Reproductive consequences of material use in avian nest construction

Material culture—that is, group-shared and socially learned object-related behaviour(s)—is a widespread and diverse phenomenon in humans. For decades, researchers have sought to confirm the existence of material culture in non-human animals; however, the main study systems of interest—namely, tool making and/or using non-human primates and corvids—cannot provide such confirmatory evidence: because long-standing ethical and logistical constraints handicap the collection of necessary experimental data. Synthesizing evidence across decades and disciplines, here, I present a novel framework for (mechanistic, developmental, behavioural, and comparative) study on animal material culture: avian nest construction.

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Nest ornaments and feather composition form an extended phenotype syndrome in a wild bird

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology ◽

10.1007/s00265-020-02912-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 74 (11) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Pauliina Järvinen ◽

Jon E. Brommer

Keyword(s):

Individual Variation ◽

Bird Species ◽

The Other ◽

Correlated Response ◽

Nest Construction ◽

Extended Phenotype ◽

Lining Material ◽

Study Population ◽

Avian Nest ◽

Blue Tits

Abstract Many species throughout the animal kingdom construct nests for reproduction. A nest is an extended phenotype—a non-bodily attribute—of the individual building it. In some bird species, including our study population of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), conspicuous feathers or other material are placed on top of the nest. These so-called nest ornaments do not contribute to nest insulation, but are hypothesised to have a signalling function. Here, we apply the concept of behavioural syndromes, with focus on between-individual variation (repeatability) and between-individual correlations, to the study of avian nest construction. We find that nest ornamentation is a moderately repeatable trait in female blue tits, which suggests it is an extended phenotype of the female. Furthermore, the tendency to ornament the nest covaries across females with another aspect of her extended phenotype, the composition of the nest lining material, and these two traits thus form an extended phenotype syndrome. Assuming the correlation is reflected on a genetic level, it implies that nest ornamentation and composition of the nest lining do not evolve in isolation; one aspect may be an evolutionary by-product of selection on the other aspect and their overall flexibility to respond to change is reduced. Significance statement The avian nest is an extended phenotype (a non-bodily attribute) of its builder with potentially multiple functions in terms of insulation and signalling. In particular, many bird species’ nests contain nest ornaments, feathers or other materials that are placed on top of the nest and that stand out from the nest material due to their colour and/or size. We quantified between-individual variation (repeatability) of nest ornamentation behaviour in a wild population of blue tits and between-individual covariation (syndrome) of nest ornamentation to other features of nest construction. We find that nest ornamentation is a repeatable trait limited to females in our study population. The tendency to ornament the nest covaries across females with another aspect of her extended nest phenotype, the composition of the nest lining material. These correlated traits thus form an extended phenotype syndrome. It hence becomes crucial to recognise that a study of a single aspect of nest construction in isolation captures only a part of the complexity, as one aspect may have evolved as a correlated response of selection on the other aspect. Moreover, such a syndrome implies limited flexibility in the range of adaptive response.

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White-naped squirrels use plastic waste for nest construction in agricultural areas of northern Peru

International Journal of Environmental Studies ◽

10.1080/00207233.2021.1950363 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Félix Ayala ◽

Leticia Lajo-Salazar ◽

Susana Cárdenas-Alayza

Keyword(s):

Plastic Waste ◽

Nest Construction ◽

Northern Peru ◽

Agricultural Areas

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Interactive effects of habitat attributes and predator identity explain avian nest predation patterns

Emu - Austral Ornithology ◽

10.1080/01584197.2021.1928519 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

M. Soledad Vazquez ◽

Lucía B. Zamora-Nasca ◽

Mariano A. Rodriguez-Cabal ◽

Guillermo C. Amico

Keyword(s):

Nest Predation ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Predator Identity ◽

Avian Nest

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Multiple nutritional currencies shape pregnancy in a large herbivore

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/cjz-2019-0241 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 98 (5) ◽

pp. 307-315

Author(s):

J.R. Newby ◽

N.J. DeCesare

Keyword(s):

Body Fat ◽

Fat Body ◽

Bos Taurus ◽

Pregnancy Rates ◽

Deficient Diet ◽

Large Herbivore ◽

Using Data ◽

Reproductive Consequences ◽

Fat Body Mass

Nutritional condition embodies environmental conditions experienced by animals with survival and reproductive consequences. Body fat is often associated with ungulate fecundity; however, other nutritional currencies may limit fecundity. Using data from 129 moose (Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758)) monitored over 429 moose-years, we examined the limiting role of multiple nutritional currencies on pregnancy rates while concurrently assessing the influence of age and prior reproduction. Females tended to be pregnant in successive years, suggesting differences in individual or habitat quality. However, probability of pregnancy declined with survival of calves from prior litters, indicating a reproductive cost to rearing offspring. Pregnancy was positively associated with serum iron (Fe), body fat, body mass, and serum protein. The best model predicting pregnancy included serum Fe, body fat, and age class, with serum Fe being the strongest single predictor. Moose with Fe concentrations considered deficient in cattle (Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758) had pregnancy rates of 33%–35%, whereas 89%–91% of individuals with sufficient Fe were pregnant. We subsequently evaluated hypotheses concerning factors potentially limiting Fe concentrations, including Fe-deficient diet, chronic infection, parasitism, and malnutrition. The best supported hypothesis was energy and protein malnutrition constrained Fe stores. We conclude that subclinical anemia due to nutritional constraints can limit or indicate limits in moose fecundity.

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