scholarly journals Nest Predators, Nest-Site Selection, and Nesting Success of the Dusky Flycatcher in a Managed Ponderosa Pine Forest

The Condor ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 507-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Liebezeit ◽  
T. Luke George
Keyword(s):  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Nesting Success ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Potential Prey ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Dusky Flycatcher ◽  
Shrub Patches ◽  
Empidonax Oberholseri ◽  
Nest Predators

AbstractAmong hypotheses explaining nest-site selection, the potential-prey-site hypothesis predicts that birds place nests in areas with many potential nest sites, while the nest-concealment hypothesis predicts nest placement in sites with greater surrounding vegetation. We examined these hypotheses by comparing habitat attributes between Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri) nest sites and random sites, successful and unsuccessful nests, and nests depredated by birds versus mammals. Nesting success was 28% (n = 167), and predation was the most important cause of nest failure (96%) during the study (1998–2000) at our site in northeastern California. We identified 28 nest predators using surveillance cameras. Sciurid mammals were the most common predators (17 of 28, 61%), with Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii; 25%), small owls (11%), and Steller's Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri; 3%) accounting for the rest. Raptors preyed on nestlings more frequently than on eggs, while small mammals depredated nestlings and eggs in proportion to their availability. Dusky Flycatchers nested in larger shrub patches with greater shrub cover than at random sites, supporting the potential-prey-site hypothesis. Successful nests were in larger shrub patches surrounded by fewer seedlings and saplings compared to depredated nests, providing equivocal support for the potential-prey-site hypothesis. Nests depredated by birds were less concealed, located in smaller shrub patches, surrounded by fewer seedlings and saplings, and were closer to the shrub edge than nests depredated by mammals. Our results, strengthened by identification of nest predators, suggest that differences in search strategies among predators may constrain the ability of Dusky Flycatchers to optimize nest-site selection.Depredadores de Nidos, Selección de Sitios de Anidación y Éxito de Anidación de Empidonax oberholseri en un Bosque Manejado de Pino PonderosaResumen. Entre las hipótesis que explican la selección de sitios de anidación, la de “presa potencial” predice que las aves ubican sus nidos en lugares con muchos sitios de anidación, mientras que la de “ocultación del nido” predice la ubicación de nidos en sitios con mayor vegetación circundante. Nosotros examinamos estas hipótesis comparando características del hábitat entre sitios de anidación del mosquerito Empidonax oberholseri y sitios aleatorios, entre nidos exitosos y no exitosos, y entre nidos depredados por aves y por mamíferos. Entre 1998 y 2000 en un área del noreste de California, el éxito de anidación fue del 28% (n = 167) y la depredación fue la causa más importante del fracaso de los nidos (96%). Identificamos 28 depredadores de nidos utilizando cámaras. Los mamíferos sciúridos fueron los depredadores más comunes (17 de 28, 61%), mientras que los demás nidos fueron depredados por Accipter cooperii (25%), búhos pequeños (11%) y Cyanocitta stelleri (3%). Las aves rapaces se alimentaron con mayor frecuencia de pichones que de huevos, mientras que los mamíferos pequeños depredaron pichones y huevos en proporción a su disponibilidad. Los mosqueritos anidaron en parches con mayor cobertura de arbustos que sitios aleatorios, lo cual apoya la hipótesis de presa potencial. Los nidos exitosos se ubicaron en parches de arbustos más grandes rodeados por menos plántulas y renovales en comparación con los nidos depredados, lo que apoya equívocamente la hipótesis de presa potencial. Los nidos depredados por aves estuvieron menos ocultos, ubicados en parches de arbustos más pequeños, rodeados por menos plántulas y renovales, y estuvieron más cerca del borde del matorral que los nidos depredados por mamíferos. Nuestros resultados, fortalecidos por la identificación de los depredadores, sugieren que las diferencias en las estrategias de búsqueda entre depredadores pueden limitar la habilidad de los mosqueritos para optimizar la selección de sitios de anidación.

Social context alters retreat- and nest-site selection in a globally invasive gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus

2019 ◽  
Vol 129 (2) ◽  
pp. 388-397
Author(s):  
Benjamin J Muller ◽  
Robin M Andrews ◽  
Lin Schwarzkopf ◽  
David A Pike
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Gravid Female ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Ceramic Tiles ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Gravid Females ◽  
Hemidactylus Frenatus

