A parasite reduction conservation intervention does not improve fledging success or most condition metrics for Purple Martins

Abstract Eastern Purple Martins (Progne subis subis) have an unusually close relationship with humans, as they nest exclusively in man-made nest boxes. Current conservation policy directly promotes further interaction with this species by advocating regular replacement of nest materials during the nestling phase to reduce ectoparasite load and increase nestling fitness. We conducted the first test of the efficacy of this recommendation and found that it was partially effective in reducing parasite abundance, but had no effect on nestling fledging success, body mass, leukocyte count, or triglyceride or uric acid concentration. We found a small but significant increase in nestling hematocrit associated with nest material replacement, implying that parasites may induce nestling anemia. Contrary to our expectations, we also found elevated heterophil/lymphocyte ratios in nestlings with replacements, possibly indicating elevated physiological stress associated with nest replacements. Based on our results, we do not recommend nest material replacements to combat routine parasite infestations.

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Autoclaving Nest-Material Remains Influences the Probability of Ectoparasitism of Nestling Hoopoes (Upupa epops)

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology9100306 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 306

Author(s):

Mónica Mazorra-Alonso ◽

Manuel Martín-Vivaldi ◽

Juan Manuel Peralta-Sánchez ◽

Juan José Soler

Keyword(s):

Bacterial Load ◽

Positive Association ◽

Nest Material ◽

Avian Reproduction ◽

Fledging Success ◽

Upupa Epops ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Blood Sucking ◽

Nest Materials ◽

Breeding Seasons

Nest bacterial environment influences avian reproduction directly because it might include pathogenic- or antibiotic-producing bacteria or indirectly because predators or ectoparasites can use volatile compounds from nest bacterial metabolism to detect nests of their avian hosts. Hoopoes (Upupa epops) do not build nests. They rather reuse holes or nest-boxes that contain remains of nest-materials from previous breeding seasons. Interestingly, it has been recently described that the nest’s bacterial environment partly affects the uropygial gland microbiota of hoopoe females and eggshells. Blood-sucking ectoparasites use chemical cues to find host nests, so we experimentally tested the hypothetical effects of microorganisms inhabiting nest-material remains before reproduction regarding the intensity of ectoparasitism suffered by 8-day-old nestling hoopoes. In accordance with the hypothesis, nestlings hatched in nest-boxes with autoclaved nest-material remains from the previous reproductive seasons suffered less from ectoparasites than those hatched in the control nest-boxes with nonautoclaved nest-material. Moreover, we found a positive association between the bacterial density of nest-material during the nestling phase and ectoparasitism intensity that was only apparent in nest-boxes with autoclaved nest-material. However, contrary to our expectations, nest bacterial load was positively associated with fledgling success. These results suggest a link between the community of microorganisms of nest-material remains and the intensity of ectoparasitism, and, on the other hand, that the nest bacterial environment during reproduction is related to fledging success. Here, we discuss possible mechanisms explaining the experimental and correlative results, including the possibility that the experimental autoclaving of nest material affected the microbiota of females and nestlings’ secretion and/or nest volatiles that attracted ectoparasites, therefore indirectly affecting both the nest bacterial environment at the nestling stage and fledging success.

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Old nest material functions as an informative cue in making nest-site selection decisions in the European Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Avian Research ◽

10.1186/s40657-019-0182-5 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mingju E ◽

Tuo Wang ◽

Shangyu Wang ◽

Ye Gong ◽

Jiangping Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Site Selection ◽

Nest Site ◽

Nest Site Selection ◽

Nest Material ◽

Falco Tinnunculus ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Cavity Nesting ◽

