Delayed timing of breeding attempts, but not time lost to nest construction, reduces the annual reproductive output of the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2022
Journal / Book Title
Avian Biology Research
Abstract
For many birds, nest construction is a costly aspect of parental care, trading finite energetic resources between parental care and self-maintenance. For multi-brooded organisms with short breeding seasons, such as migratory passerines, repeated nest construction could be especially costly if the activity delays the onset of breeding attempts. Earlier studies on passerines that reuse nests between breeding seasons suggested that time lost to initial nest construction reduces seasonal reproductive output. However, costs associated with building new nests between breeding attempts, within the same breeding season, have largely been ignored. Here, we experimentally removed first nests, after fledging or failing, of Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe), to evaluate how the annual onset of breeding and nest construction between breeding attempts affected parental investment into second attempts. We found that first egg laying date negatively predicted the probability of second breeding attempts, but experimental treatment (first nest removal vs. control) did not. Neither first egg laying date nor treatment statistically influenced any of the reproductive traits in second breeding attempts (clutch size, nestling body condition, and nestling growth rate). We conclude that in this species, second breeding attempts are limited by the initial onset of seasonal reproduction, and not by time lost to nest construction between breeding attempts.
DOI
10.1177/17581559211066094
Journal ISSN / Book ISBN
85122124726 (Scopus)
MSU Digital Commons Citation
Enos, Janice K.; Hauber, Mark E.; and Aidala, Zachary, "Delayed timing of breeding attempts, but not time lost to nest construction, reduces the annual reproductive output of the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)" (2022). Department of Psychology Scholarship and Creative Works. 1.
https://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/bloomfield-psychology-facpubs/1