler breeders. Methods The study subjects consisted of male and female Ross 308 broiler breeders raised on a commercial poultry farm. In four poultry houses, birds were raised on a slat-litter floor, with a colony nest box type. In four other poultry houses, birds were raised on a litter floor with an open nest box type. Body weight (23 weeks and 57 weeks), feed intake and percent mortality (23–57 weeks), length of laying period, number of eggs, laying percentage and egg weight were determined or calculated and compared between housing systems. Key results Birds reared on a slat-litter floor with colony nest boxes had significantly lower (roosters) or higher (hens) body weight at 23 and 57 weeks of age compared to birds kept on a litter floor with open nest boxes. Both sexes housed on a slat-litter floor were characterised by significantly higher feed intake, significantly lower mortality during the reproductive period (23–57 weeks), and significantly lower egg weight compared to birds raised in the litter floor system. Litter and nest box type had no significant effect on length of laying period, number of eggs, laying percentage, and percent hatchability from set eggs. Conclusions Ross 308 broiler breeders kept on a litter floor with open nest boxes had some better performance parameters, but poorer liveability compared to birds kept on a litter floor and slats with colony nest boxes. The higher body weight of females kept on a slat-litter floor at the end of the reproductive period (57 weeks) compared to the same-age females kept on a litter floor is likely due to higher carcass fatness, which had an adverse effect on the number and weight of hatching eggs. Implications The results of this study may be useful for broiler breeder producers in their decisions about the litter system of these birds.

Foraging habitat characteristics influence the nest-box occupancy and breeding parameters of European roller (Coracias garrulus) in Serbia

The European roller (Coracias garrulus) is an endangered species whose breeding in Serbia depends almost entirely on nest boxes. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of prey availability and foraging habitat characteristics on nest-box occupancy and breeding parameters. Data from 20 roller foraging sites over 5 breeding seasons were used in a set of linear regression models to evaluate which factors affect the diversity and biomass of roller prey, as well as nest-box occupancy and breeding parameters. Our analyses revealed that prey availability parameters were significantly affected by the grazing regime and biophysical parameters. An area under grassland negatively affected nest-box occupancy, clutch size and fledging success. In contrast, grazing intensity showed positive effects. Although grazing negatively affected prey diversity and quantity, it potentially increased the likelihood of a successful hunt by forming short vegetation. These results indicate that the habitat characteristics linked to the ability of the species to hunt successfully should be considered when installing nest boxes as a part of the broader management of roller breeding sites. Furthermore, nest-box installation in open agricultural habitats other than grasslands should be considered in the conservation strategy for the species in Serbia.

Measurement of corticosterone in the plasma, eggs and faeces of laying hens

Context Stress responses in chickens are commonly assessed from measurements of corticosterone in blood, but there is an increasing research effort to develop non-blood means of assessing the activity of the hypothalamo–pituitary (HPA) axis. It is common to measure corticosterone in the eggs and faeces. Aims We extended previous work by undertaking a study of caged laying hens comparing basal concentrations of corticosterone in plasma, faeces, egg albumen and egg yolk on a between-cage basis. We tested the hypothesis that there are positive relationships between corticosterone in plasma and corticosterone in each of the other matrices. Methods Blood samples were collected from each bird at a single point in time. In Experiment 1, these comparisons (between plasma concentrations of corticosterone on Day 1 and egg albumen, egg yolk and faecal concentrations of corticosterone on Days 1, 3 and 4 of the study) were made for hens of two ages under basal conditions, whereas, in Experiment 2, the comparisons (between plasma concentrations of corticosterone on Day 3 and egg albumen, egg yolk and faecal concentrations of corticosterone on Days 1 and 2 of the study) were made for hens housed at different space allowances with and without access to a nest box. The birds without a nest box had not had experience with a nest box prior to sampling. Key results There was a statistically significant (P = 0.012), but limited, positive relationship between plasma and egg albumen concentrations of corticosterone under basal conditions in Experiment 2. There were no other statistically significant (P &gt; 0.05) relationships in either experiment. These results suggest that measures of corticosterone in the albumen, yolk and faeces of laying hens are unlikely to be robust predictors of basal concentrations of corticosterone in the blood. Conclusions Although there was some indication that concentrations of corticosterone in albumen may be related to concentrations in blood under basal conditions, based on all the results, this suggestion is made cautiously. Implications More comprehensive research is required to establish if measures of corticosterone in egg components and faeces are related to chronic basal activity of the hypothalamo–pituitary axis in laying hens. There is also a need to understand the impact of corticosterone on production, reproduction and welfare in hens from measures in both blood and non-blood matrices.

Light matters: Nest illumination alters egg rejection behavior in a cavity-nesting bird

Egg discrimination by cavity-nesting birds that build nests under dim light conditions was presumed to depend on nest luminance, although this hypothesis has rarely been tested. Tests of egg discrimination ability by cavity-nesting tits under dim light conditions may reveal the selection pressure from brood parasitism that they encounter under natural interactions. We manipulated the intensity of luminance of nests of the Green-backed Tit (Parus monticolus), a potential cuckoo host that possesses a strong discrimination ability of non-mimetic foreign eggs. We performed experiments to test their egg discrimination ability under different light conditions. Our results showed that Green-backed Tits discriminate against non-mimetic foreign eggs under normal light conditions in nest boxes, and this ability persisted at nest luminance as low as 4.78 ​± ​1.31 lux that is several times lower than normal luminance (38.11 ​± ​24.02 lux). However, egg discrimination by Green-backed Tits disappeared when nest luminance was reduced to a minimum of 0.35 ​± ​0.15 lux. The latter value represents total darkness for humans. The present study shows that nest luminance plays a key role in egg discrimination by Green-backed Tits that build nests under dim light conditions. This study provides strong experimental evidence for nest illumination altering egg rejection behavior in cavity-nesting birds.

