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- Title
Patterns of nest placement in a population of Marsh Tits Poecile palustris.
- Authors
Broughton, Richard; Hill, Ross; Henderson, Lindsay; Bellamy, Paul; Hinsley, Shelley
- Abstract
The factors influencing nest placement by territorial birds are not fully understood, including the roles played by habitat, conspecific attraction and female experience of a previous nesting location. We used 7 years of Marsh Tit ( Poecile palustris) nest-site and territory data, and high-resolution vegetation models derived from remote sensing, to investigate spatial patterns of nest placement with regard to previous female experience and age, conspecific attraction, and habitat in a woodland environment. We found no evidence for an effect of conspecific attraction or previous nest location on nest placement within the territory. However, first-year (FY) females placed nests in a random spatial pattern within their territories, and after first-year (AFY) females predominantly placed nests within the central parts of their territories, away from conspecifics. The core area of each breeding territory was centred on a region of comparatively taller overstorey and less understorey than other parts of the territory. Nest-sites were situated in localised areas of a similar structure, although absolute differences between selected and non-selected areas of the territory were not substantial. Both female age groups nested in areas of the territory where the overstorey contained relatively more Common Ash ( Fraxinus excelsior) and Field Maple ( Acer campestre), which may have been related to tree height, but there was no selection for English Oak ( Quercus robur). We found no significant habitat differences between the territories of FY and AFY females that explained their differing patterns of nest placement.
- Subjects
NEST building; POECILE; TITMICE; REMOTE sensing; HABITATS; ANIMAL breeding
- Publication
Journal of Ornithology, 2012, Vol 153, Issue 3, p735
- ISSN
2193-7192
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s10336-011-0790-2