Nest-site Preferences Research Articles

Statistical analysis of topographic characteristics and nest-site preference of the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) in Penang National Park, Malaysia

Statistical analysis of topographic characteristics and nest-site preference of the White-Bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster) in Penang National Park, Malaysia

Nesting ecology in the Hawaiian population of an endangered seabird, the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro)

The first confirmed nesting location of the Hawaiian population of the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro), an endangered seabird, was recently discovered on Hawai‘i island after decades of searching. Following the discovery, we analyzed nest site preferences of the Band-rumped Storm-Petrel at this site using a paired design. Band-rumped Storm-Petrels preferred deeper crevices compared with those available within 100 m of the nest sites. Physical and environmental characteristics of Hawaiian Bandrumped Storm-Petrel nest sites may aid conservation efforts including on-the-ground searches, removal of invasive mammalian predators, identification of potential translocation sites, and habitat restoration for this endangered species.

Changes in adult sex ratio in wild bee communities are linked to urbanization

Wild bees are indispensable pollinators, supporting global agricultural yield and angiosperm biodiversity. They are experiencing widespread declines, resulting from multiple interacting factors. The effects of urbanization, a major driver of ecological change, on bee populations are not well understood. Studies examining the aggregate response of wild bee abundance and diversity to urbanization tend to document minor changes. However, the use of aggregate metrics may mask trends in particular functional groups. We surveyed bee communities along an urban-to-rural gradient in SE Michigan, USA, and document a large change in observed sex ratio (OSR) along this gradient. OSR became more male biased as urbanization increased, mainly driven by a decline in medium and large bodied ground-nesting female bees. Nest site preference and body size mediated the effects of urbanization on OSR. Our results suggest that previously documented negative effects of urbanization on ground-nesting bees may underestimate the full impact of urbanization, and highlight the need for improved understanding of sex-based differences in the provision of pollination services by wild bees.

Nesting on high: reproductive and physiological consequences of breeding across an intertidal gradient

Nest site selection is a critical parental decision with profound fitness consequences, yet the physiological consequences of these decisions are rarely examined. Certain fishes and other aquatic organisms construct nests and provide parental care in the intertidal zone—an environment characterized by fluctuating water levels, which can exert intermittent and sometimes extreme abiotic stress on the animals that live there including dramatic changes in temperature and dissolved oxygen level. In this study, we used the plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, to test whether (1) nest site preferences and reproductive success vary across an intertidal elevation gradient, and (2) fish that nest at higher elevations pay greater physiological costs due to prolonged exposure to more extreme abiotic conditions. We found that fish preferred nests lower in the intertidal zone, with larger males outcompeting smaller males for these sites. Broods at high elevations suffered greater offspring mortality than broods at lower elevations. The average microhabitat temperature of nests was also warmer and more variable at higher elevations compared to lower elevations. While isolated from the ocean during low tides, care-giving parents increased their use of anaerobic metabolism, and potentially draw upon oxygen reserves in the swim bladder. Our results suggest that the choice of nesting location can have profound effects on a parent’s physiology and may generate significant variation in reproductive success among individuals.

Nest site selection by reddish egrets in Florida

ABSTRACTUnderstanding nest site preferences for a species is a necessary component of conservation efforts because it allows managers to protect and create habitat that will promote population growth. We surveyed 305 sites with or near colonially nesting waterbirds for nesting reddish egrets (Egretta rufescens) during 2016 in Florida, USA, to identify factors that influenced the probability of occurrence and the abundance of nesting reddish egrets. Fifty‐eight of 150 (39%) sites with nesting waterbirds had ≥1 nesting pair of reddish egrets. Zero‐inflated Poisson models indicated that sites with a greater amount of foraging habitat within a 5‐km radius, with greater richness of nesting species, and, to a lesser extent, with shorter vegetation had a greater number of nesting reddish egrets. By contrast, the distance of an island from the mainland, an island's size, and an island's proximity to deep water did not influence the probability of occurrence or abundance of nesting reddish egrets. Our results suggest that effective management of large, speciose coastal rookeries are likely to benefit reddish egrets. Coastal restoration efforts that tightly link nest site management with high‐quality foraging habitat will be most likely to prove beneficial to reddish egrets. Long‐term management of reddish egrets will benefit from better knowledge of how sea level rise will alter the location and extent of foraging habitat. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

Maternal nest building and choice of nest site are temperature dependent in mink: Parent-offspring temperature conflict?

