Abstract
Nest predation is the most important factor causing reproductive failure in open-cup nesting birds. Therefore, it represents a strong selection agent shaping reproductive strategies. To understand how predation affects avian populations, it is crucial to understand how predation effects on nesting success vary in space and time, and which ecological factors determine variation in predation rates. Artificial nests are commonly used to evaluate nest predation rates, but their use is criticised for not providing predation rates comparable with natural nests, either because timing of predation or predator species targeting the nests differ. However, use of artificial nests allows us to standardize nest characteristics between sites and across time, even outside the breeding season of most birds. Here, we present data on 576 artificial nests gathered over several years that explore how nest predation rates vary over the year. We found that predation rates on artificial nests show seasonal variation where rates are high during the bird breeding season and low outside the breeding season. Avian and mammalian predators tend to display different nest predation behaviours. The frequency of predation events by avian predators follows a similar seasonal pattern as predation rates, whereas mammalian predators show elevated, but stable, frequency of predation events across the breeding season. Our study supports the commonly reported temporal variation in nest predation rates, indicating that avian predators actively search for bird nests as food during the bird breeding season, while mammalian predators seem to prey on bird nests incidentally.
Zusammenfassung
Jahreszeitliche Schwankungen beim Nestraub in nördlichen Nadelwäldern
Bei Vögeln mit offenem Nestbau ist Nesträuberei der wichtigste Grund für Fortpflanzungsmisserfolge; deshalb stellt sie einen starken Auslesefaktor in der Ausbildung von Fortpflanzungsstrategien dar. Um den Einfluss von Nestraub auf Vogelpopulationen zu verstehen, ist entscheidend, zu berücksichtigen, wie solche Auswirkungen der Nesträuberei in Raum und Zeit variieren und welche ökologischen Faktoren diese Schwankungen bestimmen. Für die Untersuchung des Ausmaßes des Nestraubes werden in der Regel künstliche Nester verwendet. Das wird jedoch deshalb kritisch gesehen, weil die damit erhobenen quantitativen Daten für Nesträuberei nicht wirklich vergleichbar mit denen an natürlichen Nestern sind, weil entweder das Timing der Nesträuberei oder die Art der Räuber andere sind. Aber die Verwendung künstlicher Nester ermöglicht es zumindest, charakteristische Nest-Merkmale für unterschiedliche Brutplätze und unterschiedliche Zeiten zu standardisieren, sogar außerhalb der Brutsaison der meisten Vogelarten. Wir stellen hier Daten vor, die über mehrere Jahre an 576 Kunstnestern gesammelt wurden und die zeigen, wie sich die Intensität der Nesträuberei im Verlauf eines Jahres ändert. Wir stellten fest, dass an den künstlichen Nestern die Nesträuberei jahreszeitliche Schwankungen aufwies, mit hoher Intensität während und geringer Intensität außerhalb der Brutsaison. Vögel und Säuger zeigen als Nesträuber unterschiedliche Verhaltensweisen. Bei Vögeln folgt die Häufigkeit der einzelnen Nestraub-Aktionen einem ähnlichen saisonalen Muster wie die der Nesträuberei insgesamt, wohingegen Säuger eine höhere, aber über die gesamte Brutzeit hinweg stabile Häufigkeit ihrer Nestraub-Aktionen zeigen. Unsere Untersuchung unterstützt die oft gemachte Beobachtung, dass sich die Intensität der Nesträuberei über die Zeit hinweg ändert, was bedeuten könnte, dass Vögel als Räuber während der Brutzeiten aktiv Vogelnester als Nahrungsquellen suchen, während Säuger Vogelnester anscheinend eher zufällig ausrauben.
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Acknowledgements
All experiments described in this study comply with the current laws and regulations of Norway. We highly appreciate the valuable comments of three anonymous reviewers on an earlier version of this manuscript, and we thank Heidi H. Grosch who kindly checked the English.
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Communicated by O. Krüger.
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Husby, M., Hoset, K.S. Seasonal variation in nest predation rates in boreal forests. J Ornithol 159, 975–984 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-018-1563-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-018-1563-y