Co-Infestation of Dermoglyphus sp. and Syringophilus sp. Causing Pruritic Dermatitis in a Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) – A Case Report

An 18-month-old, female budgerigar was brought to Small Animal Clinics Out- Patient Medicine unit with the signs of restlessness, excessive preening and damaged, ruffled feathers. Physical examination revealed loss of feathers in the periocular area and head. Feather samples collected from affected area revealed the presence of quill mites, Dermoglyphus sp. and Syringophilus sp The bird was diagnosed to have dermatitis due to heavy quill mite infestation. The bird was treated with ivermectin (0.2mg/Kg, PO) and repeated once in 10 days intervals for 40 days. The owner was advised to clean the cages and nest boxes thoroughly and keep the affected birds in a separate cages to check the spread of mite infestation.

Small mammals in the diet of Barn Owls (Tyto furcata) in an urban area in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, with a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum (Cryptonanus)

Abstract Several studies emphasize the use of owl pellets in small mammal inventories in natural areas harboring high richness of rare species, but few Brazilian Atlantic forest localities have been surveyed by this method. The present study documents the species composition and abundance of small mammals in the diet of Tyto furcata in an urban area of the municipality of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, remarking on a new record of the dwarf mouse opossum genus Cryptonanus in the Atlantic forest. We analyzed 265 pellets regurgitated by a pair of T. furcata from November 2016 to September 2017 found in a nesting box. Analysis of the samples enabled finding a total of 596 individuals of four small mammal species. Mus musculus was predominant among the prey items (98.3%), while the native rodents Necromys lasiurus (1.3%) and Holochilus brasiliensis (0,17%) were much rarer. A single specimen of Cryptonanus sp. was identified among the diet items based on distinctive dental characters. The identification of this genus in the present study represents the second record in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and the sixth in the Atlantic Forest biome, suggesting that this marsupial occupies a wider ecological and biogeographic range. The present study underscores the relevance of owl pellets for small mammal surveys, even in urban and highly disturbed areas.

Louisiana Black-bellied Whistling-Duck clutch characteristics in the presence of conspecific and interspecific brood parasitism

Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (<em>Dendrocygna autumnalis</em>; Whistling-Duck) are undergoing a rapid range expansion northward and now breed throughout the Southeastern United States. As a facultative cavity-nesting species, they have the potential to compete with Wood Ducks (<em>Aix sponsa</em>) and Hooded Mergansers (<em>Lophodytes cucullatus</em>) for nest sites. Little is known about Whistling-Duck breeding biology, and estimates of clutch characteristics and rates of conspecific and interspecific brood parasitism (CBP and IBP, respectively) are lacking. We monitored Whistling-Duck nests in Louisiana to describe nesting chronology, clutch size of parasitized and unparasitized (normal) nests, and hatchability (i.e., the portion of eggs that hatched) for clutches of different sizes and types. We monitored a total of 558 nest boxes between 2020–2021 and determined the presence of brood parasitism for 231 Whistling-Duck nests. CBP was detected in 73 (31.6%) nests, and IBP was observed in 51 (22.1%) nests parasitized by Wood Ducks, two (0.9%) nests parasitized by Hooded Mergansers, and one nest contained eggs from all three species. Normal clutches were smaller (15.4 ± 4.4 eggs) than CBP clutches (26.1 ± 8.8 eggs) and mixed clutches (22.2 ± 5.3 eggs; clutches containing Wood Duck or Hooded Merganser eggs; all pairwise P < 0.0001). However, within clutch repeatability, estimates for egg morphology data (i.e., length, width, and mass) were low (< 0.40) for normal clutches, suggesting CBP went undetected. Of 180 fated nests used to determine hatchability, 66 (36.7%) were successful, 49 (27.2%) were abandoned, 64 (35.6%) were depredated, and one (0.6%) was nonviable. Considering successful nests, hatchability was high for all clutch size bins ranging from 67.4% (41–45 eggs) to 81.6% (11–15 eggs). Our study is the first to document Whistling-Ducks successfully hatching mixed-species broods, and such high productivity could be contributing to Whistling-Duck range expansion.

Temperature variation in nest boxes occupied by arboreal mammals during winter in southern Australia

We investigated nest temperatures in nest boxes occupied by single lactating brush-tailed phascogales (n = 8 boxes) and 1–3 adult sugar gliders (n = 7 boxes) when overnight ambient temperature dropped to &lt;5°C. Temperature in the nest decreased or increased rapidly as animals vacated or re-occupied their nests. In the hour following first night-time departure, temperatures in sugar glider nests dropped by 9°C but only by 4°C in phascogale nests. The slower rate in phascogale nests was due to the presence of nestlings. Phascogales returned repeatedly to the nest during the night, resulting in an average 15°C differential above ambient over the night (2200–0500 h). Gliders returned infrequently during the night, resulting in an average nest-ambient differential of 3–5°C. After departure some glider nests tracked ambient to &lt;0°C. The ability of nests to insulate and moderate temperature fluctuations requires further study. Our study highlights that we have incomplete knowledge of many aspects of the nesting ecology of cavity-using Australian mammals.

Use of nest boxes, with reference to height selection, by Japanese dormouse at Mt. Yatsugatake, central Japan

Use of nest boxes, with reference to height selection, by Japanese dormouse at Mt. Yatsugatake, central Japan