Comparative studies predicted or reported weaker or stronger positive relationships between nest size and body size both within and across avian species. Here we show that in relatively small nest-chambers, larger Great Tits (Parus major) build shallower nests than smaller Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus). Our results from the Mediterranean region support findings from published studies that were conducted at more northerly latitudes (UK and Poland). Potential impacts of the local climate and predation risks on the species-specific expression of the size of fresh nests are discussed.
AlabrudzińskaJ., KalińskiA., SłtomczyńskiR., WawrzyniakJ., ZielińskiP. and BańburaJ. (2003) Effects of nest characteristics on breeding success of Great Tits Parus major. Acta Ornithol., 38, 151–154.
2.
ÁlvarezE. and BarbaE. (2008) Nest quality in relation to adult bird condition and its impact on reproduction in Great Tits. Acta Ornithol., 43, 3–9.
3.
ÁlvarezE. and BarbaE. (2011) Nest characteristics and reproductive performance in Great Tits Parus major. Ardeola, 58, 125–136.
4.
BrittJ. and DeemingD. C. (2011) First-egg date and air temperature affect nest construction in Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus, but not in Great TitsParus major. Bird Study, 58, 78–89.
5.
DeemingD. C. (2013) Effects of female body size and phylogeny on avian nest dimensions. Avian Biol. Res., 6, 1–11.
6.
DeemingD. C., MainwaringM. C., HartleyI. R. and ReynoldsS. J. (2012) Local temperature and not latitude determines the design of Blue Tit and Great Tit nests. Avian Biol. Res., 5, 203–208.
7.
HansellM. (2000) Bird nests and construction behaviour.Cambridge University Press.
8.
HeenanC. B. and SeymourR. S. (2011) Structural support, not insulation, is the primary driver for avian cup-shaped nest design. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond., B 278, 2924–2929.
9.
HindeR. A. (1952) The behaviour of the Great Tit (Parus major) and some other related species. Behaviour (Supplement II), Leiden, E. J. Brill, 1–201.
10.
KalińskiA., WawrzyniakJ., BańburaM., SkwarskaJ., Zieliń skiP., GlądalskiM., BańburaJ. (2014) Does the threat of European Pine Marten (Martes martes) predation influence the height of nests built by Blue Tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tits (Parus major)?Avian Biol. Res., 7, 83–90.
11.
LambrechtsM. M., AdriaensenF., ArdiaD. R., ArtemyevA. V., AtiénzarF., BańburaJ., BarbaE., BouvierJ.-C., CamprodonJ., CooperC. B., DawsonR. D., EensM., EevaT., FaivreB., GaramszegiL. Z., GoodenoughA. E., GoslarA. G., GrégoireA., GriffithS. C., GustafssonL., JohnsonL. Scott, KaniaW., KeišsO., LlambiasP. E., MainwaringM. C., MändR., MassaB., MazgajskiT. D., MøllerA. P., MorenoJ., Naef-DaenzerB., NilssonJ.-A., NorteA. C., OrellM., OtterK. A., ParkC. R., PerrinsC. M., PinowskiJ., PorkertJ., PottiJ., RemešV., RichnerH., RytkönenS., ShiaoM.-T., SilverinB., SlagsvoldT., SmithH. G., SoraceA., StenningM. J., StewartI., ThompsonC. F., TörökJ., TryjanowskiP., van NoordwijkA. J., WinklerD. W. and ZianeN. (2010) The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: a review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases. Acta Ornithol., 45, 1–26.
12.
LambrechtsM. M., AiméC., MidamegbeA., GalanM.-J., PerretP., GrégoireA. and DoutrelantC. (2012) Nest size and breeding success in first and replacement clutches: an experimental study in Blue Tits Cyanistes caeruleus. J. Ornithol., 153, 173–179.
13.
LensL., WautersL. A., and DhondtA.A. (1994) Nest-building by crested tit Parus cristatus males: an analysis of costs and benefits. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol., 35, 431–436.
14.
LöhrlH. (1986) Experimente zur Bruthöhlenwahl der Kohlmeise (Parus major). J. Orn., 127, 51–59.
15.
LimaS. L. (2009) Predators and the breeding bird: behavioural and reproductive flexibility under the risk of predation. Biol. Rev., 84, 485–513.
16.
MainwaringM. C. and HartleyI. R. (2013) The energetic costs of nest building in birds. Avian Biol. Res., 6, 12–17.
