Testing camera traps as a potential tool for detecting nest predation of birds in a tropical rainforest environment

Identification of the predators of bird nests is essential to test ecological and evolutionary hypotheses and to make practical management decisions. A variety of nest monitoring devices have been proposed but many remain difficult to set up in the field. The aim of this study was to test camera traps as a potential tool to study predation of natural nests in a tropical rainforest environment. Specifically, we registered the predators, assessed their size range, and we compared the use of one and two cameras per nest. Of 122 nests from 24 bird species, 45 (37%) were depredated, and the cameras recorded the predator species in 29 of the total of depredated nests (64%). We identified predators in eight of 16 depredated nests (50%) in which we used one camera trap per nest, and we identified predators in 21 of 29 depredated nests (72%) when we used two camera traps per nest. The predators included six species of birds and six species of mammals, with body masses varying from 20 g to 16.5 kg. Causes for 10 of the 16 detection failures were identified and are discussed. These results suggest that camera traps are viable tools to investigate nest predation in a tropical rainforest area.

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Testing camera traps as a potential tool for detecting nest predation of birds in a tropical rainforest environment

Zoologia (Curitiba) ◽

10.3897/zoologia.35.14678 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 1-8 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Laís Ribeiro-Silva ◽

Daniel Fernandes Perrella ◽

Carlos Biagolini-Jr ◽

Paulo Zima ◽

Augusto J. Piratelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nest Predation ◽

Tropical Rainforest ◽

Size Range ◽

Bird Species ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Predator Species ◽

Set Up ◽

Monitoring Devices ◽

Potential Tool

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Fauna diversity in the southern part of the Kon Ka Kinh National Park, Gia Lai province

ACADEMIA JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY ◽

10.15625/2615-9023/16280 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 139-151

Author(s):

Nguyen Ai Tam ◽

Nguyen Van Tay ◽

Nguyen Thi Kim Yen ◽

Ha Thang Long

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Wildlife Conservation ◽

Animal Species ◽

Infrared Camera ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Iucn Red List ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Survey Results ◽

Set Up ◽

First Time

Kon Ka Kinh National Park (KKK NP) is a priority zone for biodiversity protection in Vietnam as well as ASEAN. In order to survey the current fauna species diversity in the southern part of the KKK NP, we conducted camera trapping surveys in 2017, 2018, and 2019. 28 infrared camera traps were set up on elevations between 1041 to 1497 meters. In total, there were 360 days of survey using camera trap. As result, we recorded a total of 27 animal species of those, five species are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN, 2020). The survey results showed a high richness of wildlife in the southern park region, and it also revealed human disturbance to wildlife in the park. The first-time camera trap was used for surveying wildlife diversity in the southern region of the KKK NP. Conducting camera trap surveys in the whole KKK NP is essential for monitoring and identifying priority areas for wildlife conservation in the national park.

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Notes on the flowering and pollination of the endemic grassland Aloe reitzii var. reitzii (Asphodelaceae)

Bothalia ◽

10.4102/abc.v47i1.2215 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 47 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Craig T. Symes

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Standing Crop ◽

Bird Species ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Pollination Biology ◽

