Redstart Phoenicurus Research Articles

The complete mitochondrial genome of Phoenicurus frontalis (Passeriformes: Muscicapidae)

The Blue-fronted Redstart Phoenicurus frontalis (Muscicapidae) belongs to the family Muscicapidae, distributed in central China, Qinghai-Tibet plateau and the Himalayas. The conservation status of this species is Least Concern (LC) in IUCN. In this study, the complete mitogenome of P. frontalis was determined. The mitogenome is a circular molecule of 16,776 bp in length, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosome RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 1 non-coding region. We reconstructed a phylogenetic tree based on Bayesian inference for 15 Passeriformes species. The new mitogenome data would provide useful information for application in conservation genetics and further clarify the phylogenetic evolution of this species.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus (Aves: Passeriformes: Muscicapidae)

We sequenced the mitochondrial genome of Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus using the next-generation sequencing. The circular genome is 16,832 bp long, encoding 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and a control region. The lengths of rrnL and rrnS were determined to be 1,597 and 984 bp, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis of 18 mitogenomes of Muscicapidae supports monophylies of all genera, including P. auroreus. The information would be useful for understanding the phylogeny and evolution of Muscicapidae.

Observations on a presumed bilateral gynandromorph Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros paired with a male

A supposed bilateral gynandromorph Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros in northwestern Switzerland formed a pair with a phenotypically classical male, but apparently was not breeding. The bird was documented before and after moult, when all replaced feathers were again of the same sex type. It was also recorded singing, the song being typical for the species. This is the second recorded case of a bilateral gynandromorph Black Redstart, one of only a handful cases where wild bilateral gynandromorph birds have been observed throughout the breeding season, and the first unequivocal documentation of a presumed bilateral gynandromorph bird forming a stable pair with a typical male.

Fitting different visual models to behavioral patterns of parasitic egg rejection along a natural egg color gradient in a cavity-nesting host species

Avian brood parasites lay their eggs in other birds’ nests, and hosts can mitigate the fitness cost of raising unrelated offspring by rejecting parasitic eggs. A visually-based cognitive mechanism often thought to be used by hosts to discriminate the foreign egg is to compare it against the hosts’ own eggshell by size, shape, maculation, and/or ground coloration (i.e., absolute chromatic contrast). However, hosts may instead discriminate eggs based on their colors along a scale of natural avian eggshell coloration (i.e., directional chromatic contrast). In support of this latter visual process, recent research has found that directional chromatic contrasts can explain some host species’ rejection behavior better than absolute chromatic or achromatic contrasts. Here, for the first time, we conducted an experiment in a cavity-nesting host species to test the predictions of these different visual mechanisms. We experimentally parasitized nests of the Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, a regular host of a mimetic-egg laying Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus host-race, using painted, immaculate 3D-printed model eggs in two geographically distant areas (Finland and Czech Republic). We found that directional chromatic contrasts better explained rejection behaviors in both parasitized (Finland) and non-parasitized (Czech Republic) host populations, as hosts rejected eggs that were noticeably browner, but not eggs that were noticeably bluer, than redstart eggs. These results support the paradigm of a single rejection threshold predicted by the directional chromatic contrast model and contribute to a growing generality of these patterns across diverse avian host-brood parasite systems.

