Nest Box Entrance Hole Size Influences Prey Delivery Success by American Kestrels

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Logan B. Clark ◽  
Megan E. Shave ◽  
Melissa B. Hannay ◽  
Catherine A. Lindell
Keyword(s):  
Hole Size ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
American Kestrels ◽  
Entrance Hole

Possible Predation on Feathertail Gliders (Acrobates pygmaeus) by Agile Antechinus (Antechinus agilis).

1999 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 173
Author(s):  
S.J. Ward
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Study ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Faecal Analysis ◽  
Entrance Hole ◽  
Antechinus Agilis ◽  
Small Forest

A series of observations of the remains of partially eaten feathertail gliders Acrobates pygmaeus and three other small forest vertebrates is reported. All were made while checking nest-boxes erected for an ecological study of A. pygmaeus, and each nest-box had a restricted entrance hole. The delicacy with which some of these animals had been killed and eaten and the small size of the entrances to the nest-boxes indicated a small- sized predator was responsible, and the most likely species in the area is the agile antechinus Antechinus agilis. These small dasyurid marsupials were also captured from the nest-boxes on several occasions. Based on faecal analysis, they had previously been considered almost totally insectivorous.

Nest Box Temperature and Hatching Success of American Kestrels Varies with Nest Box Orientation

2009 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 778-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Butler ◽  
Buddy A. Whitman ◽  
Alfred M. Dufty
Keyword(s):  
Hatching Success ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
American Kestrels

Results from a long-term nest-box program for American Kestrels: implications for improved population monitoring and conservation

2005 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Todd Katzner ◽  
Sue Robertson ◽  
Bob Robertson ◽  
Jim Klucsarits ◽  
Kyle McCarty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Monitoring ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
American Kestrels

American Kestrels Actively Exclude European Starlings from Using a Nest Box

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 231-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J.W. McClure ◽  
Delora M. Hilleary ◽  
D. Paul Spurling
Keyword(s):  
European Starlings ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
American Kestrels

scholarly journals Plastering mud around the entrance hole affects the estimation of threat levels from nest predators in Eurasian Nuthatches

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiangping Yu ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Guodong Yi ◽  
Keqin Zhang ◽  
Jiyuan Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nest Defence ◽  
Hole Size ◽  
Red Squirrels ◽  
Cavity Nesting ◽  
Sitta Europaea ◽  
Entrance Hole ◽  
Tamias Sibiricus ◽  
Threat Levels ◽  
Nest Predator ◽  
Nest Predators

Abstract Background For cavity-nesting birds, the nest entrance plays an important role in preventing predators from accessing nests. Several species of nuthatches use mud to narrow the entrance of cavities. In theory, the smaller the entrance hole size, the more effective it is against predators; however, few studies have tested whether narrowing the entrance hole size can affect the estimation of threat levels from nest predators in cavity-nesting birds. Methods Using dummy experiments, we tested whether Eurasian Nuthatches (Sitta europaea, narrow the entrance hole of cavities) and Cinereous Tits (Parus cinereus, do not narrow the entrance hole, as a control) perform different nest defence behaviours against Common Chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus, small nest predator) and Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris, larger nest predator). Results Both nuthatches and tits exhibited stronger response behaviours (high dummy response scores) against chipmunks than against squirrels. Compared with tits, nuthatches exhibited more aggressive behaviours to chipmunks, but their responses to squirrels were similar. Conclusions Nest defence behaviours of nuthatches to chipmunks differed from tits, and the results suggested that nuthatches might estimate threat levels of nest predators according to their narrowed entrance-hole size.

scholarly journals Partner abundance controls mutualism stability and the pace of morphological change over geologic time

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (15) ◽  
pp. 3951-3956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guillaume Chomicki ◽  
Susanne S. Renner
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Change ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Stabilizing Selection ◽  
Hole Size ◽  
Rates Of Evolution ◽  
Entrance Hole ◽  
Mutualism Stability ◽  
Related Trait ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Mutualism Breakdown

Mutualisms that involve symbioses among specialized partners may be more stable than mutualisms among generalists, and theoretical models predict that in many mutualisms, partners exert reciprocal stabilizing selection on traits directly involved in the interaction. A corollary is that mutualism breakdown should increase morphological rates of evolution. We here use the largest ant-plant clade (Hydnophytinae), with different levels of specialization for mutualistic ant symbionts, to study the ecological context of mutualism breakdown and the response of a key symbiosis-related trait, domatium entrance hole size, which filters symbionts by size. Our analyses support three predictions from mutualism theory. First, all 12 losses apparently only occur from a generalist symbiotic state. Second, mutualism losses occurred where symbionts are scarce, in our system at high altitudes. Third, domatium entrance hole size barely changes in specialized symbiotic species, but evolves rapidly once symbiosis with ants has broken down, with a “morphorate map” revealing that hotspots of entrance hole evolution are clustered in high-altitude areas. Our study reveals that mutualistic strategy profoundly affects the pace of morphological change in traits involved in the interaction and suggests that shifts in partners’ relative abundances may frequently drive reversions of generalist mutualisms to autonomy.

scholarly journals How big is best? Various nest box sizes and their acceptance by Muscardinus avellanarius (Rodentia: Gliridae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42
Author(s):  
Carina Heberer ◽  
Bettina Koppmann-Rumpf ◽  
Karl-Heinz Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Wood Mouse ◽  
Internal Space ◽  
Cyanistes Caeruleus ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Entrance Hole ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Hazel Dormouse ◽  
Muscardinus Avellanarius

Abstract The hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) can be found in nest boxes intended for birds and dormice throughout its distributional range. To minimize competition with other potential nest box inhabitants such as the edible dormouse (Glis glis) and hole-nesting passerines like the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), we successfully tested nest boxes with a 21 mm entrance hole in previous studies. The only competing species still able to pass through the entrance hole were the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and possibly the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis). To further optimize the nest boxes we tested whether their internal space might be important for selection by the hazel dormouse. Starting in 2015, we set up groups of four wooden nest boxes varying in base area (50×50 mm, 60×60 mm, 70×70 mm and 80×80 mm, respectively) with 21 mm entrance holes. The nest boxes were placed in an identical array at 15 stations spaced at intervals of 30 m along a hedgerow. By doing regular nest box checks and documenting all species found we investigated which nest box types were used most often by the hazel dormouse in order to detect possible preferences. So far, the data show a more intensive use of the nest boxes that provided the largest internal space, i.e. 80×80 mm.

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