A case of a Pustulated Carrion Beetle (<i>Nicrophorus pustulatus</i>, Coleoptera: Silphidae) burying live Tree Swallow (<i>Tachycineta bicolor</i>, Passeriformes: Hirundinidae) nestlings under the nest

The ecology of Pustulated Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus pustulatus, Coleoptera: Silphidae) appears distinct among Nicrophorus species, with evidence of it parasitizing snake eggs and foraging primarily above the ground and into the forest canopy. Here we document an extension of its aberrant ecology and behaviour: a case of N. pustulatus burying 2-day-old live and dead nestlings of Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor, Passeriformes: Hirundinidae) under the nest, behaviour consistent with the early stages of breeding in N. pustulatus. Based on different levels of decomposition, we suspect that N. pustulatus responded to one dead swallow nestling in the brood of five and went on to bury all of the nestlings at the bottom of the nest box. The observation provides the first evidence, to our knowledge, of Nicrophorus burying live vertebrates.

Download Full-text

Thermal Environment of the Nest During Development of Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Chicks

The Auk ◽

10.1093/auk/119.3.845 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 119 (3) ◽

pp. 845-851

Author(s):

Susan B. Chaplin ◽

Mora L. Cervenka ◽

Alison C. Mickelson

Keyword(s):

Regression Analysis ◽

Body Mass ◽

Brood Size ◽

Thermal Environment ◽

Tachycineta Bicolor ◽

Tree Swallow ◽

East Central ◽

Nest Box

Abstract We continuously recorded temperatures of the nest cup (Tn) and air (Ta) just outside the nest box throughout development of Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) chicks in east-central Minnesota. Brood size was manipulated (three or six chicks per nest) to study the effect of number of chicks in the nest on its thermal environment. From day 0 to day 4, Tn paralleled Ta, approximately 2–7°C higher, with nocturnal Tn maintained at 24°C and daytime Tn maintained at 26°C. From day 6 to day 12, Tn was relatively constant throughout the day, maintained at 32°C (day) and 29°C (night). The Tn became increasingly independent of Ta, as determined by regression analysis of Tn versus Ta with age. Nocturnal Tn of larger clutches (six chicks) was ∼2°C warmer than smaller clutches (three chicks), and Tn of larger clutches exhibited greater independence from Ta at day 10 than in smaller clutches. The occurrence of nest homeothermy at day 10 in six-chick nests correlates with near-maximal body mass of chicks and completion of feather insulation. Small (three-chick) clutches showed greater dependence of Tn on Ta at 10–12 days of age than large (six-chick) clutches; we propose that development of thermoregulatory capacity may have proceeded more slowly in chicks from those nests.

Download Full-text

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

10.2173/bow.treswa.01 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

David W. Winkler ◽

Kelly K. Hallinger ◽

Daniel R. Ardia ◽

R. J. Robertson ◽

B. J. Stutchbury ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tachycineta Bicolor ◽

Tree Swallow

Download Full-text

Diet of the Nestling Tree Swallow

The Condor ◽

10.1093/condor/106.2.423 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 106 (2) ◽

pp. 423-429 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jean M. Mengelkoch ◽

Gerald J. Niemi ◽

Ronald R. Regal

Keyword(s):

Open Water ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Tachycineta Bicolor ◽

Tree Swallow ◽

Tree Swallows ◽

Larval Stages ◽

Terrestrial Origin ◽

The Mean ◽

Foraging Radius

Abstract Dietary samples from nestling Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) in northwestern Minnesota were compared to invertebrate availability as measured by aerial tow nets. The majority of the biomass in the nestlings' diet was adult insects with larval stages of aquatic origin, while absolute numbers of insects of both aquatic and terrestrial origin were similar. Orders of invertebrates in the diet and available were similar in number but not in biomass. Diet showed little variation by time of day, date of sampling or the age of the nestling. The mean number of odonates in the nestling Tree Swallows' diet increased exponentially as the percentage of open water and open water + cattail marsh increased within a 400-m foraging radius. Dieta de los Pichones de Tachycineta bicolor Resumen. Se compararon muestras dietarias de pichones de la golondrina Tachycineta bicolor tomadas en el noroeste de Minnesota con la disponibilidad de invertebrados medida con redes aéreas. La mayor parte de la biomasa en la dieta de los pichones correspondió a insectos adultos con estadíos larvales de origen acuá tico, mientras que los números absolutos de insectos de origen acuático y no acuático fueron similares. Los órdenes de invertebrados presentes en la dieta y disponibles en el ambiente fueron similares en números pero no en biomasa. La dieta mostró poca variación entre horas del día, fechas de muestreo o edad de los pichones. El número promedio de odonatos en la dieta de los pichones de T. bicolor aumentó exponencialmente a medida que se incrementó el porcentaje de agua abierta y de agua abierta + pantanos de espadañas dentro de un radio de forrajeo de 400 m.

Download Full-text