Artificial nest site preferences of black-capped chickadees
-
Published source details
Cooper C. & Bonter D. (2008) Artificial nest site preferences of black-capped chickadees. Journal of Field Ornithology, 79, 193-197.
Published source details Cooper C. & Bonter D. (2008) Artificial nest site preferences of black-capped chickadees. Journal of Field Ornithology, 79, 193-197.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
|
Provide artificial nesting sites for songbirds Action Link |
 |
-
Provide artificial nesting sites for songbirds
A replicated study in the summers of 2005-7 in an area of swamp forest in New York State, USA (Cooper & Bonter 2008), found that black-capped chickadees Parus atricapillus (also Poecile atricapillus) nested in a higher proportion of artificial snags than nest boxes filled with wood shavings (60-70% of 20 snags excavated by chickadees each year and 25-30% used for nests vs. 40-50% and 15% for filled boxes). Chickadees also used more nest boxes filled with wood shavings than unfilled boxes. Nests in artificial snags were less likely to be usurped by mice and no more likely to be usurped by house wrens Troglodytes aedon than nest boxes. Twenty sites were used, 12 with snags and filled boxes and eight with unfilled boxes as well. Snags consisted on 10.2 cm diameter PVC pipes with a 2.8 cm entrance hole and filled with wood shavings.