Nectar Volume ◽

Invertebrate Species ◽

Nectar Standing Crop ◽

Insight Into

Background: Aloe reitzii var. reitzii is a succulent with a restricted distribution in the montane grassland of eastern South Africa. It is a summer (late January–March) flowering succulent that grows on rocky outcrops at 1000 m–1600 m, and the conspicuous inflorescences suggest a pollination system focused towards birds.Objectives: To understand more about the pollination biology of A. reitzii var. reitzii.Methods: Nectar standing crop (flower volume and concentration) and the proportion of plants flowering were recorded. Camera traps and observations were used to record visitors to A. reitzii var. reitzii inflorescences.Results: Nectar volume was 36 μL ± 27 μL per flower (range 6 μL–93 μL; n = 27) and concentration was 16.5% ± 1.7% (range 13.5% – 19.5%). Camera trap observations, where 18.9% of all plants were observed flowering, recorded the three bird species Cape Weaver, Ploceus capensis, Malachite Sunbird, Nectarinia famosa and Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Cinnyris afer (60.4%, 27.1% and 12.5% of plant visits, respectively) visiting inflorescences.Conclusion: Because birds are important pollinators for many Aloe species, it is assumed that the bird species detected visiting A. reitzii var. reitzii are similarly important pollinators. At least 10 invertebrate species and sengi (Elephantulus sp.) were also recorded as visitors to flowers, but they may be less important pollinators than specialist and generalist avian nectarivores. This study provides further insight into the pollination biology of a diverse, and ecologically important, succulent genus in Africa.

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Agroforestry system as a buffer zone in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest conservation unit: an artificial nest predation perspective

Biota Neotropica ◽

10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2017-0373 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Camila André Galvão ◽

Mercival Roberto Francisco ◽

Marcelo Nivert Schlindwein

Keyword(s):

Atlantic Forest ◽

Nest Predation ◽

Buffer Zone ◽

Agroforestry System ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Primary Forest ◽

Forest Fragments ◽

Artificial Nest ◽

Buffer Zones ◽

Predator Species

Abstract Here we inferred about the effectiveness of a buffer zone composed by an Agroforestry System (AS) for providing reproductive conditions for Atlantic Forest birds by comparing artificial nest predation rates between a buffer zone, a primary forest area, and a set of small and isolated Atlantic Forest fragments. We have used 237 nests throughout the three areas, of which 100 (42.2%) were depredated. Predation frequencies were 28.6% in the continuous forest, 100% in the AS, and 51.9% in the fragments, differing significantly. We could detect nest predators in 48 of the 100 depredated nests (48%) using camera traps. Differences between areas may be attributed to changes in nest predator species. We support previous evidences that the conservation of bird communities may not rely on buffer zones as an extension of their breeding habitats.

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Camera trapping rare and threatened avifauna in west-central Sumatra

Bird Conservation International ◽

10.1017/s0959270908000051 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 30-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Yoan Dinata ◽

Agung Nugroho ◽

Iding Achmad Haidir ◽

Matthew Linkie

Keyword(s):

National Park ◽

Bird Species ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Forest Site ◽

Habitat Types ◽

West Central ◽

Routine Monitoring ◽

Kerinci Seblat National Park ◽

Central Sumatra

AbstractTropical forests are becoming increasingly degraded and fragmented by logging, which can affect the survival of forest bird species in different ways. In this study, we present avifauna data collected from a monitoring programme in west-central Sumatra that set camera traps in three study areas with different habitat types, levels of degradation and protection status. From 5,990 camera trap-nights, 248 independent bird photographs were recorded, comprising four orders and nine species, including three endemic species. The Great Argus Pheasant (Argusianus argus) was recorded in all study areas and most frequently (n = 202 photographs), followed by the threatened Salvadori's Pheasant (Lophura inornata). The greatest diversity of bird species (five) and abundance index (1.44 bird photographs/100 trap-nights) was recorded from a primary hill-submontane forest site located inside Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP) bordering degraded forest in a former logging concession recently repatriated into KSNP. However, inside a primary-selectively logged hill-submontane forest site spread over KSNP and an ex-logging concession, a Sumatran Ground Cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis) was photographed. This species is noteworthy because prior to this study it had only been documented once since 1916. It is therefore crucial to use the camera trap results to increase the protection status for the ground cuckoo area. This has already happened in the other two study areas, where camera trap data have been used to reclassify the areas as Core Zones, the highest level of protection inside KSNP. This study illustrates how routine monitoring can have wider benefits through recording, and conserving, threatened and endemic non-target species in unexpected habitats that might not otherwise have been surveyed.

