Orientation of Entrances to Woodpecker Nest Cavities

Conner, Richard N.

doi:10.2307/4084566

Cited by 67 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Thus, based on observed patterns, Puerto Rican Parrots apparently are selecting against eastward, uphill-facing nest cavities. Nonrandom orientations of nest cavity entrances also have been reported for Hispaniolan Parrots (Amazona ventralis; Snyder et al 1987), Williamson (Sphyrapicus thyroideus) and Rednaped Sapsuckers (S. nuchalis) (Crockett and Hadow 1975), Common Flickers (Colaptes auratus;Inouye 1975), and several other cavity nesters (Connor 1975, Stauffer and Best 1982, Korol and Hutto 1984, Hardy and Morrison 2001. In those studies, thermoregulatory advantages and protection from inclement weather were most often cited as factors influencing cavity orientations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Artificial Cavities and Nest Site Selection by Puerto Rican Parrots: a Multiscale Assessment

White¹,

Brown²,

Collazo³

2006

ACE

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ABSTRACT. We examined nest site selection by Puerto Rican Parrots, a secondary cavity nester, at several spatial scales using the nest entrance as the central focal point relative to 20 habitat and spatial variables. The Puerto Rican Parrot is unique in that, since 2001, all known nesting in the wild has occurred in artificial cavities, which also provided us with an opportunity to evaluate nest site selection without confounding effects of the actual nest cavity characteristics. Because of the data limitations imposed by the small population size of this critically endangered endemic species, we employed a distribution-free statistical simulation approach to assess site selection relative to characteristics of used and unused nesting sites. Nest sites selected by Puerto Rican Parrots were characterized by greater horizontal and vertical visibility from the nest entrance, greater density of mature sierra palms, and a more westerly and leeward orientation of nest entrances than unused sites. Our results suggest that nest site selection in this species is an adaptive response to predation pressure, to which the parrots respond by selecting nest sites offering advantages in predator detection and avoidance at all stages of the nesting cycle. We conclude that identifying and replicating the "nest gestalt" of successful nesting sites may facilitate conservation efforts for this and other endangered avian species.RÉSUMÉ. Nous avons examiné la sélection des sites de nidification par l'Amazone de Porto Rico à plusieurs échelles spatiales en utilisant l'entrée du nid comme point de référence. Nous avons quantifié 20 variables spatiales et descripteurs d'habitat. L'Amazone de Porto Rico est un excavateur secondaire. Cette espèce est unique car, depuis 2001, tous les cas de nidification à l'état sauvage ont eu lieu dans des cavités artificielles, ce qui nous a permis d'étudier la sélection des sites de nidification sans les effets confondants des caractéristiques des cavités de nidification individuelles. Puisque les données disponibles sont limitées à cause du faible effectif de la population de cette espèce endémique en voie de disparition, nous avons employé une approche de simulation de Monte Carlo afin d'évaluer la sélection des sites relativement aux caractéristiques des sites de nidification utilisés et inutilisés. Par rapport aux sites inutilisés, les sites de nidification sélectionnés par l'Amazone de Porto Rico étaient caractérisés par une plus grande visibilité horizontale et verticale à partir de l'entrée du nid, une plus grande densité de palmiers sierra matures et une orientation des entrées des nids plus à l'ouest et exposée au vent. Nos résultats suggèrent que la sélection des sites de nidification constitue une réponse adaptive à la pression de prédation: les sites choisis offrent une meilleure détection des prédateurs à tous les stades du cycle de nidification. Nous concluons que l'identification et la réplication de la « gestalt » des sites de nidification à succès peuvent faciliter les efforts de conser...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Artificial Cavities and Nest Site Selection by Puerto Rican Parrots: a Multiscale Assessment

