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The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: a review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases

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Title: The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: a review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases
Authors: Lambrechts, Marcel M., Adriaensen, Frank, Ardia, Daniel R., Artemyev, Alexandr V., Atienzar, Francisco, Banbura, Jerzy, Barba, Emilio, Bouvier, Jean-Charles, Camprodon, Jordi, Cooper, Caren B., Dawson, Russell D., Eens, Marcel, Eeva, Tapio, Faivre, Bruno, Garamszegi, Laszlo Z., Goodenough, Anne E., Gosler, Andrew G., Gregoire, Arnaud, Griffith, Simon C., Gustafsson, Lars, Johnson, L. Scott, Kania, Wojciech, Keiss, Oskars, Llambias, Paulo E., Mainwaring, Mark C., Mand, Raivo, Massa, Bruno, Mazgajski, Tomasz D., Moller, Anders Pape, Moreno, Juan, Naef-Daenzer, Beat, Nilsson, Jan-Åke, Norte, Ana C., Orell, Markku, Otter, Ken A., Park, Chan Ryul, Perrins, Christopher M., Pinowski, Jan, Porkert, Jiri, Potti, Jaime, Remes, Vladimir, Richner, Heinz, Rytkonen, Seppo, Shiao, Ming-Tang, Silverin, Bengt, Slagsvold, Tore, Smith, Henrik, Sorace, Alberto, Stenning, Martyn J., Stewart, Ian, Thompson, Charles F., Tryjanowski, Piotr, Torok, Janos, van Noordwijk, Arie J., Winkler, David W., Ziane, Nadia
Contributors: Lund University, Faculty of Science, Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lunds universitet, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, Centrum för miljö- och klimatvetenskap (CEC), Originator, Lund University, Profile areas and other strong research environments, Strategic research areas (SRA), BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate, Lunds universitet, Profilområden och andra starka forskningsmiljöer, Strategiska forskningsområden (SFO), BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Research groups at the Department of Biology, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Lunds universitet, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, Biologiska institutionen, Forskargrupper vid Biologiska institutionen, Biodiversitet och bevarandevetenskap, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Research groups at the Department of Biology, Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, Lunds universitet, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, Biologiska institutionen, Forskargrupper vid Biologiska institutionen, Ekologisk och evolutionär fysiologi, Originator
Source: Acta Ornithologica. 45(1):1-26
Subject Terms: Natural Sciences, Biological Sciences, Naturvetenskap, Biologi, Earth and Related Environmental Sciences, Geovetenskap och relaterad miljövetenskap, Ecology (including Biodiversity Conservation), Ekologi
Description: The widespread use of artificial nestboxes has led to significant advances in our knowledge of the ecology, behaviour and physiology of cavity nesting birds, especially small passerines Nestboxes have made it easier to perform routine monitoring and experimental manipulation of eggs or nestlings, and also repeatedly to capture, identify and manipulate the parents However, when comparing results across study sites the use of nestboxes may also Introduce a potentially significant confounding variable in the form of differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained However, the use of nestboxes may also introduce an unconsidered and potentially significant confounding variable clue to differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained Here we review to what extent the characteristics of artificial nestboxes (e g size, shape, construction material, colour) are documented in the 'methods' sections of publications involving hole-nesting passerine birds using natural or excavated cavities or artificial nestboxes for reproduction and roosting Despite explicit previous recommendations that authors describe in detail the characteristics of the nestboxes used, we found that the description of nestbox characteristics in most recent publications remains poor and insufficient We therefore list the types of descriptive data that should be included in the methods sections of relevant manuscripts and justify this by discussing how variation in nestbox characteristics can affect or confound conclusions from nestbox studies We also propose several recommendations to improve the reliability and usefulness of research based on long-term studies of any secondary hole-nesting species using artificial nestboxes for breeding or roosting.
Database: SwePub
Description
Abstract:The widespread use of artificial nestboxes has led to significant advances in our knowledge of the ecology, behaviour and physiology of cavity nesting birds, especially small passerines Nestboxes have made it easier to perform routine monitoring and experimental manipulation of eggs or nestlings, and also repeatedly to capture, identify and manipulate the parents However, when comparing results across study sites the use of nestboxes may also Introduce a potentially significant confounding variable in the form of differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained However, the use of nestboxes may also introduce an unconsidered and potentially significant confounding variable clue to differences in nestbox design amongst studies, such as their physical dimensions, placement height, and the way in which they are constructed and maintained Here we review to what extent the characteristics of artificial nestboxes (e g size, shape, construction material, colour) are documented in the 'methods' sections of publications involving hole-nesting passerine birds using natural or excavated cavities or artificial nestboxes for reproduction and roosting Despite explicit previous recommendations that authors describe in detail the characteristics of the nestboxes used, we found that the description of nestbox characteristics in most recent publications remains poor and insufficient We therefore list the types of descriptive data that should be included in the methods sections of relevant manuscripts and justify this by discussing how variation in nestbox characteristics can affect or confound conclusions from nestbox studies We also propose several recommendations to improve the reliability and usefulness of research based on long-term studies of any secondary hole-nesting species using artificial nestboxes for breeding or roosting.
ISSN:00016454
DOI:10.3161/000164510X516047