We investigated whether nest building and nest site preference are temperature dependent in female mink. We designed two experiments: in Experiment 1, female mink had access to unheated (7 °C, Room7C group) or heated (25 °C, Heated25C group) nest boxes; in Experiment 2, female mink had free choice of nest boxes at three temperatures (7 °C, 16 °C, and 25 °C). We hypothesised that the progress in nest building would be temperature dependent (Experiment 1), with female mink having a temperature preference, and that this preference would shift toward a higher temperature when giving birth (Experiment 2). Nest building decreased with increasing nest box temperature from Day −3 to Day 7 relative to the day of birth (Experiment 1: P < 0.001; Experiment 2: 7 °C > 16 °C > 25 °C, P < 0.05). In Experiment 1, females in the Heated25C group stayed for significantly shorter times inside the nest boxes than did females in the Room7C group (P = 0.007). In Experiment 2, dams spent the most time in the 7 °C nest boxes and the least time in the 25 °C boxes (P < 0.05). Similarly, dams given a choice preferred not to place their litters in the 25°C nest boxes through Day 7 (Experiment 2, P < 0.05). Offspring placed in 25°C nest boxes weighed 17.5% more than those placed in 7°C boxes on Day 7 (Experiment 1, P = 0.028). When dams were away from the nest, 1) offspring in unheated nest boxes vocalised longer than did those in heated boxes (Experiment 1: P = 0.010), and 2) offspring in 7 °C boxes huddled more than did those in 25 °C boxes (Experiment 1, P = 0.021). These results show that maternal nest building and choice of nest site are temperature dependent, with a potential temperature preference conflict between dams and offspring.

Do cuckoos imprint on hosts, micro-habitats, or nest sites? Parasitism preferences in the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)

Diverse nest-building behaviors used for constructing delicate and diverse kinds of nests constitute one of the most impressive and typical traits for birds. However, some bird species do not possess nest-building behavior but lay eggs in nests of other species. Such obligate brood parasites account for only 1% of all bird species in the world, but their extraordinary behavior has resulted in numerous studies. Unlike nesting birds, brood parasites such as cuckoos need to find suitable nests for parasitism rather than suitable habitat for nesting. Previous studies hypothesized that cuckoos may achieve this by imprinting on the habitats or nest sites they have experienced, or on host species by whom they have been reared, or simply by natal philopatry. Here, we test for host recognition mechanisms in a coevolutionary system constituted by the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) and its two sympatric hosts Daurian redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus) and Verditer flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus) that build open cup-shaped nests in similar nest sites. Redstarts are partial rejecters of cuckoo eggs and they are parasitized by cuckoos with a parasitism rate of 16.2%, while flycatchers accept cuckoo eggs but no survival of parasite chicks in its nests and also no single case of parasitism was detected. Our results are consistent with the host imprinting hypothesis that cuckoos choose suitable hosts for parasitism by preference for them during the nestling period. The unique system consisting of common cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) and their two potential redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus) and flycatcher hosts (Eumyias thalassinus) provided persuasive evidence to show that common cuckoos have a host preference rather than a nest site preference based on micro-habitat characteristics or just random nest site selection for locating host nests and choosing a suitable host species.

Nest reuse in arctic‐breeding shorebirds: an analysis of potential benefits and factors affecting the occurrence of this rare behavior

During a 13‐yr study near Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska, we documented the prevalence of nest reuse in eight arctic‐breeding shorebirds. We evaluated whether nest reuse saved individuals time and energy, enhanced nest survival, or was related to nest density. We documented 208 (6.2%) cases of nest reuse among 3336 nesting attempts. Nest reuse occurred in all years but the first and in all species, with greatest reuse in semipalmated sandpiper (10.9%) and American golden‐plover (10.0%). While most cases of nest reuse occurred with conspecifics, many cases of heterospecific nest reuse were also observed, indicating high niche overlap in nest site preferences among species. We found that individuals reusing old nests may have benefited by nesting earlier, but nest reuse did not generally enhance nest survival. A significant positive relationship was also found between nest reuse and nest density at the community level and for four of the eight species, suggesting high inter‐ or intraspecific competition combined with limited suitable nest sites may force individuals to reuse old nests. Our observations also suggest that upland nesting species may be the most dependent on old nest sites. Preferential development of these sites may therefore have a previously unknown detrimental effect on these species, although further study is needed to better determine the impact of such habitat loss.

