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opencc-zeroJan 2021View details →

Plumage and eggshell colouration covary with the level of sex-specific parental contributions to nest building in birds

<p>Interspecific variation in sex-specific contributions to prenatal parental care, including avian nest building, remain poorly understood. Here, we examined whether the colouration of the parents and of their eggs covary with sex-specific nest building contributions in 521 species of Western Palearctic birds. Having colourful plumages and laying colourful eggs are both costly because of the deposition of pigments (in feathers and eggs) and/or forming costly nanostructural substrates (in feathers), and so it is expected that those costs are traded-off against the costs of nest building. We therefore tested two predictions of this trade-off hypothesis, namely that species in which females alone build nests (1) exhibit sexual plumage dichromatism in that females are less colourful than males and (2) lay less colourful eggs. Using a phylogenetically-informed comparative approach, we found support for the first prediction so that species in which females build nests alone or together with males are more likely to be dichromatic in plumage. Meanwhile, regarding the second prediction, contrary to our expectation, we found that species in which females build nests alone or together with males are more likely to lay colourfully pigmented eggs relative to species in which only males build nests. This suggests that sex differences in plumage colouration and egg colouration covary in a complex manner with female pre-copulatory investment in reproduction at the interspecific level.</p>

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Consequences of habitat change and resource selection specialization for population limitation in cavity-nesting birds

Resource selection specialization may increase vulnerability of populations to environmental change. One environmental change that may negatively impact some populations is the broad decline of quaking aspen Populus tremuloides, a preferred nest tree of cavity-nesting organisms who are commonly limited by nest-site availability. However, the long-term consequences of this habitat change for cavity-nesting bird populations are poorly studied. I counted densities of woody plants and eight cavity-nesting bird species over 29 years in 15 high elevation riparian drainages in Arizona, USA. I also studied nest tree use and specialization over time based on 4946 nests across species. Aspen suffered a severe decline in availability over time, while understorey woody plants and canopy deciduous trees also declined. The decline of plants resulted from increased elk Cervus canadensis browsing linked to declining snowfall. Woodpeckers exhibited very high specialization (>95% of nests) on aspen for nesting, and densities of all six species declined with aspen over time. Mountain chickadees Poecile gambeli and house wrens Troglodytes aedon exhibited increasingly less specialization on aspen. Chickadees strongly increased in density over time, despite a relatively high specialization on aspen. House wren densities declined moderately over time, but nest box addition experiments demonstrated that nest-site availability was not limiting their population. House wren densities increased with understorey vegetation recovery in elk exclosures via increased generality of nest site use, demonstrating that the decline in understorey vegetation on the broader landscape was the cause of their population decline. Synthesis and applications. Management should target species that specialize in resource selection on a declining resource. Species with greater resource selection generalization can reduce population impacts of environmental change. Resource generalization can allow a species like the wren to take advantage of habitat refuges, such as those provided by the elk exclosures. Yet, resource generalization cannot offset the negative impacts of broad-scale declines in habitat quality on the landscape, as demonstrated by the general decline of wrens. Ultimately, aspen is an important habitat for biodiversity, and land management programs that protect and aid recovery of aspen habitats may be critical.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Local and landscape metrics identify opportunities for conserving cavity-nesting birds in a rapidly urbanizing ecoregion

Urban centers are rapidly expanding globally, resulting in regional forest-cover transformations that shift from temperate forest biomes to a heterogeneous mix of urban development, forest patches, and agriculture. Data on habitat use within remaining forest patches embedded across land use types, particularly in urban land use, are needed to optimize conservation strategies as urban growth continues. In the rapidly urbanizing southern Piedmont, USA, small pine patches have become more frequent across the landscape and are found embedded within second-growth forest, agricultural, and urban land use matrices. We used point-count surveys and N-mixture models to determine the effect of patch- and landscape-scale drivers on cavity-nesting bird abundance, including the threatened Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla), in pine forest patches. Model-averaged estimates suggest Brown-headed Nuthatches are more abundant in large patches in a heterogeneous matrix that includes urban residential development. Three other cavity-nesting species declined in abundance as a function of reduced canopy cover. White-breasted Nuthatches increased and Tufted Titmice decreased in abundance in response to patch area. By identifying factors that predict abundance at local and landscape scales for ecologically sensitive and generalist species, we can more effectively contribute to regional conservation efforts in urban ecosystems, extending conservation in practice beyond protected areas.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Regional drivers of clutch loss reveal important trade-offs for beach-nesting birds

