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Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

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Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. / Mainwaring, Mark C.; Hartley, Ian R.
In: Behavioural Processes, Vol. 81, No. 1, 2009, p. 144-146.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Mainwaring, MC & Hartley, IR 2009, 'Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus.', Behavioural Processes, vol. 81, no. 1, pp. 144-146. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03766357>

APA

Mainwaring, M. C., & Hartley, I. R. (2009). Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. Behavioural Processes, 81(1), 144-146. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03766357

Vancouver

Mainwaring MC, Hartley IR. Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. Behavioural Processes. 2009;81(1):144-146.

Author

Mainwaring, Mark C. ; Hartley, Ian R. / Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus. In: Behavioural Processes. 2009 ; Vol. 81, No. 1. pp. 144-146.

Bibtex

@article{5af49ffde7f74e8bb94e58fa0b3f9b24,
title = "Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus.",
abstract = "Parental investment in reproduction is generally limited by food availability, and so avian life-history research has traditionally focused on the brood rearing phase, when food requirements are greatest. Only relatively recently has the focus extended to the incubation phase, and even more recently to the nestbuilding phase, where observational and comparative evidence suggest that avian nest building is an energetically expensive and time-consuming activity. We aimed to experimentally test the limitations on this cost in a hole-breeding passerine, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), by providing supplementary food to experimental pairs during the nest-building period. In comparison with control females, that did not receive supplementary food, experimental females constructed heavier nests, with greater amounts of moss base but similar amounts of cup lining, despite there being no differences in the time taken to build the nest. This study provides empirical support for the hypothesis that avian nest building is a costly behaviour, limited by food availability.",
keywords = "Nest construction, Supplementary food, Nest weight, Blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus, Reproductive costs",
author = "Mainwaring, {Mark C.} and Hartley, {Ian R.}",
year = "2009",
language = "English",
volume = "81",
pages = "144--146",
journal = "Behavioural Processes",
issn = "0376-6357",
publisher = "Elsevier",
number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Experimental evidence for state-dependent nest weight in the blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus.

AU - Mainwaring, Mark C.

AU - Hartley, Ian R.

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Parental investment in reproduction is generally limited by food availability, and so avian life-history research has traditionally focused on the brood rearing phase, when food requirements are greatest. Only relatively recently has the focus extended to the incubation phase, and even more recently to the nestbuilding phase, where observational and comparative evidence suggest that avian nest building is an energetically expensive and time-consuming activity. We aimed to experimentally test the limitations on this cost in a hole-breeding passerine, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), by providing supplementary food to experimental pairs during the nest-building period. In comparison with control females, that did not receive supplementary food, experimental females constructed heavier nests, with greater amounts of moss base but similar amounts of cup lining, despite there being no differences in the time taken to build the nest. This study provides empirical support for the hypothesis that avian nest building is a costly behaviour, limited by food availability.

AB - Parental investment in reproduction is generally limited by food availability, and so avian life-history research has traditionally focused on the brood rearing phase, when food requirements are greatest. Only relatively recently has the focus extended to the incubation phase, and even more recently to the nestbuilding phase, where observational and comparative evidence suggest that avian nest building is an energetically expensive and time-consuming activity. We aimed to experimentally test the limitations on this cost in a hole-breeding passerine, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), by providing supplementary food to experimental pairs during the nest-building period. In comparison with control females, that did not receive supplementary food, experimental females constructed heavier nests, with greater amounts of moss base but similar amounts of cup lining, despite there being no differences in the time taken to build the nest. This study provides empirical support for the hypothesis that avian nest building is a costly behaviour, limited by food availability.

KW - Nest construction

KW - Supplementary food

KW - Nest weight

KW - Blue tit

KW - Cyanistes caeruleus

KW - Reproductive costs

M3 - Journal article

VL - 81

SP - 144

EP - 146

JO - Behavioural Processes

JF - Behavioural Processes

SN - 0376-6357

IS - 1

ER -