Comparative nest survival of three sympatric loon species breeding in the Arctic

Identifying factors influencing nest survival among sympatric species is important for understanding and managing sources of variation in population dynamics of individual species. Three species of loons nest sympatrically in northern Alaska and differ in body size, life history characteristics, and population trends. We tested the effects of competition, nest site selection, and water level variations on nest survival of PacificGavia pacifica, yellow‐billedG. adamsii, and red‐throated loonsG. stellataon the Arctic Coastal Plain in Alaska. Although overall nest survival rates did not differ between species, the factors influencing nest survival varied. Nest site selection influenced nest survival for Pacific and yellow‐billed loons, with both species having high nest survival when nesting on islands and peninsulas, likely due to a reduction in access by terrestrial predators. However, on mainland shorelines, Pacific loons had lower nest survival than yellow‐billed loons, and used a higher proportion of vegetation mats for nest sites suggesting that their smaller body size makes them less adept at nest defense. Nest site selection did not influence nest survival of red‐throated loons corresponding to our result of no nest site preferences by this species. Initiation date had a strong influence on nest survival for Pacific and yellow‐billed loons with nests laid earlier having higher survival. Pacific and yellow‐billed loon nests were susceptible to flooding due to precipitation, which contrasted with red‐throated loons that nest on smaller lakes with lower water level variations. Competition did not affect nest survival for any of the species likely due to most territorial encounters occurring prior to incubation. The only influence we found on red‐throated loon nest survival was differences among years. Our results indicate that loons chose nest sites based on predation risk and that factors influencing breeding success of closely related species may differ under similar breeding conditions.

Changes in the nest sites of White Stork(Ciconia ciconia)in Hungary

AbstractThe breeding strategies of the White Stork changed drastically during the past decades: a decreasing number of individuals nest on traditional nest sites – trees, roofs, chimneys, whereas electricity poles are increasingly selected. Here we analysed long-term breeding data of White Storks breeding in six Hungarian counties to detect patterns in nest site preferences in Hungary. According to our results, the shift to preference for electricity poles was shown at the same rate in every county, independently from the proportion of original nest sites. After 2000, although electricity poles dominated everywhere, the proportion of nest on poles without platform increased, despite the abundance of available empty platforms. To explain this pattern, we propose that White Storks show a preference for viewpoints, thus choosing to breed as near as possible to optimal habitats, regardless of nest site types. Therefore, conservation measures concerning the nest sites of this species should include preliminary habitat analysis.

High, low, or familiar? Nest site preferences of experienced laying hens

ABSTRACT1. The aim of this study was to investigate which nest heights are preferred by laying hens in the absence of familiar nest locations and whether preferred nest heights are more attractive than a familiar location. In two experiments, a total of 108 hens of four different layer breeds, which were at least 50 weeks of age, were studied.2. In the first experiment, hens were given individual free choice between nests for 1-week at four different heights (0 cm, 39 cm, 78 cm, and 117 cm above ground). Hens of the four breeds differed in their nest height preferences (P = 0.0013). However, hens of three breeds preferred ground level nests (P < 0.007) and the fourth line showed an equal preference for the ground level and level three, the latter level corresponding to the height of the nests in their home compartments.4. In the second experiment, hens from the four breeds were given a choice between ground level nests and nests at a familiar location, i.e. at the same location as in their home compartment. Hens of all strains preferred the familiar nest location (P = 0.002) and preferences did not differ between strains (P = 0.77).5. Laying hens seem to prefer nests at ground level in the absence of a familiar nest. However, if possible, experienced 50 week old hens continue to use a familiar nest location instead of a ground nest location. The results are discussed with respect to a potential primary preference that may be modifiable by experience and with respect to possible relevance in commercial housing.

