Use of nest boxes by Vaux's Swifts

The use of nest boxes by Vaux's Swifts (Chaetura vauxi) was investigated because of the loss of large-diameter hollow trees used for nesting in northwestern North America. Nest attempts and nest success were compared in nest boxes among three habitat types in northeastern Oregon. Air temperatur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of field ornithology 2003-10, Vol.74 (4), p.394-400
Main Author: Bull, Evelyn L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abies grandis
air temperature
Animal nesting
Apodidae
Bird nesting
Chaetura vauxi
Chimneys
CONTENTS
Forest canopy
Forest habitats
Forest stands
habitats
Loggers
mortality
nest box
nest boxes
nest success
nesting
nesting sites
nestlings
nests
Oregon
Pinus ponderosa
Swifts
Timber
Trees
Vaux's Swift
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Summary:The use of nest boxes by Vaux's Swifts (Chaetura vauxi) was investigated because of the loss of large-diameter hollow trees used for nesting in northwestern North America. Nest attempts and nest success were compared in nest boxes among three habitat types in northeastern Oregon. Air temperatures in the boxes were monitored to determine if boxes overheated and resulted in nestling mortality. Thirty of 103 nest boxes were used by nesting Vaux's Swifts for at least one year during 1999–2002. Of 51 nest attempts, 53% successfully fledged 1–6 young (x̄ = 3.5 nestlings). Over this 4-yr period, 47% of the nests were in late-seral stage grand fir (Abies grandis) stands, 31% were in harvested stands of grand fir, and 22% were in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) stands. It appeared that temperature did not affect nest success in boxes because there were no significant differences in maximum and minimum temperatures between successful and unsuccessful nest attempts. Nest boxes provided alternative nest sites for Vaux's Swifts in habitats traditionally used by this species as well as in habitats that currently lack natural nest sites.
ISSN:0273-8570
1557-9263
DOI:10.1648/0273-8570-74.4.394