White¹,

Brown²,

Collazo³

2006

ACE

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“…Usually, local climate conditions, mainly wind and rainfall, are the selective factors that could lead species to build their nests in a specific direction (CONNER, 1975;INOUYE, 1976;RAPHAEL, 1985). Although the findings reported here are indicative of a case where nesting behavior is not determined by environmental conditions, some interesting approaches concerning nesting behavior of the Furnariidae in general and of F. rufus in particular should now be investigated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Particularly for those bird species nesting in rifts, tree hollows or chambers, such as evidenced for South American Psittacidae (parrots, macaws, parakeets), Picidae (woodpeckers), and Furnariidae (ovenbirds), nest opening orientation usually is related to local environmental conditions. In such cases, the factors determining the pattern of nest opening orientation are wind and rainfall (CONNER, 1975;INOUYE, 1976;RAPHAEL, 1985;MEZQUIDA, 2004). Also, habitat characteristics around nest such as a matrix of distinct physiognomies or tree branch arrangement (e. g. inclination) can influence the direction in which birds will positionate the nest entrance (VIÑUELA & SUNYER, 1992;ZWARTJES & NORDELL, 1998;THOGMARTIN, 1999).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate and nest opening orientation in Furnarius rufus (Furnariidae)

Souza

Santos

2007

Iheringia, Sér. Zool.

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ABSTRACT. The Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) is one of the most common bird species in Brazil. Anecdotal information indicates that nest opening orientation in this species is contrary to wind or rainfall direction. To check for the existence of such a pattern, F. rufus nests were randomly sampled within an urban area in central Brazil to assess whether factors such as wind and vegetation cover influence nest opening orientation. Using circular statistics, no evidence was found that nest-opening orientation was important for the species. These results refuse the expected pattern for tree hollow or enclosed nests. The results suggest that factors such as nesting architecture, nest material, nest microclimate or a combination of these, instead of local climate, must be conditioning nesting behavior in this species.KEYWORDS. Circular statistics, Furnarius rufus, nest orientation, nesting behavior, Rufous Hornero.RESUMO. Clima e orientação da abertura dos ninhos de joão-de-barro, Furnarius rufus (Furnariidae). O joão-de-barro (Furnarius rufus) é uma das espécies de aves mais comuns do Brasil. Informações sugerem que a orientação da abertura dos ninhos desse furnarídeo seria direcionada em posição contrária das direções de incidência dos ventos e das chuvas. Para averiguar tal padrão de nidificação, ninhos de F. rufus foram aleatoriamente amostrados em uma área urbana da região Centro-Oeste do Brasil para verificar se fatores como vento e cobertura vegetal exerciam influência sobre a orientação de suas aberturas. Testes envolvendo estatística circular revelaram que a abertura dos ninhos refletiu um padrão aleatório de orientação, algo não esperado para aquelas espécies que nidificam em ocos de árvores ou que constroem seus ninhos de maneira a proteger a câmara de incubação. Ao invés do clima da região, os resultados sugerem que a arquitetura e o material de construção do ninho, o microclima dentro do ninho ou uma combinação desses fatores possam estar condicionando o comportamento de nidificação dessa espécie. PALAVRAS-CHAVE.Estatística circular, Furnarius rufus, joão-de-barro, orientação da entrada do ninho, nidificação.

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“…Studies of primary cavity nesters (Conner 1975, Crockett and Hadow 1975, Inouye 1976, and Inouye et al 1981 indicated that entrance orientation was nonrandom. Cactus…”

Section: Entrance Orientationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding success and nest site characteristics of the western bluebird on Parrett Mountain

Sims¹

2000

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Orientation of Entrances to Woodpecker Nest Cavities

Cited by 67 publications

References 4 publications

Artificial Cavities and Nest Site Selection by Puerto Rican Parrots: a Multiscale Assessment

Artificial Cavities and Nest Site Selection by Puerto Rican Parrots: a Multiscale Assessment

Climate and nest opening orientation in Furnarius rufus (Furnariidae)

Breeding success and nest site characteristics of the western bluebird on Parrett Mountain

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