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Using Camera Traps to Assess Mammal and Bird Assemblages in a Midwestern Forest

Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management ◽

10.3996/122017-jfwm-103 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 496-506

Author(s):

Carl S. Cloyed ◽

Laura R. Cappelli ◽

David A. Tilson ◽

John A. Crawford ◽

Anthony I. Dell

Keyword(s):

Community Composition ◽

Bird Species ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Phenotypic Traits ◽

Agricultural Field ◽

Dasypus Novemcinctus ◽

Trap Design ◽

Human Errors ◽

Upland Forest

Abstract Ecologists are increasing the use of remote technologies in their research, as these methods are less labor intensive than traditional methods and oftentimes minimize the number of human errors. Camera traps can be used to remotely measure abundance and community composition and offer the potential to measure some phenotypic traits, such as body size. We designed a camera-trap setup that enabled us to capture images of both large and small animals and used our camera-trap design to investigate the community composition of mammals and birds and to estimate the biomass of mammals along two transects in a conservation reserve in Missouri. One transect ran from the edge of an agricultural field to an upland forest, and the other transect ran from the edge of a wetland to an upland forest. Over the 4.5-wk study, our cameras recorded 2,245 images that comprised 483 individuals of 16 species of mammals and birds. Coyotes Canis latrans and nine-banded armadillos Dasypus novemcinctus were unique to the riparian transect, as were several bird species. Fewer species used the forest immediately adjacent to the agricultural field, but more species used the forest immediately adjacent to the wetland. Biomass estimates from our camera-trap images were similar to those of published accounts. This is the first study to use camera traps to successfully estimate biomass. We showed that the value and utility of camera traps in wildlife studies and monitoring can be expanded by 1) using multiple cameras at different heights from the ground so as to capture different-sized animals and 2) obtaining phenotypic information of the captured animals.

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Effects of reflective warning markers on wildlife

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.7614 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. e7614

Author(s):

Yi-Hao Fang ◽

Ying Gao ◽

Yin Yang ◽

Kun Tan ◽

Yan-Peng Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Pollution ◽

Avoidance Response ◽

Bird Species ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

Light Pollution ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Animal Distribution ◽

Set Up ◽

And Behavior

Light pollution has become one of the top issues in environmental pollution, especially concerning how secondary light pollution, such as from traffic reflective materials, influences animal distribution and behavior. In this study, 15 camera traps were set up at sites with or without reflective warning markers (RWM) in coniferous forests on Cangshan Mountain located in Dali Prefecture, China. The results showed that the number of independent photographs and species at sites without RWMs were significantly higher than those at sites with RWMs. Significant differences were found between daytime and nighttime composition of bird species and non-flying mammals between two sites. This study found that RWMs had negative effects on wildlife, with the avoidance response of birds to RWMs being more obvious than that of animals at daytime. It is recommended that the use of reflective materials be carefully considered, especially in protected areas.

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Elevated nest predation risk promotes offspring size variation in birds with prolonged parental care.

10.32942/osf.io/h2mpw ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Gretchen F. Wagner ◽

Emeline Mourocq ◽

Michael Griesser

Keyword(s):

Predation Risk ◽

Reproductive Cycle ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Nest Predation ◽

Bird Species ◽

Size Variation ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Offspring Size ◽

Natural Predation ◽

Risk Spreading

Predation of offspring is the main cause of reproductive failure in many species, and the mere fear of offspring predation shapes reproductive strategies. Yet, natural predation risk is ubiquitously variable and can be unpredictable. Consequently, the perceived prospect of predation early in a reproductive cycle may not reflect the actual risk to ensuing offspring. An increased variance in investment across offspring has been linked to breeding in unpredictable environments in several taxa, but has so far been overlooked as a maternal response to temporal variation in predation risk. Here, we experimentally increased the perceived risk of nest predation prior to egg-laying in seven bird species. Species with prolonged parent-offspring associations increased their intra-brood variation in egg, and subsequently offspring, size. High risk to offspring early in a reproductive cycle can favour a risk-spreading strategy particularly in species with the greatest opportunity to even out offspring quality after fledging.

