A Review of the Roles Materials Play in Determining Functional Properties of Bird Nests

Abstract

Avian nests are crucial to reproduction as they are the site for incubation of the clutch of eggs and, in many cases, it is the location for the rearing of chicks hatched. Despite many years of reports of the characteristics of nests from many species our understanding of their functional properties has been very poor. Over the past few years, interest in the functional properties of nests has increased and this review brings together information regarding how materials used to construct the nest contribute to various functional properties. The review starts with a brief consideration of the various functions of nests but thereafter the focus is on the key roles that it plays during incubation. Details of the variety of materials used in nest construction emphasises the importance of quantitative data on the types and amounts of materials used in nests and how this information allows analysis that can improve our understanding of functional properties. Subsequent sections explore structural and thermal properties of nests in more detail. The roles that a nest can play in maintaining nest humidity and in weather-proofing the contents are also explored. The concept that the nest is an extended phenotype that has a role in niche creation is explored before the review concludes with a consideration of future directions for research.

The role of climatic variables on nest evolution in tanagers

“…Nest architecture among birds is diverse, and the climatic conditions in habitats where nests are built are likely to have played an important role in driving the evolutionary diversity of the nest characteristics we currently observe (Perez et al., 2020 ). Bird nests provide protection for eggs and nestlings not only from predators and parasites but also from harsh climatic conditions such as extreme temperatures or strong winds (Deeming, 2023 ; Perez et al., 2020 ; Scott‐Baumann & Morgan, 2015 ). Sub‐optimal climatic conditions inside nests can lead to abnormal development or even death of the embryos (Deeming et al., 2020 ; Mainwaring & Hartley, 2013 ; Ritz et al., 2005 ).…”

“…To date, most studies that have explored the link between climatic pressures and nest architecture have focused on general nest types rather than nest traits, few climatic variables (temperature and/or humidity) and/or have included a single or few species of birds (Malzer & Hansell, 2017 ; Perez et al., 2020 ). Research on climatic data and nest traits has focused mainly on European and Australian species, and studies on South American birds are considerably fewer despite being the area with the highest diversity of bird species (Cerezo & Deeming, 2016 ; Gaston & Blackburn, 1997 ; Heenan et al., 2015 ; Lees et al., 2020 ; see also Deeming, 2023 , for a detailed review). The 19th‐ and early‐20th‐century expeditions in the southern hemisphere contributed to an increase in the number of Neotropical ornithological specimens (especially type specimens that are linked to the scientific name) in European and North American museums offering an incredible resource to explore the diversity of specific nest traits at a macroevolutionary scale, including more detailed aspects of nest morphology and species from a wide geographic range (Heenan et al., 2015 ; Joseph, 2011 ; Rinkert et al., 2021 ; Russell et al., 2013 ).…”

Nest Design and Breeding Success: Replicability of Methodologies and Research Findings in Secondary Hole Nesting Passerines

“…Eggs and offspring of many animal taxa regularly develop in constructions like nests, containers, burrows, or holes [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Animal constructions are amongst the first examples mentioned in discussions about extended phenotypes or 'niche construction', which also implies that nest design should have important fitness-associated implications [3,5,11,12].…”

“…Eggs and offspring of many animal taxa regularly develop in constructions like nests, containers, burrows, or holes [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. Animal constructions are amongst the first examples mentioned in discussions about extended phenotypes or 'niche construction', which also implies that nest design should have important fitness-associated implications [3,5,11,12]. However, to our best knowledge, review papers dealing with animal constructions have never discussed in detail the associations between nest architecture and breeding success, perhaps because there are few quantitative studies that have combined these aspects in ecological investigations of reproduction.…”

“…A bird nest typically consists of a non-random combination of various vegetationderived, animal-derived, and/or mineral-based materials [5]. While the harder nest components (e.g., sticks, roots, mud) are used to strengthen the nest base and nest walls, softer vegetation fragments (e.g., moss, grass, and leaves) and/or animal-derived materials (e.g., feathers, hair, fur) are most often placed in the vicinity of vulnerable eggs and chicks [13,14].…”