Nesting pattern of birds in Jahangirnagar University Campus, Bangladesh

Based on a study on nesting behavior conducted in Jahangirnagar University Campus between 2009 and 2011 brief descriptions are given of nest site preferences in a diverse habitat, variation in nest shape against height above ground, and materials used for constructing nests in different tree species. The study found that April is the peak time for nesting due to food availability. High competition for tree holes as nest sites forced some species to build nests in unusual sites, for example Rose-ringed Parakeet Psittacula krameri , Asian Pied Starling Sturnus contra , Common Myna Acridotheres tristis , and Jungle Myna A. fuscus , Oriental Magpie-robin Copsychus saularis showed better adaptation to the campus environment than other birds. Predation risk was found to be higher for non-hole nests than for hole nests. To minimize predation pressure, birds were seen to adopt passive protection by making false nests and constructing well-camouflaged nests. Besides predation, human disturbance was observed on low height nests in roadside vegetation resulting in breeding failure. Reducing human disturbance is needed if birds are to achieve better reproductive success in the campus. The most commonly used trees were Albizia spp. (native or long naturalized species) whereas no nest was found in Eucalyptus spp . and only a few nests were found in Acacia moniliformes , both are exotic trees which have been planted in huge numbers in the campus, indicating that birds do not prefer exotic tree species for nesting. It is recommended to plant more native tree species, which may also help birds to nest in usual sites rather than unusual sites (such as electrical pillars, electrical boxes, air conditioner boxes, and building holes). Regular monitoring in support of native tree planting and raising awareness to reduce disturbance, could enhance the successful reproduction of birds in Jahangirnagar University Campus. Finally, an update to the avifauna of the campus is presented, with 17 species added in this study or from other recent reports, bringing the total to 195 species, including one globally ‘Near Threatened’ species, the Brown-winged Kingfisher Pelargopsis amauroptera .

Allee effect in termite colony formation: influence of alate density and flight timing on pairing success and survivorship

The Allee effect is a positive relationship between any component of individual fitness and the density of conspecifics. Theoretical models predict that monogamy, where males and females are constrained from having multiple mates, is more susceptible to the Allee effect. In most termite species, including Reticulitermes spp., found new colonies by monogamous pairs (i.e., primary king and queen); however, little is known about the effects of alate density and flight timing on pairing and colony foundation success. In this study, a positive relationship between alate density and pairing success was observed in the subterranean termite, Reticulitermes speratus. Upon release of dealates (individuals after shedding wings) every 3 days for 9 days at 10, 20, 40, or 80 pairs/m2/day in a semi-natural field, no pairs were observed for the 10 pairs/m2/day treatment after 3 months. However, 7.5, 13.8, and 18.1% of dealates formed pairs in the 20, 40, and 80 pairs/m2/day groups, respectively. Most pairs (78.7%) comprised dealates released simultaneously, and 17.3 and 4% comprised dealates released 3 and 6 days apart, respectively. R. speratus also preferred brown rotten pine for colony foundations to white rotten oak. This study provides important new insights into the density effects and nest-site preference for termite colony foundation.

Nesting behavior and nest site preferences of the giant honey bee (Apis dorsata F.) in the semi-arid environment of north west India

In the semi-arid environment of north west India, I found that 22.3% of colonies of the giant honey bee, Apis dorsata nested on man-made structures (buildings), whereas 77.7% nested on trees. The latter had a higher Nesting Site Occupation Index (Nsioi = 0.008) than buildings (Nsioi = 0.002). The nesting source reoccupation index (Nsori) was maximal for Indian rosewood (0.772), whilst the nesting site reoccupation index (Nsiri) was maximal for buildings (0.91) followed by Indian rosewood (0.147). On the basis of these indices, Indian rose wood was the best nesting resource whereas buildings provided the best sites. A. dorsata preferred smooth surfaces over unevenly grooved surfaces for nesting. More than 95% of the colonies nested on supports with an inclination from 0° to 45°. About 48.6% of colonies constructed their nests in an east/west direction, and about 70% of colonies nested at heights between 14 and 17 m. The majority of the “immigrated swarm colonies” had 100–120 cm nest length and 30–50 cm nest height. Likewise, about 56% of the “reproductive swarm colonies” had 30–40 cm nest length and about 53% had 20–25 cm nest height. The basal thickness of the comb in the non-honey region was 2.04 ± 0.6 cm whilst in the honey region it was 5.7 ± 1.2 cm. Three types of nest shapes on the horizontal as well as inclined surfaces were observed. This information will be valuable in devising strategies for the domestication and conservation of A. dorsata.

