Background:The European Robin(Erithacus rubecula)is eurytopic in its choice of nest site,which can be either half-open or closed,and situated either on the ground or at a height of several meters.On occasion,robins al...Background:The European Robin(Erithacus rubecula)is eurytopic in its choice of nest site,which can be either half-open or closed,and situated either on the ground or at a height of several meters.On occasion,robins also nest in closed nestboxes,though generally only solitary such cases are documented,albeit that dozens of such events can be recorded during the course of some long-term studies.However,until now,nobody has summarised the peculiarities of robins nesting in closed nestboxes.Methods:In the period 1978-2020,wooden tit and starling nestboxes were inspected regularly at five study sites in Lithuania,this totaling more than 18,000 nestbox-seasons.During these inspections,90 cases of robins nesting in the nestboxes were recorded.Publications on this topic from the entire robin distribution range were reviewed.Results:Robins prefer to nest in old large-sized fairly shallow nestboxes with wide entrance holes,for example starling nestboxes or tit nestboxes with enlarged entrance holes.Increased numbers of nestboxes being occupied by robins were recorded for 3-8 years in row.In Lithuania,nesting success in nestboxes is not higher than compared with nesting on the ground.Tree climbing mammals,Pine Martens(Martes martes),Hazel Dormice(Muscardinus avellanarius),Edible Dormice(Glis glis)and Forest Dormice(Dryomys nitedula),are the main predators of robin nests in nestboxes.Conclusions:Some geographic variation was found in the occurrence of robins nesting in nestboxes with more such cases recorded in central and southern parts of the range.Possibly robins are more philopatric in these parts of the range,with the same females or their offspring nesting in nestboxes for several years in row.In areas inhabited by dormice,nesting in closed nestboxes is not advantageous for robins.展开更多
The artificial nestbox on an Asian White Birch (Betula platyphylla) (1360 m in elevation) was used by a pair of Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia) in Beijing, and five eggs were found in the nest in 2005....The artificial nestbox on an Asian White Birch (Betula platyphylla) (1360 m in elevation) was used by a pair of Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia) in Beijing, and five eggs were found in the nest in 2005. One was much larger and was identified as the Oriental Cuckoo’s (Cuculus optatus) egg.展开更多
Conserving species relies upon acquiring an understanding of their use of habitat,yet our understanding of the use of habitat by co-existing species of different guilds at microgeographic scales remains poor.In partic...Conserving species relies upon acquiring an understanding of their use of habitat,yet our understanding of the use of habitat by co-existing species of different guilds at microgeographic scales remains poor.In particular,the use of habitat by woodland species is of conservation concern because of widespread declines in woodland biodiversity.Woodland bird declines have been ascribed,in part,to high deer densities because their browsing reduces the availability of nesting sites and food.We quantify the microgeographic use of habitat by Roe Deer(Capreolus capreolus)and of Great Tits(Parus major),Blue Tits(Cyanistes caeruleus)and Pied Flycatchers(Ficedula hypoleuca)in a heterogenous woodland landscape.We examined the use of habitat at microgeographic scales by the deer and the three bird species in relation to whether the local habitat was flat or wet or had a path,fence or wall within a 25-m radius of 206 randomly selected locations.We first examined if the occupancy rates of nestboxes in those locations were correlated with the number of Roe Deer lays and second,examined if the use of habitat by the Roe Deer and the bird species were associated with each of the habitat features that we quantified.We begin by showing that the use of habitat by Roe Deer is incongruent with the use of habitat by Great Tits,Blue Tits and Pied Flycatchers during the breeding season.Also,whilst all three bird species showed no,or weak,habitat preferences,the Roe Deer preferred daytime lay sites that were in flat areas of wet woodland close to paths,whilst there were no significant effects of the presence of fences and walls.These findings show that the Roe Deer and the three bird species differ in the use of habitat within a heterogenous woodland landscape,meaning that their use of habitat did not overlap at microgeographic scales.Meanwhile,the deer showed preferences for flat areas of wet woodland,whilst none of the bird species exhibited such preferences,and we discuss the implications of our findings for the management of woodlands.展开更多
文摘Background:The European Robin(Erithacus rubecula)is eurytopic in its choice of nest site,which can be either half-open or closed,and situated either on the ground or at a height of several meters.On occasion,robins also nest in closed nestboxes,though generally only solitary such cases are documented,albeit that dozens of such events can be recorded during the course of some long-term studies.However,until now,nobody has summarised the peculiarities of robins nesting in closed nestboxes.Methods:In the period 1978-2020,wooden tit and starling nestboxes were inspected regularly at five study sites in Lithuania,this totaling more than 18,000 nestbox-seasons.During these inspections,90 cases of robins nesting in the nestboxes were recorded.Publications on this topic from the entire robin distribution range were reviewed.Results:Robins prefer to nest in old large-sized fairly shallow nestboxes with wide entrance holes,for example starling nestboxes or tit nestboxes with enlarged entrance holes.Increased numbers of nestboxes being occupied by robins were recorded for 3-8 years in row.In Lithuania,nesting success in nestboxes is not higher than compared with nesting on the ground.Tree climbing mammals,Pine Martens(Martes martes),Hazel Dormice(Muscardinus avellanarius),Edible Dormice(Glis glis)and Forest Dormice(Dryomys nitedula),are the main predators of robin nests in nestboxes.Conclusions:Some geographic variation was found in the occurrence of robins nesting in nestboxes with more such cases recorded in central and southern parts of the range.Possibly robins are more philopatric in these parts of the range,with the same females or their offspring nesting in nestboxes for several years in row.In areas inhabited by dormice,nesting in closed nestboxes is not advantageous for robins.
文摘The artificial nestbox on an Asian White Birch (Betula platyphylla) (1360 m in elevation) was used by a pair of Yellow-rumped Flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia) in Beijing, and five eggs were found in the nest in 2005. One was much larger and was identified as the Oriental Cuckoo’s (Cuculus optatus) egg.
文摘Conserving species relies upon acquiring an understanding of their use of habitat,yet our understanding of the use of habitat by co-existing species of different guilds at microgeographic scales remains poor.In particular,the use of habitat by woodland species is of conservation concern because of widespread declines in woodland biodiversity.Woodland bird declines have been ascribed,in part,to high deer densities because their browsing reduces the availability of nesting sites and food.We quantify the microgeographic use of habitat by Roe Deer(Capreolus capreolus)and of Great Tits(Parus major),Blue Tits(Cyanistes caeruleus)and Pied Flycatchers(Ficedula hypoleuca)in a heterogenous woodland landscape.We examined the use of habitat at microgeographic scales by the deer and the three bird species in relation to whether the local habitat was flat or wet or had a path,fence or wall within a 25-m radius of 206 randomly selected locations.We first examined if the occupancy rates of nestboxes in those locations were correlated with the number of Roe Deer lays and second,examined if the use of habitat by the Roe Deer and the bird species were associated with each of the habitat features that we quantified.We begin by showing that the use of habitat by Roe Deer is incongruent with the use of habitat by Great Tits,Blue Tits and Pied Flycatchers during the breeding season.Also,whilst all three bird species showed no,or weak,habitat preferences,the Roe Deer preferred daytime lay sites that were in flat areas of wet woodland close to paths,whilst there were no significant effects of the presence of fences and walls.These findings show that the Roe Deer and the three bird species differ in the use of habitat within a heterogenous woodland landscape,meaning that their use of habitat did not overlap at microgeographic scales.Meanwhile,the deer showed preferences for flat areas of wet woodland,whilst none of the bird species exhibited such preferences,and we discuss the implications of our findings for the management of woodlands.