Selection Decisions ◽

Nest Materials ◽

Organic Remains

Abstract Background For secondary cavity-nesting bird species that do not add lining materials to nests, the presence of old nest material or organic remains that have accumulated within nest cavities from previous breeding events may be a cue of nest-site quality. These materials potentially contain information about past breeding success in con- and heterospecifics and may improve the thermal insulation of eggs during incubation. However, few studies have addressed whether the presence of old nest materials serves as a cue for cavity-nesting raptors when choosing specific nest sites. Methods We conducted a 9-year nest box experiment to test whether old nest materials from con- and heterospecifics serve as informative cues to the European Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) when making nest selection decisions, as this species uses nest boxes without adding nesting material. Results The presence of old nest materials and entrance size best discriminated nest boxes occupied by European Kestrels from unoccupied boxes. Nest boxes containing conspecific organic remains, artificial dry leaf and branch material, and material left behind by Great Tits (Parus major) were reused at higher rates, especially those containing conspecific nest material, than nest boxes containing true or simulated nest materials from predators. In 2010, no single nest box was occupied by the same banded individual that occupied the box in the previous year (10 females and 2 males were banded in 2009). Conclusions European Kestrels preferred nest boxes containing old nest material over empty boxes, which is consistent with previous findings that they exploit con- and heterospecific cues when deciding where to settle and breed, as old nest or organic material provides substrate for incubating females. Kestrels may be able to assess the predation risks associated with a specific nest site based on experience or the presence of prey remains. The repeated use of nest boxes across breeding seasons by kestrels cannot be entirely ascribed to philopatry. This study provides evidence that old nest materials are potentially used as informative cues when making nest-site selection decisions in European Kestrels.

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Preference of rabbit does among different nest materials

World Rabbit Science ◽

10.4995/wrs.2018.7373 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 81 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

T.P. Farkas ◽

Zs. Szendrő ◽

Zs. Matics ◽

I. Radnai ◽

I. Nagy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Building Materials ◽

Nest Building ◽

Gestation Length ◽

Wild Rabbit ◽

Nest Material ◽

Nest Box ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Wood Shavings ◽

Nest Materials ◽

Nest Quality

Nest quality is important for the survival of new-born rabbits. Nesting material in rabbit farms generally consists of wood shavings, which is completely different from the dry grass used by the European wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). The aim of the experiments was to examine which nest materials are preferred by rabbit does when building their nest. In experiment 1, the choice of multiparous rabbit does (n=37) among nest boxes bedded with different nesting materials was monitored. In each pen (1.0×1.83 m) 1 doe and 4 nest boxes (0.37×0.23×0.31 m) with different nest materials (meadow hay [H], wheat straw [S], fine fibre material [Lignocel®, L] or wood shavings [W]) were placed 3 days before the expected parturition (gestation length is about 31 d in the Pannon White breed). Some 48.6% of the does kindled in nest boxes that contained pure materials (L: 40.5%, S: 5.4%, H: 2.7%), and 51.3% of the does kindled in nest boxes where the nest materials of different nest boxes were mixed by the does (S with L: 21.5%, S with L and H: 5.4%, W with L: 8.1%, L with H and S: 5.4%). Does preferred kindling in the nest box bedded with L, and most of them refused the nest box with W. In experiment 2/a (n=32 does) and 2/b (n=25 does), each pen (1×0.91 m) was equipped with 3 and 2 hay racks and filled with H, S or L, and H or S, respectively. The experiments lasted from the 27th day of pregnancy until the day of parturition and 24-h video recordings (10 does/experiment) were evaluated throughout the experiment. The events of carrying the nest materials from the hay racks were registered. In experiment 2/a, the frequency of nest material carrying was highest on the day of parturition. The preferred nest material was L (compared to H and S) on each experimental day except day 30 of pregnancy. At the day of kindling, 87.5, 6.3 and 6.3% of the nests contained pure L, mixed L-H and L-S, respectively. In experiment 2/b, the frequency of nest material carrying (mostly S) was highest on the day of parturition, and on days 27 and 30 of pregnancy. More does built nests with only S (72%) than H (16%), and in 12% of the cases the S and H were mixed. For the purpose of nest building, material S was the most frequently used (72%) compared to other possibilities (H: 16%, S-H: 12%). It can be concluded that rabbit does showed the following clear preferences for specific nest building materials: L>S>H>W.

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Nidicolous beetle species richness is driven by Barn Owl’s nests occupancy and landscape structure

Journal of Ornithology ◽

10.1007/s10336-021-01875-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vivien Cosandey ◽

Robin Séchaud ◽

Paul Béziers ◽

Yannick Chittaro ◽

Andreas Sanchez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Landscape Structure ◽

Barn Owl ◽

Arthropod Community ◽

Tyto Alba ◽

Nest Material ◽

Crop Fields ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Bird Droppings ◽