Abstract Microhabitat orientation and structure and the presence of conspecifics may strongly influence the choice of habitat. We studied how these variables influence retreat- and nest-site selection in gravid females of a globally successful invasive species, the Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus). When provided with various substrates (vertical and horizontal ceramic tiles, vertical and horizontal plywood tiles, horizontal bark over leaf litter, vertical bark over a log, and sand) gravid female geckos preferred to retreat to, and nest in, materials with crevices commonly found in urban habitats. When housed alone, gravid females most frequently retreated to vertical ceramic tile or wooden crevices, and 66.7% nested in vertical ceramic tiles. When housed with two other conspecifics, gravid females most frequently retreated to vertical ceramic tiles, but selected a wider range of nest sites. Overall, gravid geckos housed alone typically nested in the same substrates that they used as diurnal retreats; when housed in groups, however, females oviposited in locations different from those they selected as retreats. Thus, H. frenatus females use a wider range of substrates when conspecifics are present. Invasion success in this species might be driven, in part, by preferences for retreat and nest substrates that are common in human-dominated habitats.

scholarly journals Nest Site Selection and Nesting Success in Saltmarsh Breeding Sparrows: The Importance of Nest Habitat, Timing, and Study Site Differences

The Condor ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 107 (4) ◽  
pp. 849-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina Gjerdrum ◽  
Chris S. Elphick ◽  
Margaret Rubega
Keyword(s):  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Nesting Success ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Habitat Characteristics ◽  
Smooth Cordgrass ◽  
Vegetation Model ◽  
Nest Habitat ◽  
Habitat Differences ◽  
Seaside Sparrow

Abstract We examined nest-site selection and nesting success in Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed (Ammodramus caudacutus) and Seaside Sparrows (A. maritimus), at seven sites in Connecticut. We found 160 Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow nests and 23 Seaside Sparrow nests, and compared characteristics of their locations to each other and to random locations. We tracked success of all nests, quantified nest productivity and causes of nest losses, and tested for habitat differences between successful and unsuccessful nests. Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows nested in higher than average locations, where the vegetation was taller and more dense than at random locations, where there was a deep layer of thatch, and where saltmeadow cordgrass (Spartina patens) dominated the vegetation. There was little evidence that habitat characteristics influenced the success of nesting birds, but the timing of nest initiation relative to spring tides was important. Seaside Sparrow nests occurred in even taller vegetation, that was more sparse than average and dominated by the tall form of smooth cordgrass (S. alterniflora). Habitat influenced the success of Seaside Sparrow nests, but timing did not; on average, successful nests occurred in taller vegetation. Model comparisons suggest that vegetation structure influences site selection more than species composition or inherent differences among marshes. Overall, our results indicate that nest flooding is a major threat to successful reproduction in both species, but they have different strategies to avoid flooding. Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrows time their reproduction to avoid especially high tides, while Seaside Sparrows avoid flooding spatially by nesting in tall vegetation.

Nest-site selection in the barn swallow, Hirundo rustica: What predicts seasonal reproductive success?

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (11) ◽  
pp. 1533-1539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Jo Safran
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Hirundo Rustica ◽  
Barn Swallow ◽  
Nest Location ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Site Characteristics

Despite hundreds of studies, we know very little about the causes and fitness-related consequences of nest-site selection. For example, it is not typically known whether the rarely reported fitness consequences of site selection are the result of nest, individual, or nest-site variables or combinations of these factors. Reuse of previously constructed nest sites is a prevalent behavior in many animals and offers the opportunity to experimentally tease apart whether seasonal reproductive success is a function of nest, individual, or nest-site characteristics. I used observational and experimental data to test three hypotheses related to these factors in association with barn swallow ( Hirundo rustica L., 1758) nest reuse. While both nest and individual characteristics explain variation in seasonal reproductive success, nest location per se is not an important factor defining the outcome of nest-site selection. Whereas traits related to habitat and individual characteristics are likely confounded in correlational studies, my experiments demonstrate a causal relationship between seasonal reproductive success and aspects of the nest and individual, the latter explaining more variation in the model than nest characteristics. Knowledge of the relative roles of individual, nest, and nest-site attributes are important for understanding the causes and consequences of habitat selection behavior.

scholarly journals Nest Site Selection and Productivity of Suburban Red-Shouldered Hawks in Southern Ohio

The Condor ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 401-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl R. Dykstra ◽  
Jeffrey L. Hays ◽  
F. Bernard Daniel ◽  
Melinda M. Simon
Keyword(s):  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Canopy Height ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
South Central ◽  
Rural Sites ◽  
Reproductive Rates

Abstract We measured nest site selection and productivity of suburban-nesting Red-shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatus) in southwestern Ohio and rural-nesting Red-shouldered Hawks in south-central Ohio. At both the suburban and the rural locations, nest sites had greater canopy height and overall tree basal area than paired random plots, and were located closer to water than were paired random plots. Nest trees also had greater diameter and height than random plot-center trees. Reproductive rates at suburban and rural sites were similar, averaging 2.6–3.1 nestlings per successful nest. Results indicated that suburban-nesting Red-shouldered Hawks were very similar to rural-nesting hawks in both nest site selection and productivity, suggesting that Red-shouldered Hawks were habituated to their suburban environs.