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Long-term monitoring of margays (Leopardus wiedii): Implications for understanding low detection rates

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0247536 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0247536

Author(s):

Bart J. Harmsen ◽

Nicola Saville ◽

Rebecca J. Foster

Keyword(s):

Detection Rate ◽

Camera Trap ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Detection Rates ◽

Terrestrial Mammals ◽

Exclusive Territories ◽

Carnivore Species ◽

Density Population

Population assessments of wide-ranging, cryptic, terrestrial mammals rely on camera trap surveys. While camera trapping is a powerful method of detecting presence, it is difficult distinguishing rarity from low detection rate. The margay (Leopardus wiedii) is an example of a species considered rare based on its low detection rates across its range. Although margays have a wide distribution, detection rates with camera traps are universally low; consequently, the species is listed as Near Threatened. Our 12-year camera trap study of margays in protected broadleaf forest in Belize suggests that while margays have low detection rate, they do not seem to be rare, rather that they are difficult to detect with camera traps. We detected a maximum of 187 individuals, all with few or no recaptures over the years (mean = 2.0 captures/individual ± SD 2.1), with two-thirds of individuals detected only once. The few individuals that were recaptured across years exhibited long tenures up to 9 years and were at least 10 years old at their final detection. We detected multiple individuals of both sexes at the same locations during the same survey, suggesting overlapping ranges with non-exclusive territories, providing further evidence of a high-density population. By studying the sparse annual datasets across multiple years, we found evidence of an abundant margay population in the forest of the Cockscomb Basin, which might have been deemed low density and rare, if studied in the short term. We encourage more long-term camera trap studies to assess population status of semi-arboreal carnivore species that have hitherto been considered rare based on low detection rates.

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Native generalist consumers interact strongly with seeds of the invasive wild cucumber (Echinocystis lobata)

NeoBiota ◽

10.3897/neobiota.53.37431 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 25-39

Author(s):

Łukasz Dylewski ◽

Łukasz Myczko ◽

Dean E. Pearson

Keyword(s):

Intraspecific Competition ◽

Native Plants ◽

Seedling Survival ◽

Bird Species ◽

Camera Traps ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Alien Plant ◽

Garrulus Glandarius ◽

Echinocystis Lobata ◽

Survival Of Seedlings

When alien plant species arrive in a new environment, they develop novel interactions with native biota that can range from negative to positive. Determining the nature and strength of these interactions is integral to understanding why some aliens are suppressed and others become highly invasive pests. For introduced terrestrial plants, seed and seedling interactions with native biota are crucial, because most nascent populations start from seed. Herein, we explored interactions between native generalist rodent and bird consumers and seeds of the invasive wild cucumber Echinocystis lobata by conducting seed-offering experiments in Poland. We also evaluated how interspecific competition from native plants and intraspecific competition from clustering of E. lobata seed (clustering resembling consumer seed caching) affected survival of seedlings and young plants. Native consumers interacted strongly with E. lobata seeds, with rodents removing 98% of seeds from ground locations and birds removing 24% of elevated seeds. Camera and live traps indicated that striped field mice Apodemus agrarius were the predominant rodent removing seeds. Camera traps and visual observations indicated that great tits Parus major and European jays Garrulus glandarius were the primary bird species removing elevated seeds. While some level of seed removal was likely attributable to seed predation, as indicated by seed coat remains, we also observed evidence that rodents may cache E. lobata seeds and Garrulus glandarius are known to cache and disperse seeds. Monitoring of seedlings indicated that increasing cover of native plants and clustering of E. lobata seedlings both reduced survival of seedlings and young plants due to inter- and intraspecific competition, respectively. Hence, caching by generalist consumers may disperse E. lobata seeds, which are heavy and lack dispersal adaptations, but such caching may also reduce individual seedling survival rates. Fully understanding invasion success of the E. lobata will require evaluating the net effects of generalist consumers on its recruitment and dispersal.

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