Anthropogenic waste products as preferred nest sites for Myrmica rubra (L.) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Sites containing anthropogenic waste products or dumps are currently treated as refugia by a lot of animal groups, including ants. In this study the population structure of Myrmica rubra (L.) ants was compared between habitats containing and lacking anthropogenic waste products. The density of colonies and individual nests, number of queens and of workers both per colony and per nest, and queen size were analyzed. Twenty plots with waste products and 20 control (natural) plots (paired, each 10×10m in size) were established and compared. Results show a significant increase in colony and nest density on the plots with waste compare to the control plots. However, the number of workers, queens and queen size did not differ significantly between plot types. Overall number, as well as proportion of polycalic colonies was higher on plots with waste products. These results suggest that when M. rubra has more potential nest site opportunities created by human activity, the density of its colonies increases. Moreover, the anthropogenic waste product are strongly preferred nest sites for this species on the human-disturbed plots, as only them were used as nest loci there in contrast to control plots.

Conflict over non-partitioned resources may explain between-species differences in declines: the anthropogenic competition hypothesis

Human alterations of habitats are causing declines in many species worldwide. The extent of declines varies greatly among closely related species, for often unknown reasons that must be understood in order to maintain biodiversity. An overlooked factor is that seasonally breeding species compete for nest sites, which are increasingly limited in many anthropogenically degraded environments. I used evolutionary game theory to predict the outcome of competition between individuals that differ in their competitive ability and timing of nesting. A range of species following evolutionarily stable strategies can co-exist when there are sufficient nest sites, but my model predicts that a reduction in nest site availability has greater impacts on late-nesting species, especially the stronger competitors, whereas early-nesting, stronger species decline only slightly. These predictions are supported by data on 221 bird and 43 bumblebee species worldwide. Restoration and provision of nest sites should be an urgent priority in conservation efforts. More broadly, these results indicate a new ecological principle of potentially widespread importance: rapid reductions in the abundance of resources for which species’ preferences have not diversified will result in unprecedented conflicts that reduce the potential for species co-existence.Significance statementUnderstanding the causes of species declines is crucial to preventing the losses. Whilst much work on species vulnerability shows broad scale effects, an enduring mystery is the variation in population trends between closely related species. I combined evolutionary modelling with three global-scale long-term data sets to reveal that competition for scarce nest sites causes variation in declines. The impact of the loss of nest sites on differential declines among closely related species from very different taxa indicates a new ecological principle of widespread importance: the effect of habitat degradation on competition among species. A lack of differentiation of nest site preferences means that—now nest sites are more limited—some species may be driving others to extinction. This phenomenon is likely to occur for any other non-partitioned resources that rapidly, on an evolutionary timescale, are now limiting population sizes.

Nest-site preference and reproductive performance of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) in historically extant and colonist shrub species

Many studies report mixed results on the influence of invasive plants on native animals, partly due to uncertainties about habitat preference and reproductive performance in native animals before and after plant invasion. We used vegetation surveys 20 years apart and 18 years of breeding data from Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia (A. Wilson, 1810)) to compare nest-site preference and reproductive performance during the colonization of Mandarte Island, British Columbia, by one shrub species native to the region but historically absent from the island (red elderberry, Sambucus racemosa L.) and another species that is exotic to North America (Himalayan blackberry, Rubus armeniacus Focke = Rubus bifrons Vest). Nest-site preference declined where red elderberry increased but was unrelated to change in the cover of Himalayan blackberry. Song Sparrows nested in trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus Cham. and Schltdl.) and its exotic congener Himalayan blackberry in preference to two common shrubs native to Mandarte Island (Nootka rose, Rosa nutkana C. Presl; snowberry, Symphoricarpos albus (L.) S.F. Blake) and built just 1 of 1051 nests in red elderberry. In contrast, reproductive performance was similar in all shrub species used regularly as nest substrates. Our results show that Song Sparrow nest-site preference and reproductive performance were independent of plant species origin.