东北地区北红尾鸲巢址选择及繁殖成效

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 东北地区北红尾鸲巢址选择及繁殖成效 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201812062673 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金项目（31872231） Nest site selection and breeding success of Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus in northeast China Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:北红尾鸲（Phoenicurus auroreus）是一种分布广泛的小型雀形目鸟类，主要分布于南亚东北部，东南亚北部、东亚及俄罗斯等地区，我国东北、华北、华中至西南等地也均有分布，是重要的食虫益鸟。为探究北红尾鸲巢址选择的影响因素，找到影响北红尾鸲繁殖成功率的主要巢址因子，于2017年4-7月，在辽宁仙人洞国家级自然保护区开展系统研究。共发现北红尾鸲自然巢44个，其中29巢繁殖成功，15巢繁殖失败。北红尾鸲主要筑巢于石墙缝、空心砖墙缝及废旧电表箱中。巢址参数的主成分分析结果表明：巢口因子（27.738%）、巢位因子（14.195%）、光照因子（12.145%）、人为干扰因子（10.440%）、安全因子（9.266%）和隐蔽因子（7.187%）是影响北红尾鸲巢址选择的重要因子。采用二元逻辑斯蒂回归分析繁殖成功巢与失败巢参数发现，成功巢的巢口最大高度显著小于失败巢（P=0.047），且其距顶的距离更近（P=0.043）。多元线性回归分析表明，巢上方盖度对繁殖成功率有极显著影响（t=2.883，P=0.009）。总的来说，北红尾鸲虽偏爱筑巢于人为干扰较大的村庄房屋附近，但较小的巢口能有效避免巢捕食者的捕食，更近的距顶距离和更大的巢上方盖度能有效降低巢上方的可视程度和降水等不利因素的影响，从而提高繁殖成功率。 Abstract:Daurian redstart Phoenicurus auroreus is a secondary hole-nesting bird distributed widely in temperate Asia. The aim of this study is to identify critical features of nest site selection that affect reproductive success of the bird. All 44 nests (29 succeeded and 15 failed) were built in gaps of stone wall, cavities of hollow brick wall and ropey electricity meter boxes. The main factors that affect nest site selection were nest entrance factors (21.738%), spatial location factors (14.195%), sunshine factors (12.145%), human disturbance (10.440%), nest security (9.266%), and nest concealment (7.187%). Binary logistic regression results showed that succeed breeding nests were nearer to the roof (P=0.043) and had smaller entrance (P=0.047) than the failed nests. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that nest coverage significantly positively related with reproductive success (t=2.883, P=0.009). These findings demonstrate that Daurian redstart prefers to build their nests around villages, where strong disturbance also exist. Small entrance, sheltered above and short distance to the roof-top are relatively adaptive nest-site choice, which may play important roles in the breeding success of Daurian redstart. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Using nest-boxes in pine stands of the Augustów Forest

Abstract In 2011–2014, the occupancy of nest-boxes by secondary hole-nesting birds and their breeding success was investigated in pine stands of the Augustów Forest (North-Eastern Poland). In the studied area of 12600 ha, the share of Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris L. in the stands was 92%. On average, birds occupied 54% and bats 3% of the 224–317 nest boxes controlled yearly. Nest boxes were also used by the Pygmy Owl Glaucidium passerinum L. as food caches. In total, broods of nine secondary hole-nesting species were observed, but only four bird species nested in each year of study. The most numerous species, occupying 53–60% of all boxes each year was the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca Pall. The Great Tit Parus major L. occupied 15–24% and the Coal Tit Periparus ater L. 10–12% of available nest-boxes, while the Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus L. used 2–7% of nest boxes. The yearly breeding success was highest for tits (Great Tit – 52–84%, Coal Tit – 50–72%) and strongly variable for the Pied Flycatchers – 38–78%. Broods were lost due to predation by martens Martes sp. (38%) and great spotted woodpeckers Dendrocopos major L. (6%) as well as nest competition (2%). The nest-boxes were occupied at a constant rate during the following four years after their exposition. Over 67% of the new nest-boxes were occupied annually which means new nest-boxes (up to 4 years) were occupied significantly more often than boxes older than 4 years.

Winter site use by Afro-Palearctic migrants in Ghana: site persistence and densities of Willow Warbler, Pied Flycatcher, Melodious Warbler and Common Redstart

Little is known about the variation within and among species of long-distance migrants in behavioural strategies and habitat choice on their non-breeding grounds. We report results from regular ringing operations carried out during the winter seasons 2009–2013 and transect counts in 2013, 2015 and 2016 in the Sudan Savanna Zone in Ghana. The best supported capture–mark–recapture model included species-specific probabilities of stay between within-season periods but no differences in resighting probability among species or sites. This model indicated that less than one-third of the Willow Warblers Phylloscopus trochilus and half of the Melodious Warblers Hippolais polyglotta stayed at wintering sites during more than 10 d, whereas for Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca and Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus up to 90% stayed for more than 10 d, indicating itinerant wintering behaviour in the warblers and longer non-breeding residency in Pied Flycatcher and Common Redstart. Densities varied among years, but Pied Flycatchers were consistently most numerous in well-matured woodland habitat and Willow Warblers in disturbed habitat. Recaptures among years were too low for meaningful estimates of winter site fidelity, yet recurrence was recorded in three species. We speculate that habitat use is directly related to degree of territory defence and itinerancy.

