scholarly journals Buffering artificial nest boxes for procellariiformes breeding in exposed habitats: Investigating effects on temperature and humidity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Fischer ◽  
J Chambon ◽  
I Debski ◽  
JA Hiscock ◽  
R Cole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Buffering Capacity ◽  
Breeding Biology ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Artificial Nest ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
Artificial Nest Boxes

© The Ornithological Society of New Zealand Inc. The tendency of various species, including many Procellariiformes, to breed in sub-terrestrial burrows, complicates breeding biology studies. Artificial nest boxes facilitate detailed data collection, but may alter the buffering capacity of natural burrows, especially when these nests are exposed to direct sunlight (e.g., in non-forested habitats). We tested the buffering capacity of artificial nest boxes, equipped with additional insulating features, ex-situ in a non-forested sand dune in New Zealand. Specifically, we compared daily temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%) means, minima, and maxima between artificial nest boxes, Procellariiform burrow replicas, and ambient conditions sourced further inland using linear mixed effects models (LMMs), followed by post-hoc tests. Differences between artificial nest boxes and replicas were non-significant (P > 0.05). Our results thus showed that the applied insulating features were sufficient to retain the buffering capacities expected in natural burrows, even in exposed habitats such as sand dunes. Hence, we encourage the use of insulated artificial nest boxes in breeding biology studies targeting burrowing Procellariiformes (and other sub-terrestrially breeding species) in non-forested areas.

scholarly journals Buffering artificial nest boxes for procellariiformes breeding in exposed habitats: Investigating effects on temperature and humidity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Fischer ◽  
J Chambon ◽  
I Debski ◽  
JA Hiscock ◽  
R Cole ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Sand Dunes ◽  
Buffering Capacity ◽  
Breeding Biology ◽  
Ex Situ ◽  
Artificial Nest ◽  
Ambient Conditions ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Forested Areas ◽  
Artificial Nest Boxes

© The Ornithological Society of New Zealand Inc. The tendency of various species, including many Procellariiformes, to breed in sub-terrestrial burrows, complicates breeding biology studies. Artificial nest boxes facilitate detailed data collection, but may alter the buffering capacity of natural burrows, especially when these nests are exposed to direct sunlight (e.g., in non-forested habitats). We tested the buffering capacity of artificial nest boxes, equipped with additional insulating features, ex-situ in a non-forested sand dune in New Zealand. Specifically, we compared daily temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%) means, minima, and maxima between artificial nest boxes, Procellariiform burrow replicas, and ambient conditions sourced further inland using linear mixed effects models (LMMs), followed by post-hoc tests. Differences between artificial nest boxes and replicas were non-significant (P > 0.05). Our results thus showed that the applied insulating features were sufficient to retain the buffering capacities expected in natural burrows, even in exposed habitats such as sand dunes. Hence, we encourage the use of insulated artificial nest boxes in breeding biology studies targeting burrowing Procellariiformes (and other sub-terrestrially breeding species) in non-forested areas.

Use of Tree Hollows by Two Sympatric Gliding Possums, The Squirrel Glider, Petaurus norfolcensis and The Sugar Glider, P. breviceps.

1998 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
B.J. Traill ◽  
A. Lill
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Nest ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Forestry Practices ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Sugar Glider ◽  
Squirrel Glider ◽  
Petaurus Breviceps ◽  
Artificial Nest Boxes

Populations of the Squirrel Glider, Petaurus norfolcensis and the Sugar Glider, P. breviceps, are often sympatric and the two species are potential competitors for tree hollows. Their use of hollows and artificial nest-boxes was examined in a Box-Ironbark forest where natural hollows are scarce due to past forestry practices. We found gliders used hollows in the boles and branches of trees and in coppicing stumps. There was considerable interspecific overlap in the use of hollows and nest-boxes, both by gliders and other birds and mammals. Both gliders preferred hollows and nest-boxes with narrow entrances (<50 mm diameter). Petaurus breviceps preferred nest-boxes and possibly natural tree hollows with entrances too narrow for the larger P. norfolcensis. When abundant nest-boxes of this type were introduced at the study site, P. breviceps numbers increased and then decreased when the nest-boxes were removed. The results suggest that the larger P. norfolcensis monopolise the best available hollows. Petaurus breviceps numbers may have been limited by a lack of suitable hollows.

Use of Artificial Nest Boxes by Abert's Squirrels

1978 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 700 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan C. Pederson ◽  
Albert W. Heggen
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Nest ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Artificial Nest Boxes

The main nest predators of birds breeding in artificial nest-boxes and its influencing factors

2014 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
张雷 ZHANG Lei ◽  
李东来 LI Donglai ◽  
马锐强 MA Ruiqiang ◽  
奚长海 XI Changhai ◽  
万冬梅 WAN Dongmei
Keyword(s):  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Artificial Nest ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Artificial Nest Boxes ◽  
Nest Predators

Effects of urbanization and nest box design on reproduction vary by species in three cavity-nesting passerines in the Okanagan Valley

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Dale ◽  
Matthew W Reudink ◽  
Laurene M Ratcliffe ◽  
Ann E McKellar
Keyword(s):  
Tree Swallows ◽  
Artificial Nest ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Cavity Nesting ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Western Bluebirds ◽  
Mountain Bluebirds ◽  
Artificial Nest Boxes ◽  
Okanagan Valley

Artificial nest boxes provide an important resource for secondary cavity-nesting passerines, whose populations may be limited by the availability of nesting sites. However, previous studies have demonstrated that the design and placement of boxes may affect the reproductive success of the birds that use them. In this study, we asked whether the habitat surrounding a nest box or the type of box influenced reproduction in three cavity-nesting passerines. We studied western bluebirds (Sialia mexicana Swainson, 1832), mountain bluebirds (S. currucoides Bechstein, 1798), and tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor Vieillot, 1808) breeding in artificial nest boxes at sites across 70 km of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Sites varied in their degree of urbanization, from relatively undisturbed ranchland, to cultivated vineyards, to frequently disturbed ‘suburban’ habitat, and boxes varied in type of entrance (slot or hole). Western bluebirds nested earlier in vineyards, and tree swallows produced significantly fewer fledglings in suburban habitat. In addition, tree swallows nested earlier and produced more fledglings in slot boxes. Our results suggest that conservation actions for cavity-nesting passerines may depend on the target species, which in turn should dictate the appropriate box type and habitat when erecting or replacing nest boxes.

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