Microscale nest-site selection by the Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) in the Pampas of Argentina

MARTINEZ G.; BALADRÓN A. V.; CAVALLI M.; BÓ M. S.; ISACCH J. P

WILSON JOURNAL OF ORNITHOLOGY

WILSON ORNITHOLOGICAL SOC

Lugar: Estados Unidos; Año: 2016

1559-4491

Habitat modifications have led many bird species to occupy areas with different characteristics, including human-altered landscapes. In this study, we analyzed how land use influences the nest-site selection at the microscale level by Burrowing Owls (Athene cunicularia) breeding in vegetated sand-dunes, periurban areas and agroecosystems at the Pampas of Argentina. We compared the characteristics of the nest-site (percentage of open space) and the nest-patch (distance to conspecific nests, tall vegetation and perches and number of perches) within and among the three land-cover types. In addition, we evaluated the breeding performance (nesting success and productivity) of owls nesting in these land-cover types. We found that nest microsite variables did not vary between owl-occupied and owl-unoccupied sites within nest-patches, but they differed among land-cover types. Although nest-patches differed in their availability of perches at each land-cover type, distance from the nest to the nearest perch did not vary between them. Distances to tall vegetation and to conspecific nest were highly variable and not differed among land-cover types. Our results indicate that the Burrowing Owls that inhabit the Pampas used a variety of land-cover types for nesting and showed little selectivity of nest-sites and nest-patches, thus reinforcing the idea that it is a habitat generalist species.