Energy Savings Attending Winter-Nest Use by Verdins (Auriparus flaviceps)

Buttemer, William A.; Astheimer, Lee B.; Weathers, Wesley W.; Hayworth, Anita M.

doi:10.2307/4087558

Cited by 29 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Some birds use cavities in trees and in other structures (Knorr 1957;Zonov 1967Zonov , 1982Kendeigh 1961;Korhonen 1981;Mayer et al 1982) or nests for roosting (Bent 1946;Caccamise and Weathers 1977;Weatherhead et al 1985). The 6-7-g verdin (Auriparusjlaviceps), a North American desert bird, is of particular interest in this connection, for it constructs and utilizes'domed winter nests that afford considerable thermal protection on cold nights (Bent 1946;Buttemer et al 1987). An even more spectacular example of such sheltering is afforded by sociable weavers (Ploceus cucullatus) in the deserts of southern Africa (White et al 1975).…”

Section: Behavior Serving To Reduce Heat Loss In the Coldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avian Adjustments to Cold

Marsh

Dawson

1989

Advances in Comparative and Environmental Physiology

113

104

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Section: Behavior Serving To Reduce Heat Loss In the Coldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Avian Adjustments to Cold

Marsh

Dawson

1989

Advances in Comparative and Environmental Physiology

113

104

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

“…Enclosed nests can reduce adult energy expenditure when temperatures are below the thermoneutral zone of birds (Buttemer et al . ) and mammals (Redman, Selman & Speakman ). In addition, lab tests showed that egg cooling rates were slowed in enclosed compared with open cup nests of birds (Lamprecht & Schmolz ), and slower egg cooling rates could allow parents to spend more time off the nest during incubation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enclosed nests may provide greater thermal than nest predation benefits compared with open nests across latitudes

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary Nest structure is thought to provide benefits that have fitness consequences for several taxa. Traditionally, reduced nest predation has been considered the primary benefit underlying evolution of nest structure, whereas thermal benefits have been considered a secondary or even non‐existent factor. Yet, the relative roles of these factors on nest structures remain largely unexplored. Enclosed nests have a constructed or natural roof connected to sides that allow a restricted opening or tube entrance that provides cover in all directions except the entrance, whereas open nests are cups or platforms that are open above. We show that construction of enclosed nests is more common among songbirds (Passeriformes) in tropical and southern hemisphere regions than in north temperate regions. This geographic pattern may reflect selection from predation risk, under long‐standing assumptions that nest predation rates are higher in southern regions and that enclosed nests reduce predation risk compared with open cup nests. We therefore compared nest predation rates between enclosed vs. open nests in 114 songbird species that do not nest in tree holes among five communities of coexisting birds, and for 205 non‐hole‐nesting species from the literature, across northern temperate, tropical, and southern hemisphere regions. Among coexisting species, enclosed nests had lower nest predation rates than open nests in two south temperate sites, but not in either of two tropical sites or a north temperate site. Nest predation did not differ between nest types at any latitude based on literature data. Among 319 species from both our field studies and the literature, enclosed nests did not show consistent benefits of reduced predation and, in fact, predation was not consistently higher in the tropics, contrary to long‐standing perspectives. Thermal benefits of enclosed nests were indicated based on three indirect results. First, species that built enclosed nests were smaller than species using open nests both among coexisting species and among species from the literature. Smaller species lose heat fastest and thereby may gain important thermal benefits from reduced convective cooling. Second, eggs were warmed by parents for less time in species with enclosed nests, as can be expected if egg cooling rates are slower. Finally, species using enclosed nests exhibited enhanced growth of mass and wings compared with species using open nests, suggesting reduced thermoregulatory costs allowed increased energy for growth. Enclosed nests may therefore provide more consistent thermal than nest predation benefits, counter to long‐standing perspectives. A http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2435.12819/suppinfo is available for this article.

show abstract

“…For example, in small (<100 g) temperate or subtropical bird species, the overnight energy savings from communal roosting can be as much as 50%, depending on ambient conditions and group size BoixHinzen and Lovegrove, 1998;McKechnie and Lovegrove, 2001;Du Plessis and Williams, 1994). The use of an insulated nest or cavity with protection from wind may further enhance savings (Buttemer et al, 1987;Du Plessis and Williams, 1994;.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energetics of communal roosting in chestnut-crowned babblers: implications for group dynamics and breeding phenology

Chappell

Buttemer

Russell

2016

Journal of Experimental Biology

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

For many endotherms, communal roosting saves energy in cold conditions, but how this might affect social dynamics or breeding phenology is not well understood. Using chestnut-crowned babblers (Pomatostomus ruficeps), we studied the effects of nest use and group size on roosting energy costs. These 50 g cooperatively breeding passerine birds of outback Australia breed from late winter to early summer and roost in huddles of up to 20 in single-chambered nests. We measured babbler metabolism at three ecologically relevant temperatures: 5°C (similar to minimum nighttime temperatures during early breeding), 15°C (similar to nighttime temperatures during late breeding) and 28°C (thermal neutrality). Nest use alone had modest effects: even for solitary babblers at 5°C, it reduced nighttime energy expenditures by <15%. However, groupsize effects were substantial, with savings of up to 60% in large groups at low temperatures. Babblers roosting in groups of seven or more at 5°C, and five or more at 15°C, did not need to elevate metabolic rates above basal levels. Furthermore, even at 28°C (thermoneutral for solitary babblers), individuals in groups of four or more had 15% lower basal metabolic rate than single birds, hinting that roosting in small groups is stressful. We suggest that the substantial energy savings of communal roosting at low temperatures help explain why early breeding is initiated in large groups and why breeding females, which roost alone and consequently expend 120% more energy overnight than other group members, suffer relatively higher mortality than communally roosting group mates.

show abstract

Energy Savings Attending Winter-Nest Use by Verdins (Auriparus flaviceps)

Cited by 29 publications

References 15 publications

Avian Adjustments to Cold

Avian Adjustments to Cold

Enclosed nests may provide greater thermal than nest predation benefits compared with open nests across latitudes

Energetics of communal roosting in chestnut-crowned babblers: implications for group dynamics and breeding phenology

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About