Post‐fledging interactions between the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and its cavity‐nesting Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus host

Brood parasite–host interactions during the incubation and nestling stages have been well studied, but the post‐fledging period remains virtually unknown. Using radiotracking, we provide the first detailed data on post‐fledging interactions between the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and its only regular cavity‐nesting host, the Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus. Cuckoos raised alone (‘solitary’) fledged at higher mass, with higher wing and tarsus length and started to fly at a younger age than Cuckoos raised alongside young Redstarts (‘mixed’). However, a further 23 fledging and post‐fledging parameters measured at five pre‐determined times (fledging, first‐flight, predation, starvation, independence) did not differ between solitary and mixed Cuckoos. In addition, none of the parameters measured during the post‐fledging period (growth, dispersal distances, number of flights) differed between solitary and mixed Cuckoos. Redstart fledglings from non‐parasitized broods (‘solitary’) showed generally similar fledging and post‐fledging parameters to fledglings reared alongside a Cuckoo (‘mixed’). Surprisingly, there were no significant differences in post‐fledging predation rate, starvation or overall survival rates between mixed and solitary Cuckoos or mixed and solitary Redstarts. Thus, during the post‐fledging period, mixed Cuckoo fledglings successfully compensated for the poorer performance experienced during the nestling stage whereas mixed and solitary Redstarts did not differ in any measured parameters. This suggests that the regular occurrence of mixed broods in this host–parasite system – which is unique among the many Cuckoo hosts – is evolutionarily stable for both hosts and parasites.

Territory quality differs between paired and unpaired male Common Redstarts Phoenicurus phoenicurus

ABSTRACTWe compared habitat characteristics between territories of paired and unpaired males of the long-distance migratory Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus. Nesting possibilities and reachable sparse vegetation were more abundant in territories of paired males, clearly highlighting the importance of both parameters when implementing habitat enhancements for the species.

Distinct patterns of geographic variation for different song components in Daurian Redstarts Phoenicurus auroreus

ABSTRACTCapsule: Components of Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus song have evolved along independent trajectories and show a mix of clinal and dialect patterns of geographic variation.Aims: To investigate multiple structural components of song in Daurian Redstarts Phoenicurus auroreus as they varied among five locations across South Korea. To test whether different components of the same signal can evolve along independent trajectories, or else are constrained to evolve in correlated fashion.Methods: Two distinct song components were investigated: the introductory whistle and the complex syllable. For both segments, we made both qualitative and quantitative comparisons of similarity among individuals both within and among populations.Results: Patterns of geographic variation differed substantially between the two song segment types. Introductory whistles varied widely both within and among individuals, and were distributed across space in a mosaic pattern. Complex syllable parts showed high within-individual similarity and a distinctly clinal pattern of geographic variation, with the exception of a distinct dialect in one population isolated by a high-elevation mountain range.Conclusions: The results suggest that different components of Daurian Redstart songs have evolved along independent trajectories; that specific song components may show a mix of clinal and dialect patterns of geographic variation; and that different song components might simultaneously transmit distinct patterns of information about individual, dialect or species identity.

A new subspecies of the black redstart – Phoenicurus ochruros murinus subsp. nov. from the Altai-Sayan Mountainous Country and the current breeding range of the black redstart

On the basis of literature and collection materials, as well as photographs with geo-referencing from various sources, the actual breeding range of the Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros (Gmelin, 1774) was compiled. For the Asian part of the range, a probabilistic model is constructed for the geographic distribution of the species by the maximum entropy method, which is used to refine the range in some of its regions. Based on the collection materials of the Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University (Moscow), Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg) and Institute of Zoology of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Almaty), a comparison of the breeding plumages of adult male Black Redstarts from the Asian part of the range was carried out. The revealed differences made it possible to describe a new subspecies from Altai, Tuva, Northern China and Western Mongolia – Phoenicurus ochruros murinus Fedorenko subsp. nov., which is distinguished from the neighboring Turkestan subspecies Ph. o. phoenicuroides by the absence of any contrast in the colour of the head, nape and back; all of which are concolourous dark grey. From Latin, the subspecies name “murinus” is translated as “mouse grey”, which characterises the colour of the upperparts of the bird. A revision of other subspecies of the Asian Black Redstart group was carried out and a map of their distribution was compiled.

