Audubon’s Hermit Thrushes (Cutharus guttatus auduboni) in central Arizona have a low nesting success (7 to 20%) due almost exclusively to nest predation. We examine the sites chosen for nesting and compare them to nonuse sites randomly selected within the vegetation types associated with nests. Hermit Thrush nest sites differ from nonuse sites primarily in that nest sites have more small (lto 3...

Hosts of brood parasitic cuckoos often employ mobbing attacks to defend their nests and, when is costly, hosts are predicted adjust match parasitism risk. While evidence exists for fine-tuned plasticity, it remains unclear why does not track larger seasonal changes in Here we test a possible explanation from parental investment theory: parents should current more intensively as the opportunity ...

Primary cavity-nesting birds play a critical role in forest ecosystems by excavating cavities later used by other birds and mammals as nesting or roosting sites. Several species of cavity-nesting birds are non-migratory residents and consequently subject to winter conditions. We conducted winter bird counts from 1998 to 2000 to examine the abundance and habitat association of cavity-nesting bir...

Proactive conservation planning for species requires the identification of important spatial attributes across ecologically relevant scales in a model-based framework. However, it is often difficult to develop predictive models, as the explanatory data required for model development across regional management scales is rarely available. Golden eagles are a large-ranging predator of conservation...

In the common Azorean rock-pool blenny, Parablennius parvicornis, males exhibit alternative reproductive morphologies: (1) larger males defend nest sites, provide parental care, have anal glands (involved in pheromone release), testicular glands, and low gonad:body weight ratio (GSI) and (2) smaller, younger, males do not defend nests, have reduced glands and high GSI. These smaller non-nesting...

Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) inhabit estuaries in eastern USA and may tolerate salinity of sea-water for short durations. Many North American estuaries are adversely affected by anthropogenic impacts, such as pollution, dredging and invasion by non-native plants. Many nesting areas have been altered or destroyed, causing terrapins to nest on roadsides and artificial islands made ...

Insect pollinators are suffering global declines, necessitating the evaluation and development of methods for long-term monitoring applied field research. Accordingly, this study evaluated use trap nests (“bee hotels”) as tools investigating ecology cavity nesting Hymenoptera within Irish agricultural landscapes. Three consisting 110 mm diameter plastic pipe containing 100 cardboard nest tubes ...