Data from: Previous reproductive success informs nest-building decisions
Data files
Feb 20, 2025 version files 130.06 KB
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RBreedingSuccess.csv
8.88 KB
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README.md
2.53 KB
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RMaterialsTS.csv
118.65 KB
Abstract
Behavioral outcomes, including foraging efficiency and reproductive success, often improve with age and with repeated breeding attempts. Here we examined the role of previous experience on the nest-building behavior of wild blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus. In particular, we focused on how previous success or failure in rearing nestlings shapes nest-building decisions in subsequent years. We found that previous breeding outcome is important for predicting nest building decisions in blue tits: birds that had previously raised fledglings added insulating material at a similar rate as they had when they built their first nest. Some birds that had been previously unsuccessful changed their rate of adding insulating material and then were more likely to produce fledglings. These responses indicate that at least some of the decisions made by wild nest-building birds are based on their own experience of past breeding seasons.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dz08kps7m
Description of the data and file structure
Files and variables
File: RBreedingSuccess.csv
Description: contains information on 182 nests.
Variables
- Year: year the nest was monitored.
- NestBox: unique identifiers for the nest boxes.
- ClutchID: unique identifiers for each nest.
- MotherID: unique identifiers for the nest builders (female birds).
- Fledglings: number of fledglings produced from the current nest.
- Experienced: whether the bird had built a nest in the past.
- newExpLevel: categorical reproductive outcome from the bird's previous nest.
- prevFledglings: number of fledglings produced from the bird's previous nest.
File: RMaterialsTS.csv
Description: contains details of 767 photographs taken of 62 nests (2 nests per female bird in 2 consecutive years).
Variables
- ClutchID: unique identifier for the nest.
- date: date the photograph was taken.
- dateJulian: the number of days since 1st January in the year the nest was built.
- year: year the nest was built.
- MotherID: the unique identifer for the nest builder (the female bird).
- pinsul: proportion of the nest surface in the photograph that was insulation material.
- pstruc: the proportion of the nest surface in the photograph that was structural material.
- temp14dmean: mean air temperature in the 14 days prior to the photograph being taken.
- temp7dmean: mean air temperature in the 7 days prior to the photograph being taken.
- temp3dmean: mean air temperature in the 3 days prior to the photograph being taken.
- pbuildday: proportion of nest building duration that had elapsed for this nest on the day the photograph was taken.
- timeS: sequence of days on which each photograph was taken, with 1 being the first day a photograph was taken of this nest.
- Fledglings: number of fledglings produced from this nest.
- Experienced: whether the bird had built a nest in the past.
- newExpLevel: categorical reproductive outcome from the bird's previous nest.
Code/software
Values for nest surface composition were determined by analysis in Image J (see paper for full details).
Statistical analysis was in R v.4.2.2; see paper for details of packages.
Access information
Hourly temperature data were obtained from the Met Office's Leuchars weather station. See paper for details of processing.