Human disturbances and predation on artificial ground nests across an urban gradient

Bocz, Renáta; Szép, Dávid; Witz, D.; Ronczyk, L.; Kurucz, Kornélia; Purger, Jenõ J.

doi:10.32800/abc.2017.40.0153

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

(12 reference statements)

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“…In forests, adverse associations between predation rate and distance from the forest edge have previously been attributed to increased nest density and greater activity or density of nest predators (Gates & Gysel , Bocz et al . ). Forest edges also alter native vegetation, and increased exposure to the shifts in vegetation may underlie higher nest predation rates (Jokimäki & Huhta , Chibowski et al .…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

Predation on artificial avian nests is higher in forests bordering small anthropogenic openings

Valentine

Apol

Proppe

2018

Ibis

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Habitat edges alter the diversity of avian communities and are often associated with higher rates of nest predation. However, most previous studies on habitat edges have been conducted along long linear corridors or at the transition between large field and forest patches in agricultural systems. Less is known about predation rates when the habitat edge is the result of a small interior forest opening. We assessed predation rates on artificial nests mimicking ground and shrub nesters in Northern Michigan forests perforated by small clearings used previously for oil and gas extraction. Nests were placed at varying distances from the edges of these clearings, and in similar spatial arrangements within unfragmented interior forest plots. Predation rates increased in forests near edges, but significant impacts were limited to shrub nests. Markings on predated clay eggs indicated that the type of predation also differed. Scratch marks were the most prevalent egg indentation, but eggs with poked holes were twice as common near the forest edge. The increase in the number of poked eggs suggests that a higher density of avian predators occurred in forests near an edge. Predation rates at forest edges did not vary by distance from the forest edge. Surveys of the avian community revealed differences between edge and interior forests: American Crows Corvus brachyrhynchos and Blue Jays Cyanocitta cristata, two species known to predate bird nests, were more common near edges. Our results suggest that small forest openings alter the avian community and may adversely impact reproductive output in some species. If the alteration of these processes results in population-level impacts, small forest perforations should be avoided when possible and reforestation of abandoned well-pads should be encouraged.

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mentioning

confidence: 97%

Predation on artificial avian nests is higher in forests bordering small anthropogenic openings

Valentine

Apol

Proppe

2018

Ibis

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“…For predated nests, the plasticine eggs (if found) were assigned to predator type using bill or tooth marks following Trnka, Prokop & Batáry (2008) and Bocz et al . (2017). Two assessors working independently classified each plasticine egg predator as unknown, avian, mammalian or signs of both avian and mammalian predators.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upland rush management advocated by agri‐environment schemes increases predation of artificial wader nests

Kelly

Douglas

Shurmer

et al. 2021

Animal Conservation

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Farmland birds, including breeding waders, have declined across Europe. One frequently advocated strategy to facilitate population recovery is using agri-environment schemes (AES) to improve vegetation structure. A key example is cutting dense rush Juncus to open the sward which aims to increase the abundance of wading birds, for example by improving foraging conditions. Effects on breeding success are, however, unknown. This is a critical knowledge gap as high nest and chick predation rates are a key driver of wader declines. For wader species that nest across a range of sward structures, for example Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata and common snipe Gallinago gallinago, converting denser swards to more open ones may reduce opportunities for nest concealment and thus increase predation risk. Due to the difficulties of locating large numbers of wader nests, we assess rush management impacts on nest predation risk using artificial wader nests (n = 184) in two upland areas of England, using fields in which rush is managed according to AES prescriptions (treatment; n = 21) or un-managed (control; n = 22) fields. Daily nest predation rates (DPRs) were twice as high in treatment (0.064 day À1) than control fields (0.027 day À1). Within treatment fields, DPRs were twice as high for nests in cut rush patches (0.108 day À1) than in uncut rush (0.055 day À1). Modelling links higher DPRs associated with rush cutting to the resultant shorter and less dense vegetation. Our results highlight the need to assess how AES prescriptions that alter vegetation structure impact all aspects of the target species' fitness and thus determine population recovery. Studies using real wader nests should test whether AES rush management inadvertently creates an ecological trap by altering vegetation structure, and identify the sward structure and configuration that optimizes trade-offs between foraging conditions and nest predation risk.

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“…To determine and compare the predation rates of the three nest types, nests were considered predated if either of the egg types were missing or damaged in some way (e.g. Bayne et al 1997, Clark & Wobeser 1997, Purger et al 2012, Bocz et al 2017. The daily survival rates of quail and plasticine eggs were analysed separately: quail eggs were used to estimate the survival chances of a clutch of medium-bodied birds, while plasticine eggs were used to estimate the survival chances of a clutch of small-bodied ground-nesting birds.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Does human hair attract or deter potential ground nest predators?

2020

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The nests of rare and threatened bird and reptile species that breed on the ground are often attempted to be protected from predators with fences, grids, and various repellent materials. Results of some experiments refer to the repellent function of human scent, whereas others suggest that it has an attractive role. We aimed to investigate how effectively ground nests can be protected from predators if human hair is placed around nests. We performed the experiment in a riverine oak-elm-ash forest using 90 artificial nests, each with 1 quail and 1 plasticine egg: 30 nests were protected with a game fence, 30 nests were surrounded with human hair and 30 nests were unprotected (control). During the 24 days, predators damaged 23% of the nests protected by a game fence, 40% of unprotected nests and 47% of the nests surrounded with hair. The daily survival rate of quail eggs in nests protected with a game fence was significantly higher than the ones in the nests surrounded with human hair. Only 18% of the quail eggs and 36% of plasticine eggs were damaged. Such difference can be explained by the fact that small-bodied birds and mammals could pass through the game fence and left traces on plasticine eggs but they were unable to crack the shell of quail eggs. Within the game fence, denser vegetation can provide better nesting conditions and result in greater breeding success. The repellent role of human hair has not been proved, on the contrary, in some cases we have observed signs of its attractant role, such as small-bodied birds took hair away for nest building.

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Human disturbances and predation on artificial ground nests across an urban gradient

Cited by 11 publications

References 8 publications

Predation on artificial avian nests is higher in forests bordering small anthropogenic openings

Predation on artificial avian nests is higher in forests bordering small anthropogenic openings

Upland rush management advocated by agri‐environment schemes increases predation of artificial wader nests

Does human hair attract or deter potential ground nest predators?

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