Coastal birds are critical ecosystem constituents on sandy shores, yet are threatened by depressed reproductive success resulting from direct and indirect anthropogenic and natural pressures. Few studies examine clutch fate across the wide range of environments experienced by birds; instead, most focus at the small site scale. We examine survival of model shorebird clutches as an index of true clutch survival at a regional scale (∼200 km), encompassing a variety of geomorphologies, predator communities, and human use regimes in southeast Queensland, Australia. Of the 132 model nests deployed and monitored with cameras, 45 (34%) survived the experimental exposure period. Thirty-five (27%) were lost to flooding, 32 (24%) were depredated, nine (7%) buried by sand, seven (5%) destroyed by people, three (2%) failed by unknown causes, and one (1%) was destroyed by a dog. Clutch fate differed substantially among regions, particularly with respect to losses from flooding and predation. 'Topographic' exposure was the main driver of mortality of nests placed close to the drift line near the base of dunes, which were lost to waves (particularly during storms) and to a lesser extent depredation. Predators determined the fate of clutches not lost to waves, with the depredation probability largely influenced by region. Depredation probability declined as nests were backed by higher dunes and were placed closer to vegetation. This study emphasizes the scale at which clutch fate and survival varies within a regional context, the prominence of corvids as egg predators, the significant role of flooding as a source of nest loss, and the multiple trade-offs faced by beach-nesting birds and those that manage them.

opencc-zeroJul 2019View details →

Data from: Nest predation predicts infanticide in a cooperatively breeding bird

In cooperatively breeding species, social conflict is typically assumed to underlie destructive behaviours like infanticide. However, an untested alternative hypothesis in birds is that infanticide in the form of egg tossing may simply be a parental response to partial nest predation representing a life history tradeoff. We examined egg tossing behaviour in the colonial and cooperatively breeding grey-capped social weaver (Pseudonigrita arnaudi), a plural breeder in which pairs nest separately, often in the same tree. Using infrared nest cameras, we found that 78% of the tossing events from 2012 to 2017 were committed by parents, suggesting that social conflict is unlikely to be the main reason underlying egg tossing in this species. Instead, reductions in clutch size due to both natural and experimentally-simulated predation induced parental egg tossing. Our study suggests that destructive behaviour in cooperatively breeding birds can be shaped by a variety of mechanisms beyond social conflict and that alternative hypotheses must be considered when studying the adaptive significance of infanticide in group-living species.

opencc-zeroDec 2013View details →

Data from: Cooperative investment in public goods is kin directed in communal nests of social birds

The tragedy of the commons predicts social collapse when public goods are jointly exploited by individuals attempting to maximise their fitness at the expense of other social group members. However, animal societies have evolved many times despite this vulnerability to exploitation by selfish individuals. Kin selection offers a solution to this social dilemma, but in large social groups mean relatedness is often low. Sociable weavers (Philetairus socius) live in large colonies that share the benefits of a massive communal nest, which requires individual investment for construction and maintenance. Here, we show that despite low mean kinship within colonies, relatives are spatially and socially clustered and that nest-building males have higher local relatedness to other colony members than do non-building males. Alternative hypotheses received little support, so we conclude that the benefits of the public good are shared with kin and that cooperative investment is, despite the large size and low relatedness of these communities, kin-directed.

opencc-zeroDec 2012View details →

Data from: Sibling cooperation influences the age of nest leaving in an altricial bird

In altricial birds, siblings raised within a nest usually leave the nest within hours of each other, despite often differing considerably in age. The youngest members of the brood are typically underdeveloped at this time and less likely than their older siblings to survive outside the nest, yet they risk abandonment if they do not fledge with their older siblings. Nest leaving is usually initiated by the older offspring, which may delay this process to provide more time for their younger siblings to mature, increasing the younger siblings' postfledging survival and their own inclusive fitness. We tested this hypothesis in a population of house wrens Troglodytes aedon and found that broods with broad age spans among siblings had longer nestling periods than broods with narrow age spans and that delayed fledging improves the survival and reproductive prospects of younger siblings, although at a potential cost to future siblings. We also manipulated age spans through cross-fostering and found that older foster nestlings postponed fledging when raised with younger broodmates, as predicted if the age of younger nestlings determines the time of fledging. Our results support kin-selection theory and demonstrate that the exact time of fledging is attributable, in part, to sib-sib interactions.

opencc-zeroDec 2018View details →

Data from: Finer-scale habitat predicts nest survival in grassland birds more than management and landscape: a multi-scale perspective

1. Birds may respond to habitat at multiple scales, ranging from microhabitat structure to landscape composition. North American grassland bird distributions predominantly reside on private lands, and populations have been consistently declining. Many of these lands are enrolled in U.S. federal conservation programmes, and properly guided management policies could alleviate declines. However, more evaluative research is needed on the effects of management policies juxtaposed with other multi-scale habitat features. Furthermore, research focused on nest survival is arguably more valuable because habitat associations with avian densities can sometimes be deceptive. 2. We investigated nest survival of a grassland facultative (red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus) an obligate species (dickcissel, Spiza americana), and two nesting communities (ground and above-ground nesters) relative to management and multi-scale habitat (nest-site characteristics, in-field microhabitat, patch metrics, and landscape context). Our study was conducted on private lands in Illinois (2011-2014) and directly linked to policy-based management (disking, herbicidal spraying, spray/interseeding) and landowner decisions. 3. Multi-scale models explained more variation in nest survival compared to single scales or management in three of four analyses (blackbirds, dickcissels, and above-ground nesters). Finer-scale habitat variables, such as nest-site characteristics, were more often in top and among the competitive models relative to landscape factors. 4. Compared with other management types, disking (i.e. tractor-pulled disc harrows removed approximately 50% of vegetation) displayed distinct effects and positively influenced nest survival in above-ground nesters. Also, greater proportions of a field managed cumulatively and yearly, regardless of type, generally improved nest survival for dickcissels and above-ground nesters. All groups except above-ground nesters had generally higher nest survival in native grass fields. 5. Synthesis and applications. Habitat practitioners can improve nest survival for certain grassland birds by directly affecting infield-microhabitat vegetation and structure. However, characteristics associated with specific nest locations often drive nest survival. We suggest habitat managers and agency staff promote native grass practices and management, such as disking, to enhance nest survival of grassland bird populations. Management will likely be most effective in favourable unfragmented grassland landscapes with less surrounding forested areas, which also promote other important responses (e.g. colonization and persistence) of target species.