Effects of spatial autocorrelation and imperfect detection on species distribution models

Abstract Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used in ecology and related fields. They are frequently adopted to predict the expected occurrence (presence/absence) or abundance over large spatial scales, that is, to produce a species distribution map. Two issues that almost universally affect these models are measurement errors (especially imperfect detection) and residual spatial autocorrelation. We explored the effects of imperfect detection and autocorrelation in abundance models by simulating datasets which did or did not contain these two effects and analysing them with four different models that did or did not accommodate them. Specifically, we used a Poisson GLM as a baseline, an N‐mixture model accounting only for imperfect detection and two N‐mixture models that accounted for imperfect detection, but differed in their specification of spatial autocorrelation (CAR random effects vs. two‐dimensional splines). In a case study, we then applied these models to Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus data from the second Swiss Breeding Bird Atlas (1993–1996) and validated them using an independent monitoring dataset. We found that both imperfect detection and autocorrelation strongly affected the quality and the uncertainty of abundance maps, especially when they occurred together. Spatial N‐mixture models were well able to estimate the true abundance maps. Explicit modelling of measurement error and spatial autocorrelation can thus greatly improve the quality of SDMs and should not be ignored when producing large‐scale abundance or occurrence maps.

Tail flicking in the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros) and distance to cover

Tail flicking is a common behavior in many bird species, but its function is often unknown. Apart from intraspecific communication, tail flicking could be used during predator–prey communication, e.g., as a signal of prey vigilance or quality. We studied this behavior in the black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros), a species that frequently shows tail flicking and is prone to attacks by ambushing predators that hide in cover. Hence, cover might be perceived as dangerous by this species. We hypothesized that flicking should increase with decreasing distance to cover. We counted the number of tail flicks of individuals and measured their distance to the nearest cover for an ambushing predator. We found that distance to cover had a significant effect on tail flicking behavior, as flicking increased with decreasing distance, but found no difference in flicking frequency between adults and juveniles or between sexes. Consequently, tail flicking is unlikely to signal submission or to be sexually selected in the black redstart. Since tail flicking also occurred in the absence of predators, we consider tail flicking in black redstarts to display vigilance and to be directed towards ambushing predators.

Arrival and onset of breeding of three passerine birds in eastern Finland tracks climatic variation and phenology of insects

Anthropogenic climate change poses a challenge to the annual cycles of migratory birds. It has become urgent to understand whether migratory birds are able to advance their spring phenology when the climate is warming and whether they are able to adjust these phenological phases to the spring phenology in their breeding areas. In this work, we studied long‐term trends in first arrival and onset of breeding for three passerine birds in eastern Finland; the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, the common redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus and the great tit Parus major. The pied flycatcher and the common redstart are long‐distance migrants while the great tit is a partial migrant in Finland. We asked what environmental variables best explain the first arrival or onset of breeding, if there is evidence of ‘thermal delay’ (long‐term increase in the accumulated temperatures) at arrival or onset of breeding and if the interannual variation in the onset of breeding correlates with variation in spring phenology of local insects. We found that the pied flycatcher and the common redstart had advanced their first arrival (explained by increased temperatures at the migration route), but we found no long‐term change in the onset of breeding (explained by local temperatures). Also, the onset of breeding of the great tit is tracking local temperatures. We found no or only weak evidence of thermal delay at arrival or onset of breeding for any of the species. The onsets of breeding for the pied flycatcher and the great tit are also closely tracking the spring phenology of the local insects. The stable or increasing population sizes of all three species in Finland could be a result from their ability to effectively track climatic and environmental variation.

