Nest-Site Selection by Eastern Screech-Owls in Central Kentucky

From 1985-1987 we located 15 Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio) nests in central Kentucky. By comparing used nest sites to randomly chosen unused nest sites, we determined which features of the nest tree/cavity and surrounding vegetation influenced nest-site selection. We employed multivariate statisti...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Condor (Los Angeles, Calif.) Calif.), 1990-11, Vol.92 (4), p.982-990
Main Authors: Belthoff, James R., Ritchison, Gary
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal nesting
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Aves
Biological and medical sciences
Bird nesting
Bird songs
Birds of prey
Forest habitats
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Nesting sites
Otus asio
Owls
Statistical variance
Tree cavities
Vegetation
Vertebrata
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Summary:From 1985-1987 we located 15 Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio) nests in central Kentucky. By comparing used nest sites to randomly chosen unused nest sites, we determined which features of the nest tree/cavity and surrounding vegetation influenced nest-site selection. We employed multivariate statistical techniques and assumed that features contributed to choice if their means differed significantly in the two samples, or if the used sample exhibited significantly reduced variance. Eastern Screech-Owls selected nest sites based on the depth of the cavity and, to a lesser degree, cavity height and entrance size. Neither tree species nor entrance orientation (direction) of the cavity hole were important in nest selection. Similarly, nest-site vegetation parameters appeared to play little role in nest-site selection. If suitable cavities are limited in supply, and cavities with nonoptimal characteristics reduce protection from predators and decrease reproductive success, then the availability of suitable cavities may limit Eastern Screech-Owl populations.
ISSN:0010-5422
1938-5129
DOI:10.2307/1368734