Lecture 17

Question 1

Nest complexity is correlated with what?

Answer 1

flight ability across spcies

Question 2

——– nests were likely the first nests made by birds

Answer 2

ground

Question 3

what birds build platform nests

Answer 3

built by herons, cormorants, eagles and osprey!

Question 4

why did marbled murrelet go in decline?

Answer 4

they used old growth forests with these horizontal sideway limbs which need to be wide enough to hold the material well enough. Declined with logging

Question 5

what are two main benefits with cavity nests?

Answer 5

shelter eggs from cooling winds and allow the parents body heat to warm the eggs efficiently. So aid in themroregulation
Predation

Question 6

do woodpeckers add nesting material?

Answer 6

no but secondary cavity nesters often do

Question 7

Most woodpeckers prefer what tree and why?

Answer 7

aspen because aspen trees are easier to excavate and better protected

Question 8

why are flickers a key stone species

Answer 8

because so many secondary cavity nesters use their excavations

Question 9

burrow nesters avoid what area in the ground?

Answer 9

talus area because it is loose

Question 10

what birds make cupnests?

Answer 10

songbirds

Question 11

what bird is the most complex nest builders?

Answer 11

african weavers

Question 12

2 reasons why birds build nests:

Answer 12

1. help keep eggs and hatchlings warm

2. Provide protection from predators

Question 13

which has higher predation rates, ground nesters, shrub nesters or cavity nesters?

Answer 13

cavity has lowest, then ground nesters and shrub has highest predaton rate

Question 14

how does fragmentation impact birds nests?

Answer 14

nests in small woodlots receive more predations than those in large contigous woodlots, brood parasites have it easier to find nests

Question 15

3 ways to increase nest safety?

Answer 15

1. Make it inconvenient for predator to get to nest such as horned coot in the water.
2. nest close to noxious species like a wasp nest or near raptors
3. Nest socially in large groups like seabirds

Question 16

what was the conclusion to the study that compared nest structure between 2 envirnents with diff climate, churchill (cold) and Ontario (warm) in robins, finches, and yellow warblers

Answer 16

Nests in chruchill has heavier mass and thicker walls. Robins increases by increasing amount of all nest components whereas warblers and sparrows used more soft plant material and feathers

Question 17

how did horned larks help their nest at a comfortable temperature?

Answer 17

oriented to give shade in the hottest part of the day and ventilation and blocked evening wind which is cold

Question 18

what do baby songbirds have that ducklings and grouse chicks donts?

Answer 18

fecal sacs! Help keeps nest clean

Question 19

what are the 3 hypotheses for addition of aromatic herbs to nests?

Answer 19

1. cover up rotting prey remains? (raptors)
2. Plant compounds kill/deter ectoparasites
3. Advertise nest occupancy to others?