I studied Marsh Tit, a secondary hole nesting bird in an area with superabundant holes (primeval forest in the Białowieża National Park, E Poland), expecting to find no relationship between hole size and, either clutch size, or breeding performance. Analysis of about 350 nest histories collected over 13 years revealed, as expected, no difference between breeding in medium-sized or large holes, but birds using small holes (lowest 25th percentile) laid smaller clutches, fledged marginally fewer young and lost more broods than the birds using the two larger size classes. This variation was not due to differences in timing of laying or the age of females across the hole classes. It is proposed that the use of small holes persisted because of relatively low fitness costs of making such a sub-optimal choice.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 July 2003
Clutch Size and Breeding Performance of Marsh Tits Parus palustris in Relation to Hole Size in a Primeval Forest
Tomasz Wesołowski
D. Czeszczewik
2001. [Breeding ecology of Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca in natural and managed woods]. PhD thesis, Wrocław University. Google Scholar
C. Erbelding-Denk
,
F. Trillmich
1990. Nestbox climate and its effects on Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings. J. Ornithol. 131: 73–84. Google Scholar
J. B. Faliński
1986. Vegetation dynamics in temperate forests (Ecological studies in Białowieża Forest). Dr W Junk Publ., Dordrecht. Google Scholar
H. Löhrl
1973. Influence of nest-box size on clutch size of the Great Tit (Parus major). J. Ornithol. 114: 339–347. Google Scholar
F. B. Ludescher
1973. [The Marsh Tit (Parus palustris) and the Willow Tit (Parus montanus) as sympatric sibling-species]. J. Ornithol. 114: 3–56. Google Scholar
M. Yu. Markovets
2001. [Population ecology of Marsh Tit (Parus palustris)]. PhD thesis, Zoological Institute, Russian Acad. Sci., Sankt-Peterburg. Google Scholar
M. Yu. Markovets
,
V. G. Visotsky
1993. Breeding biology of the marsh tit (Parus palustris) on the Courish Spit. Russian J. Ornithol. 2: 61–69. Google Scholar
I. Newton
1995. The role of nest sites in limiting the numbers of hole-nesting birds: a review. Biol. Conserv. 70: 265–276. Google Scholar
T. Slagsvold
1989. Experiments on clutch size and nest size in passerine birds. Oecologia 80: 297–302. Google Scholar
L. Tomiałojć,
T. Wesołowski
1990. Bird communities of the primaeval temperate forest of Białowieża, Poland. In:
A. Keast (ed.).
Biogeography and ecology of forest bird communities. SPB Academic Publishing, Hague, pp. 141–165. Google Scholar
L. Tomiałojć
,
T. Wesołowski
1994. Die Stabilität von Vogelgemienschaften in einem Urwald der gemässigten Zone: Ergebnisse einer 15 jährigen Studie aus dem Nationalpark von Białowieża (Polen). Ornithol. Beob. 91: 73–110. Google Scholar
L. Tomiałojć
,
T. Wesołowski
,
W. Walankiewicz
1984. Breeding bird community of a primaeval temperate forest (Białowieża National Park, Poland). Acta Ornithol. 20: 241–310. Google Scholar
W. Walankiewicz
1991. Do secondary-cavity nesting birds suffer more from competition for cavities or from predation in a primaeval deciduous forest? Nat. Areas J. 11: 203–212. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
1989. Nest-sites of hole-nesters in a primaeval temperate forest (Białowieża National Park, Poland). Acta Ornithol. 25: 321–351. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
1996. Natural nest sites of Marsh Tit (Parus palustris) in a primaeval forest (Białowieża National Park, Poland). Vogelwarte 38: 235–249. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
1998. Timing and synchronisation of breeding in a Marsh Tit Parus palustris population from a primaeval forest. Ardea 86: 89–100. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
1999. Marsh Tits (Parus palustris) are not excavators. Ibis 141: 149. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
2000. Time saving mechanisms in the reproduction of Marsh Tits Parus palustris.
J. Ornithol. 141: 309–318. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
2001a. Host-parasite interactions in natural holes: marsh tits (Parus palustris) and blow flies (Protocalliphora falcozi). J. Zool. 255: 495–503. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
2001b. Ground checks — an efficient and reliable method to monitor holes' fate. Ornis Fenn. 78: 193–197. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
2002. Antipredator adaptations in nesting marsh tits Parus palustris — the role of nest site security. Ibis 144: 593–601. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
(in press). Bird community dynamics in a primaeval forest — is interspecific competition important? Ornis Hung. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski,
P. Rowiński
(in press). The breeding behaviour of the Nuthatch Sitta europaea in relation to natural hole attributes in a primeval forest. Google Scholar
T. Wesołowski
,
L. Tomiałojć
1995. Ornithologische Untersuchungen im Urwald von Białowieża — eine Übersicht. Ornithol. Beob. 92: 111–146. Google Scholar
K. L. Wiebe
,
T. L. Swift
2001. Clutch size relative to tree cavity size in Northern Flickers. J. Avian Biology 32: 167–173. Google Scholar
W. Winkel
1970. Hinweise zur Art- und Altersbestimmung von Nestlingen höhlenbrütender Vogelarten anhand ihrer Körperentwicklung. Vogelwelt 91: 52–59. Google Scholar
Acta Ornithologica
Vol. 38 • No. 1
July 2003
Vol. 38 • No. 1
July 2003
Białowieża National Park
Marsh Tit
nest success
Parus palustris
tree holes