Barn Owls

AbstractBird nests are specialized habitats because of their particular composition including nest detritus and bird droppings. In consequence, they attract a specialized arthropod community considered as nidicolous, which includes species only found in bird nests (strictly nidicolous) or sometimes found in bird nests (facultatively nidicolous). Because the factors influencing the entomofauna in bird nests are poorly understood, in autumn 2019, we collected nest material in 86 Barn Owl (Tyto alba) nest boxes. We investigated whether the invertebrate species richness was related to Barn Owl nest box occupancy, the density of available nest boxes and the landscape structure. We found 3,321 nidicolous beetle specimens belonging to 24 species. Species richness of strictly nidicolous beetles was 2.7 times higher in nest boxes occupied by a family of Barn Owls the previous spring compared to unoccupied nest boxes. It was also higher in sites that were more often occupied by Barn Owls in the five previous years and in areas surrounded by a higher proportion of crop fields. For facultatively nidicolous beetles, the density of Barn Owl nest boxes enhanced the species richness. In conclusion, our study suggests that the strictly nidicolous beetles benefit from occupied nest boxes of Barn Owls, whereas facultatively nidicolous beetles look for nest boxes independently of whether Barn Owls occupy them. Our study highlights the importance of bird nests for a suite of invertebrates.

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Birds using artificial plants as nesting material

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/1568539x-bja10115 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-13

Author(s):

Auke-Florian Hiemstra ◽

Barbara Gravendeel ◽

Menno Schilthuizen

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Nest Material ◽

Bird Population ◽

Fulica Atra ◽

Nesting Material ◽

The Common ◽

Nest Materials

Abstract Here we present the first cases of birds using artificial plants as nest material. We report our findings for the common coot (Fulica atra) from Leiden, the Netherlands, in 2019. This is the first population of freshwater birds studied for its use of anthropogenic nest materials, and together with another report from the same year, the earliest case of an entire bird population with plastic in all nests. We also report the first artificial plants used as nesting material by birds, and discuss the implications of their usage as such.

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Nest decoration: birds exploit a fear of feathers to guard their nest from usurpation

Royal Society Open Science ◽

10.1098/rsos.211579 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Tore Slagsvold ◽

Karen L. Wiebe

Keyword(s):

Tree Swallow ◽

The Novel ◽

Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽

Nest Box ◽

Structural Support ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Cavity Nesting ◽

In The Wild ◽

Nest Usurpation ◽

Nest Materials

Many species of birds incorporate feathers into their nest as structural support and to insulate the eggs or offspring. Here, we investigated the novel idea that birds reduce the risk of nest usurpation by decorating it with feathers to trigger a fear response in their rivals. We let prospecting birds choose between a dyad of nest-boxes in the wild, both containing some nest materials, but where one had a few white feathers and the other had none. All three species of cavity-nesting birds studied, the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca , the blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus , and the tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor , hesitated to enter boxes with white feathers. A similar avoidance of white feathers was found when the alternative nest-box of a dyad held black feathers. However, the birds readily collected white feathers that we placed in front of their nest-box, showing the fear of such feathers was context-dependent. We suggest that naive prospecting birds may perceive feathers in nests as the result of a predation event, and that owners decorate nests with bright feathers that can be seen from the opening to deter others from entering.

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Dynamics of Microbial Communities on Eggshells and on Nest Materials During Incubation in the Oriental Tit (Parus Minor)

10.21203/rs.3.rs-585254/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hokyung Song ◽

Keesan Lee ◽

Injae Hwang ◽

Eunjeong Yang ◽

Jungmoon Ha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Microbial Communities ◽

Relative Abundance ◽

Direct Contact ◽

Turnover Rate ◽

Hatching Success ◽

Nest Material ◽

Absolute Abundance ◽

Future Studies ◽

Parus Minor ◽

Nest Materials

Abstract Eggshell microbial communities may affect hatching success and nestling’s condition. Nest materials are in direct contact with the eggshells, but the relationships with the eggshell microbiome during incubation have not been fully elucidated. Here, we characterize eggshell and nest-material microbial communities and their changes during incubation in the Oriental Tit (Parus minor). Microbial communities on the nest material were relatively stable and remained distinct from the eggshell communities, and had higher diversity and greater phylogenetic clustering compared to the eggshell communities from the same nest, resulting in lower phylogenetic turnover rate of nest material microbiome during incubation than expected by chance. While the species diversity of both communities did not change during incubation, we found significantly greater changes in the structure of microbial communities on the eggshell than on the nest material. However, eggshell microbiome remained distinct from nest material microbiome, suggesting independent dynamics between the two microbiomes during incubation. We detected an increase in the relative abundance of several bacterial taxa on the eggshell that likely come from the bird’s skin, feathers or cloaca/intestine, which suggests some exchange of bacteria between the incubating bird and the eggshell. Furthermore, incubation appeared to promote the abundance of antibiotic producing taxa on the eggshell, which may hypothetically inhibit growth of many bacteria including pathogenic ones. Our results suggest that the future studies should focus on simultaneous monitoring of absolute abundance as well as relative abundance in communities on eggshells, nest materials and the incubating bird’s body.