Nest site preferences of the Woodlark (Lullula arborea) and its association with artificial nest predation

The Woodlark is an insectivorous bird, which is listed as a priority species in Switzerland. In Valais, a stronghold of this species in the country, the birds breed in intensively managed vineyards and show a preference for parcels with ground vegetation during territory establishment. As a ground-breeder, the species is highly vulnerable to nest predation by avian and mammal predators. The aims of our study were firstly to investigate nest site preferences of the woodlark within vineyards and secondly to compare the predation risk of artificial nests dependent of ground vegetation structure. Our results point out that the Woodlark prefers patches of tall and dense ground cover within vegetated vineyard parcels and avoids parcels that have been treated with herbicides. In a follow-up experiment we conducted a study comparing the predation rate of artificial nests between bare parcels (<20% vegetated area) and vegetated parcels (>40% vegetated area). Artificial nests equipped with one quail egg were distributed pairwise between two adjacent parcels that fulfilled the upper criteria and were monitored by trail cameras during 10–12 days. Predation rate was generally low (4 predation events) and only occurred in bare parcels. These data indicate that conspicuousness of avian nests may be decreased in vegetated parcels and that the amount of vegetation can lower the predation risk on ground breeding birds - another indication for the importance of ground vegetation for a successful conservation of the endangered Woodlark in Swiss vineyards.

The distribution and nest-site preference of Apis dorsata binghami at Maros Forest, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

The giant honey bee, Apis dorsata binghami is subspecies of Apis dorsata. This species of bee was only found in Sulawesi and its surrounding islands. This study is aimed to study the distribution and characteristics of nest and nesting trees, nesting behavior of Apis dorsata binghami in the forests of Maros, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The distributions of nests were observed using a survey method to record the species and characteristics of nesting trees, as well as the conditions around the nest. Results showed that 102 nests (17 active nests, 85 abandoned combs) of A. d. binghami were found. We found 34 species belong to 27 genera in 17 families of plants as nesting sites of giant honey bee. The common tree species used as nesting sites were Ficus subulata (Moraceae), Adenanthera sp. (Fabaceae), Spondias pinnata (Anacardiaceae), Artocarpus sericoarpus (Moraceae), Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae), Knema cinerea (Myristicaceae), Litsea mappacea (Lauraceae), and Palaquium obovatum (Sapotaceae). The nests were found in 0-11 meters (11 nests), 11-20 meters (40 nests), and more than 21 meters (51 nests) from ground level. The nests of giant honey bee were found in sturdy and woody branches, hard to peel, the slope of the branches was &lt;60°, and nests were protected by liane plants, foliage, or both them.

Intra-specific variation in nest-site preferences of Zebra Finches: do height and cover matter?

Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata) are distributed over most of Australia and have also been domesticated. Domestication in general has strong effects on various traits including reproduction. For successful reproduction choosing a suitable nest-site is essential. We focussed on two factors that might influence nest-site selection; height and cover. In two experiments, we investigated the nest-height and nest-cover preferences of five Zebra Finch populations (1 Australian, 4 domesticated). Our results revealed that all five populations preferred the highest nests and there were no differences between populations. With variation in nest-cover, the Australian birds and a less-selected domesticated population chose nests with cover, while birds from populations selected for specific plumage colourations used the open nest-boxes most. Nest-height preference seems to be conserved in domesticated birds, whereas preference for nest-cover seems to be modified during domestication. We discuss the intra-specific variation in nest-site preferences, in the light of evolutionary and domestication processes. We believe that this further understanding in nest-site preference can provide hints to understand the variation in breeding success of Zebra Finches across different experiments and laboratories.