Publication in Scientific Reports: on the importance of illumination in nest site choice in birds

In recent paper published in Scientific Reports, Paweł Podkowa and Adrian Surmacki (Department of Avian Biology and Ecology) reported the first evidence that light may be important factor influencing nest site choice and nest building strategies in birds. Study performed on Great Tit (Parus major) revealed that secondary cavity nesting birds prefer artificially brightened nest boxes which were chosen twice as often as dark nest boxes. The second key finding from the study is that birds build significantly higher nests in dark (traditional) nest boxes, comparing to bright ones. This strategy allows birds to compensate for deficiency of light in dark conditions. Results of the study indicate that light may improve nestlings’ fitness and enhance adults’ vision within a cavity.

The paper is available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-01430-y