Nest architecture is linked with ecological success in songbirds

Nests are essential constructions that determine fitness, yet their structure can vary substantially across bird species. While there is evidence supporting a link between nest architecture and the habitat a species occupies, we still ignore what ecological and evolutionary processes are linked to d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology letters 2022-06, Vol.25 (6), p.1365-1375
Main Authors: Medina, Iliana, Perez, Daniela, Silva, Ana C. Afonso, Cally, Justin, León, Constanza, Maliet, Odile, Quintero, Ignacio, Mooers, Arne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological evolution
bird macroevolution
Birds
Body size
Letter
Letters
nest evolution
Nests
parental care
Passeri
Radiation
range size
Songbirds
Species extinction
Urban environments
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Summary:Nests are essential constructions that determine fitness, yet their structure can vary substantially across bird species. While there is evidence supporting a link between nest architecture and the habitat a species occupies, we still ignore what ecological and evolutionary processes are linked to different nest types. Using information on 3175 species of songbirds, we show that—after controlling for latitude and body size—species that build domed nests (i.e. nests with a roof) have smaller ranges, are less likely to colonise urban environments and have potentially higher extinction rates compared to species with open and cavity nests. Domed nests could be a costly specialisation, and we show that these nests take more time to be built, which could restrict breeding opportunities. These diverse strands of evidence suggest that the transition from domed to open nests in passerines could represent an important evolutionary innovation behind the success of the largest bird radiation. Nests are fundamental structures in the lives of birds, but we know little about their evolution. We collated information on nest architecture for more than 3000 species, and found that building nests without a roof (open nests) is associated with having larger geographic ranges and living in cities. These nests also take less days to construct compared to domed nests. We suggest that building open instead of domed nests could have played an important role in the ecological success of modern birds.
ISSN:1461-023X
1461-0248
DOI:10.1111/ele.13998