Nest-Site Selection and Nesting Success of Grey-Backed Thrushes in Northeast China

2011 ◽  
Vol 123 (3) ◽  
pp. 492-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daqing Zhou ◽  
Chunfa Zhou ◽  
Xiangkun Kong ◽  
Wenhong Deng
Keyword(s):  
Site Selection ◽  
Northeast China ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Nesting Success ◽  
Nest Site Selection

Pasture-scale vegetation predicts Dickcissel nest-site selection and success in native and exotic grass pastures

The Condor ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian P Monroe ◽  
L Wes Burger ◽  
James A Martin
Keyword(s):  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Nest Survival ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Schizachyrium Scoparium ◽  
Beef Production ◽  
Exotic Grasses ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Exotic Grass ◽  
Tall Structure

Abstract Exotic grasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and tall fescue (Schedonorus arundinaceus) are widely established across the southeastern United States as livestock forage, but their structure and management can limit avian reproductive success. Native warm-season grasses (NWSG) are promoted as sustainable forage alternatives. To examine nesting suitability for tall structure specialists such as Dickcissels (Spiza americana) we established an operational-scale study in northeastern Mississippi, USA, with 4 treatments along a gradient of beef production intensity. Treatments included grazed exotic forages, 2 grazed NWSG treatments including Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) monoculture and NWSG polyculture of Indiangrass, little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), and an ungrazed NWSG polyculture treatment. We monitored 208 Dickcissel nests in 2011 and 2012 to evaluate effects of treatment, vegetation structure, fire ants (Solenopsis spp.), and arthropod prey biomass on nest-site selection and nest survival. Survival rates varied among treatments and increased with pasture-scale visual obstruction reading (VOR), being lowest among grazed exotic grass, intermediate in grazed NWSG, and highest in ungrazed NWSG. Although Dickcissels selected nest sites with greater VOR, we found little support for effects of nest-site vegetation on survival. However, nest survival was lower for nests in shrubs that also occurred in pastures with greater shrub cover, and selection for shrubs declined as pasture-scale VOR increased, suggesting a functional response in selection. We found little support for food availability influencing nest survival. These results suggest NWSG pastures increase Dickcissel nest success through greater pasture-scale VOR by reducing Dickcissel selection of shrubs for nest sites, and possibly by reducing predator efficiency. Incorporating NWSG into beef production systems while maintaining availability of tall vegetation could benefit Dickcissels and other tall structure specialists.

Marbled salamanders (Ambystoma opacum) choose low elevation nest sites when cover availability is controlled

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Scott ◽  
Dean Croshaw
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Reproductive Behavior ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Selective Forces

AbstractNest site selection is an important part of adult reproductive behavior because growth and survival of young are often affected by the local environment. In terrestrially nesting marbled salamanders, nest elevation is likely important to reproductive success because it is directly related to the time of hatching. We tested the hypothesis that females choose nest sites based on elevation and its correlates by controlling the availability of nesting cover, a potentially important factor in nest site selection which often covaries with elevation. Breeding adults were confined to field enclosures in which natural nesting cover had been removed and replaced with equal proportions of artificial cover in each of three elevation zones. In four enclosures that spanned from lowest to highest areas of a wetland breeding site, females used artificial nesting cover most frequently at low elevations. These results contrast with other studies in which intermediate elevations had highest nest densities, but are consistent with a conceptual model in which opposing selective forces result in locally adapted nest site selection.

scholarly journals Predation risk induces changes in nest-site selection and clutch size in the Siberian jay

2005 ◽  
Vol 273 (1587) ◽  
pp. 701-706 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sönke Eggers ◽  
Michael Griesser ◽  
Magdalena Nystrand ◽  
Jan Ekman
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Nest Predation ◽  
Life History Theory ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Size Adjustment

Life-history theory predicts that an individual should reduce its reproductive efforts by laying a smaller clutch size when high risk of nest predation reduces the value of current reproduction. Evidence in favour of this ‘nest predation hypothesis’, however, is scarce and based largely on correlative analyses. Here, we manipulated perceived risk of nest predation in the Siberian jay Perisoreus infaustus using playback involving a mixture of calls by corvid nest predators in the vicinity of nest sites. In response to being exposed to this acoustic cue simulating increased risk of nest predation, the jays chose a nest site offering more protective covering and reduced clutch size. This is the first experimental demonstration of clutch size adjustment and nest site selection as a result of phenotypic plasticity in an open nesting passerine reflecting a facultative response to the perceived risk of nest predation.

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