Growth Performance of Nestling CuckoosCuculus canorusin Cavity Nesting Hosts

Generalist brood parasites, like Common Cuckoos Cuculus canorus, target many host species. Why other sympatric hosts are not used, or actively avoided, remains one of the main gaps in our understanding of parasite-host coevolution. Cavity nesting passerines always represented a text-book example of unsuitable hosts but recent evidence casts multiple doubts on this traditional view. In general, any species can become an unsuitable host for a parasite at laying, incubation, or nestling stages with the last one being much less studied than the others. Therefore we examined Cuckoo chick performance in five cavity nesting host species, including one regular Cuckoo host — the Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus and four non-hosts: the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata, Great Tit Parus major, and Coal Tit Periparus ater. Natural nests of non-hosts, as opposed to artificial nest boxes with small entrance holes, are often placed in cavities that show both entrance and inner cavity sizes large enough for female Cuckoos to lay and Cuckoo chicks to fledge. We did not find any evidence for chick discrimination in non-hosts, i.e., no chicks were rejected, attacked, or neglected. Cuckoo chicks grew similarly in nests of all four species of non-hosts, similarly to chicks in host Redstart nests, and generally better than in nests of the most numerous Cuckoo host, the Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus. Although Cuckoo chick fledging mass was highly host speciesspecific (i.e., showed high statistical repeatability across various host species), we did not find any evidence for the hypothesis that host body size (mass) positively affects parasite chick growth (fledging mass or age). These findings provide impetus to further study apparently unsuitable hosts and perhaps even reconsider traditional classifications of host suitability in the context of brood parasite-host coevolution.

Egg Polymorphism and Egg Discrimination in the Daurian RedstartPhoenicurus auroreus, a Host of the Common CuckooCuculus canorus

The evolution of egg polymorphism based on strong egg discrimination by hosts of brood parasites may be a specific adaptation against avian brood parasitism. However, different cuckoo-host systems with egg polymorphism may differ in many other aspects during coevolution. We studied the interaction between the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and its host, the Daurian Redstart Phoenicurus auroreus, and detected that cuckoos use an intermediate degree of egg monomorphism to parasitize contrasting dimorphic eggs laid by redstarts. However, redstarts only possess an intermediate ability of egg recognition of dissimilar egg phenotypes with a high degree of recognition error and long latency to rejection. We discuss possible explanations for these observations and suggest that the intermediate degree of egg mimicry in the cuckoo and egg recognition in the redstart may constitute an early stage of disruptive coevolution in egg phenotypes between cuckoos and hosts. Alternatively, intermediate polymorphism may be maintained as a result of an evolutionary equilibrium between hosts and parasites.

Long‐term changes in the migration phenology of UK breeding birds detected by large‐scale citizen science recording schemes

The timing of migration is one of the key life‐history parameters of migratory birds. It is expected to be under strong selection, to be sensitive to changing environmental conditions and to have implications for population dynamics. However, most phenological studies do not describe arrival and departure phenologies for a species in a way that is robust to potential biases, or that can be clearly related to breeding populations. This hampers our ability to understand more fully how climate change may affect species’ migratory strategies, their life histories and ultimately their population dynamics. Using generalized additive models (GAMs) and extensive large‐scale data collected in the UK over a 40‐year period, we present standardized measures of migration phenology for common migratory birds, and examine how the phenology of bird migration has changed in the UK since the 1960s. Arrival dates for 11 of 14 common migrants became significantly earlier, with six species advancing their arrival by more than 10 days. These comprised two species, Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita, which winter closest to Britain in southern Europe and the arid northern zone of Africa, Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus, which winters in the arid zone, and three hirundines (Sand Martin Riparia riparia, House Martin Delichon urbicum and Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica), which winter in different parts of Africa. Concurrently, departure dates became significantly later for four of the 14 species and included species that winter in southern Europe (Blackcap and Chiffchaff) and in humid zones of Africa (Garden Warbler Sylvia borin and Whinchat Saxicola rubetra). Common Swift Apus apus was the exception in departing significantly earlier. The net result of earlier arrival and later departure for most species was that length of stay has become significantly longer for nine of the 14 species. Species that have advanced their timing of arrival showed the most positive trends in abundance, in accordance with previous studies. Related in part to earlier arrival and the relationship above, we also show that species extending their stay in Great Britain have shown the most positive trends. Further applications of our modelling approach will provide opportunities for more robust tests of relationships between phenological change and population dynamics than have been possible previously.

