Variation in the Structure of Bird Nests between Northern Manitoba and Southeastern Ontario

Abstract

Traits that converge in appearance under similar environmental conditions among phylogenetically independent lineages are thought to represent adaptations to local environments. We tested for convergence in nest morphology and composition of birds breeding in two ecologically different locations in Canada: Churchill in northern Manitoba and Elgin in southeastern Ontario. We examined nests from four families of passerine birds (Turdidae: Turdus, Parulidae: Dendroica, Emberizidae: Passerculus and Fringillidae: Carduelis) where closely related populations or species breed in both locations. Nests of American Robins, Yellow Warblers, and Carduelis finches had heavier nest masses, and tended to have thicker nest-walls, in northern Manitoba compared with conspecifics or congenerics breeding in southeastern Ontario. Together, all species showed evidence for wider internal and external nest-cup diameters in northern Manitoba, while individual species showed varying patterns for internal nest-cup and external nest depths. American Robins, Yellow Warblers, and Carduelis finches in northern Manitoba achieved heavier nest masses in different ways. American Robins increased all materials in similar proportions, and Yellow Warblers and Common Redpolls used greater amounts of select materials. While changes in nest composition vary uniquely for each species, the pattern of larger nests in northern Manitoba compared to southeastern Ontario in three of our four phylogenetically-independent comparisons suggests that birds are adapting to similar selective pressures between locations.

Effects of Female Body Size and Phylogeny on Avian Nest Dimensions

“…This was because smaller birds (typically passerines) tended to produce disproportionately wider and deeper nests with relatively thicker walls than the non-passerines. By contrast, cup dimensions describe the space occupied by the bird and eggs and can be unrelated to other nest dimensions (Crossman et al, 2011;Heenan and Seymour, 2012). In the present study, cup diameter was highly correlated with body mass and exhibited no effect of taxon such that larger birds have relatively narrower nest cup diameters than smaller birds.…”

Causes and Consequences of Intraspecific Variation in Nesting Behaviors: Insights from Blue Tits and Great Tits

“…Further, laying dates were earlier in woodcrete nestboxes, and whilst nestbox type did not influence clutch size, the eggs of both species were significantly smaller in woodcrete boxes and pairs occupying woodcrete nestboxes had lower levels of breeding success than conspecifics occupying wooden nestboxes (Bueno-Enciso et al, 2016). In addition to the characteristics of nestboxes, blue and great tit nest design should vary in relation to environmental conditions as the design of birds' nests vary with increasing temperatures as spring advances in temperate environments (McGowan et al, 2004;Liljesthröm et al, 2009), as altitude decreases (Kern and van Riper, 1984) and as latitude decreases (Crossman et al, 2011;Mainwaring et al, 2014a).…”

Experimental manipulation of photoperiod and temperature does not influence nest size in Blue and Great tits

“…Birds have been predicted to build larger, more insulated, nests at more northern latitudes, at higher altitudes, during colder years, or earlier in the season (Nager and van Noordwijk 1992, Hansell 2000, Britt and Deeming 2011, Crossman et al 2011, Heenan et al 2015, Lambrechts et al 2016. Longer days provide more opportunities to find the resources needed to build larger nests and have been shown to increase nest-building rates (Hinde et al 1974).…”