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Cereal pests among nest parasites – the story of barley thrips, Limothrips denticornis Haliday (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Entomologica Fennica ◽

10.33338/ef.84532 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 221-231 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Peter Fedor ◽

Martina Doričová ◽

Michal Dubovský ◽

Jozef Kisel'ák ◽

Milan Zvarík

Keyword(s):

Strong Relationship ◽

Statistical Analyses ◽

Nest Building ◽

Nest Size ◽

Transport Mechanisms ◽

Nest Material ◽

Vertebrate Species ◽

Sticky Traps ◽

Migration Dynamics ◽

Nest Materials

Barley thrips, Limothrips denticornis, Haliday, 1836 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a grass-dwelling Holarctic species represents a model example to study transport mechanisms of Thysanoptera into nests. In samples from more than 1,500 nests, barley thrips were recorded in nests of 20 vertebrate species, both birds and mammals. Applying appropriate statistics (nonparametric methods) clear clustering among nest materials and a strong relationship between presence of thrips and grass as the nest material was found. Occurrence of thrips was not associated with nest size, location or height. To validate our statistical analyses 15 wooden boxes were installed and equipped with sticky traps to record the whole year migration dynamics. Barley thrips infiltrate nests by various ways (e. g. dwelling on bark, landing from atmosphere), however most of them (88%) invade passively on nest material (grass) in spring (1st summer nesting) and autumn (winter nest building).

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Effects of Different Farrowing Environments on the Behavior of Sows and Piglets

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani10020320 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 320

Author(s):

Xiaojun Zhang ◽

Congcong Li ◽

Yue Hao ◽

Xianhong Gu

Keyword(s):

Total Mortality ◽

Behavioral Pattern ◽

Nest Material ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Investigative Behavior ◽

Before And After ◽

Nest Materials ◽

Abnormal Behaviors ◽

Increased Activity

We investigated the effect of different farrowing systems on the behavior of sows and piglets. In total, 22 hybrid sows (Yorkshire × Landrace) were randomly assigned into three farrowing systems, farrowing crate (FC), free farrowing pen with sloping walls (FFS), and free farrowing pen with sloping walls and nest materials (FFSN). The FFS and FFSN sows were more active, and exhibited less abnormal behaviors compared with the FC sows before and after parturition. FFS and FFSN piglets were more active compared with FC piglets. The increased activity of the FFS and FFSN sows might encourage the activity of their piglets, resulting in more proximity to sow behavior of their piglets. Providing nest materials improved the investigative behavior of sows and piglets. The total mortality of piglets in the free farrowing systems tended to be higher compared with the farrowing crate system. In conclusion, free farrowing system has beneficial effects on the behavior of sows and piglets but extra care in management needs to be taken to avoid piglet loss. Adding nest material in the farrowing pens is suggested to enrich the behavioral pattern of sows and piglets.

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Low heritability of nest construction in a wild bird

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2017.0246 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 20170246 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Pauliina Järvinen ◽

Edward Kluen ◽

Jon E. Brommer

Keyword(s):

Wild Bird ◽

Genetic Basis ◽

Nest Size ◽

Nest Construction ◽

Nest Material ◽

Selection Pressures ◽

Nest Boxes ◽

Blue Tits

In birds and other taxa, nest construction varies considerably between and within populations. Such variation is hypothesized to have an adaptive (i.e. genetic) basis, but estimates of heritability in nest construction are largely lacking. Here, we demonstrate with data collected over 10 years from 1010 nests built by blue tits in nest-boxes that nest size (height of nest material) and nest composition (proportion of feathers in the nest) are repeatable but only weakly (12–13%) heritable female traits. These findings imply that nest construction may evolve but only if subjected to strong and consistent selection pressures.

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