FIGURE 5 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 5. Triatoma infestans: black circles, birds´nests; empty circles, Furnariidae ("colgadito" + "Dendrocolaptidae" + "Furnariidae"); black squares, black triangle, Pseudoseisura lophotes.; half black circles, Furnarius rufus; white star, Passer domesticus; black star, Amazona aestiva; black oval, Strix sp.; snow crystal, Columba livia.

FIGURE 2 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 2. Psitticimex uritui: black square, Cyanoliseus patagonus patagonus; black circles, Myiopsitta monacha.

FIGURE 1 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 1. Occurrences of hematophagous insects in birds´nests from Argentina. Phytogeographical provinces of Argentina: broad horizontal stripes, Chacoan Province; narrow horizontal stripes: a, Austro-brazilian transition forest; b, Paranaensic Province; c, Paranaensic Province (Gallery Forest) (according to Prado 1993); diagonal stripes, Monte Province (according to Morello 1958); vertical stripes, Espinal Province (according to Lewis & Collantes 1973). Caminicimex furnarii: black circles, Furnarius rufus; black star, Passer domesticus.

FIGURE 4 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 4. Triatoma delpontei: black squares, Myiopsitta monacha cotorra; black triangle, Phacellodomus sp.

FIGURE 8 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 8. Philornis sp., black circles; Philornis nielsen, black square; Philornis pici, black stars.

FIGURE 3 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 3. Psammolestes coreodes: black circles, birds´nests; empty circles, Furnariidae ("colgadito" + "Dendrocolaptidae" + "Furnariidae"); black squares, Myiopsitta monacha cotorra + Psittacidae; black triangle, Phacellodomus sp.

FIGURE 7 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 7. Triatoma sordida: south-western area, Triatoma sordida garciabesi; north-western area, Triatoma sordida sordida; black circles, birds´nests; black square, Columba livia.

FIGURE 6 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina. Part I: a bibliographical review, with taxonomical corrections, comments and a hypothetical mechanism of transmission of cimicid bugs

FIGURE 6. Triatoma platensis: black circles, birds´nests; empty circles, Furnariidae ("Dendrocolaptidae" + "Furnariidae" + "leñatero"); black squares, Myiopsitta monacha cotorra; discontinuous circle, Psittacidae; black triangle, Pseudoseisura lophotes.

FIGURE 2 in Insects found in birds'nests from Argentina: Tachycineta leucorrhoa leucorrhoa (Vieillot, 1817) [Aves: Hirundinidae], a new host for Acanthocrios furnarii (Cordero & Vogelsang, 1928) [Hemiptera: Cimicidae]

FIGURE 2. Seasonal variation of prey item found in nests of Tachycineta leucorrhoa from Argentina, Buenos Aires province, during the 2005–2006 breeding season. See explanation in the text (section III. Swallows' prey and insects mentioned as associated to swallows' nests).

FIGURE 1 in Insects found in birds'nests from Argentina: Tachycineta leucorrhoa leucorrhoa (Vieillot, 1817) [Aves: Hirundinidae], a new host for Acanthocrios furnarii (Cordero & Vogelsang, 1928) [Hemiptera: Cimicidae]

FIGURE 1. Geographic distribution of Tachycineta leucorrhoa in South America (modified from InfoNature 2004). Locality where the insect fauna in the nestboxes was sampled is indicated by a red dot.

FIGURE 9 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina: Anumbius annumbi (Vieillot, 1817) (Aves: Furnariidae)

FIGURE 9. Relationships between functional guilds of insects found in the nests of Anumbius annumbi from Argentina (also valid in general for stick nests of Furnariidae).

FIGURE 8 in Insects found in birds' nests from Argentina: Anumbius annumbi (Vieillot, 1817) (Aves: Furnariidae)

FIGURE 8. Geographic distribution of Chinavia musiva: red squares, provinces from where it was mentioned but the locality was not stated; red circles, localities mentioned in the literature and those of examined specimens; yellow circles, localities where it was found inside birds´nests. Biogeographical provinces from Argentina modified from Brown & Pacheco (2006).