Are changes in breeding habitat responsible for recent population changes of long-distance migrant birds?

ABSTRACTCapsule: The direction and magnitude of changes in structure of UK woodlands since the 1980s, are inconsistent with them playing a causative role in the declines of four migrant bird species in upland oak woods.Aims: To investigate whether changes in woodland structure were a possible cause of population changes of four Afro-Palearctic migrants (Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix, Tree Pipit Anthus trivialis, Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca and Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus) in the upland oakwoods of western and northern Britain.Methods: Bird population estimates and measures of woodland structure were recorded in two time periods 1982–85 and 2003–04 across six regions of the UK. We modelled the effect of habitat change and initial habitat state on population changes between the two time periods. The predicted effects of habitat change on populations were then compared with observed population changes across the different regions.Results: All four species underwent population declines; there were also significant increases in ground cover and understorey cover. The number of birds in 2003–04 was influenced by habitat structure at this time in addition to showing regional differences. Change in bird numbers varied between regions and was affected by both the initial habitat state and change in habitat structure, with regional variation in the effect of habitat change. There was however no relationship between the predicted effect of change in habitat structure on population size and observed regional population changes.Conclusions: Changes in woodland structure are unlikely to be the main driver of population change in these four migrant bird species, and large-scale factors affecting demographics in other parts of their breeding range or in their wintering areas are likely reasons for local population declines.

Cuckoo parasitism in a cavity nesting host: near absent egg‐rejection in a northern redstart population under heavy apparent (but low effective) brood parasitism

Brood parasite – host systems continue to offer insights into species coevolution. A notable system is the redstartPhoenicurus phoenicurusparasitized by the ‘redstart‐cuckoo’Cuculus canorusgens. Redstarts are the only regular cuckoo hosts that breed in cavities, which challenges adult cuckoos in egg laying and cuckoo chicks in host eviction. We investigated parasitism in this system and found high overall parasitism rates (31.1% of 360 redstart nests), but also that only 33.1% of parasitism events (49 of 148 eggs) were successful in laying eggs into redstart nest cups. The majority of cuckoo eggs were mislaid and found on the rim of the nest; outside the nest cup. All available evidence suggests these eggs were not ejected by hosts. The effective parasitism rate was therefore only 12.8% of redstart nests. Redstarts responded to natural parasitism by deserting their nests in 13.0% of cases, compared to desertion rates of 2.8% for non‐parasitized nests. Our egg parasitism experiments found low rates (12.2%) of rejection of artificial non‐mimetic cuckoo eggs. Artificial mimetic and real cuckoo eggs added to nests were rejected at even lower rates, and were always rejected via desertion. Under natural conditions, only 21 cuckoo chicks fledged of 150 cuckoo eggs laid. Adding to this low success, is that cuckoo chicks are sometimes unable to evict all host young, and were more likely to die as a result compared to cuckoo chicks reared alone. This low success seems to be mainly due to the cavity nesting strategy of the redstart which is a challenging obstacle for the cuckoo. The redstart‐cuckoo system appears to be a fruitful model system and we suggest much more emphasis should be placed on frontline defences such as nest site selection strategies when investigating brood parasite–host coevolution.

Successful shared breeding in an artificial nest-box by Common Swift Apus apus and Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus

During the spring 2015, a pair of Common Redstarts Phoenicurus phoenicurus successfully raised a five-chick brood in an artificial nest-box designed for and occupied by a pair of Common Swifts Apus apus in southern Sweden. The breeding was monitored by a nest-box camera, which recorded close interactions between the two species. The Common Redstarts initiated the breeding first and had young in the nest when the Common Swifts arrived and initiated breeding by laying their eggs in a nearby nest cup. The breeding overlapped by 15 days between the second and the fourth week of June when all five of the nestlings of the Common Redstart fledged. The Common Swifts raised two young which fledged in early August.