17.
MainwaringM. C., HartleyI. R., BearhopS., BrulezK., du FeuC. R., MurphyG., PlummerK. E., WebberS. L., ReynoldsS. J. and DeemingD. C. (2012) Latitudinal variation in Blue Tit and Great Tit nest characteristics indicates environmental adjustment. J. Biogeogr., 39, 1669–1677.
18.
MainwaringM. C., HartleyI. R., LambrechtsM. M. and DeemingD. C.2014. The design and function of birds’ nests. Ecol. Evol., 20(4), 3909–3928.
19.
MazgajskiT. D. and RykowskaZ. (2008) Dependence of nest mass on nest hole depth in the Great Tit Parus major. Acta Ornithol., 43, 49–55.
20.
MøllerA. P., AdriaensenF., ArtemyevA. V., BańburaJ., BarbaE., BiardC., BlondelJ., BouslamaZ., BouvierJ.C., CamprodonJ., CecereF., ChaineA., CharmantierA., CharterM., ChicońM., CusimanoC., CzeszczewikD., da SilvaL. P., DemeyrierV., DoligezB., DoutrelantC., DubiecA., EensM., EevaT., FaivreB., FernsP. N., ForsmanJ. T., García-del-ReyE., GoldshteinA., GoodenoughA. E., GoslarA. G., GózdzI., GrégoireA., GustafssonL., HartleyI. R., HeebP., HinsleyS. A., IsenmannP., JacobS., JärvinenA., JuškaitisR., KorpimäkiE., KramsI., LaaksonenT., LeclercqB., LehikoinenE., LoukolaO., LundbergA., MainwaringM. C., MändR., MassaB., MazgajskiT. D., MerinoS., MitrusC., MönkkönenM., Morales FernazJ., MorenoJ., MorinX., NagerR. G., NilssonJ.-A., NilssonS. G., NorteA. C., OjanenM., OrellM., PerretP., PerrinsC. M., PimentelC. S., PinxtenR., PriednieceI., QuidozM.-C., RemešV., RichnerH., Robles DíezH., RussellA., RytkönenS., SenarJ. C., SeppänenJ. T., SlagsvoldT., SolonenT., SoraceA., StenningM. J., TörökJ., TryjanowskiP., van NoordwijkA. J., von NumersM., WalankiewiczW. and LambrechtsM. M. (2014) Variation in nest size in relation to clutch size in birds. Ecol. Evol., 4(18), 3583–3595.
21.
NagerR G. and van NoordwijkA. J. (1992) Energetic limitation in the egg-laying period of Great Tits. Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. B, 249, 259–263.
22.
NilssonS.G. (1984) The evolution of nest-site selection among hole-nesting birds: the impact of nest predation and competition. Ornis Scand., 15, 167–175.
23.
PerrinsC.M. (1979) British Tits.Collins, London
24.
PrzybyloR., WigginsD.A. and MeriläJ. (2001) Breeding success in Blue Tits: good territories or good parents?J. Avian Biol., 32, 214–218.
25.
SchaedelinF. C. and TaborskyM. (2009) Extended phenotypes as signals. Biol. Rev., 84, 293–313.
26.
SibleyC. G. (1955) Behavioral mimicry in the titmice (Paridae) and certain other birds. Wilson Bull., 67, 128–132.
27.
SlagsvoldT. (1989a) Experiments on clutch size and nest size in passerine birds. Oecologia, 80, 297–302.
28.
SlagsvoldT. (1989b) On the evolution of clutch size and nest size in passerine birds. Oecologia, 79, 300–305.
29.
SmithJ. A., HarrisonT. J. E., MartinG. R. and ReynoldsS. J. (2013) Feathering the nest: food supplementation influences nest construction by Blue (Cyanistes caeruleus) and Great Tits (Parus major). Avian Biol. Res., 6, 18–25.
30.
SolerJ. J., MøllerA.P. and SolerM. (1998) Nest building, sexual selection and parental investment. Evol. Ecol., 12, 427–441.
31.
StanbackM. T., BartholomewJ. E., BergnerL. M., ClineE. L., HelmsP. I., McGovernP. G., MillicanD. M. and RothJ. E. (2013) House wrens alter nest architecture to compensate for cavity vulnerability. Wilson J. Ornithol., 125, 174–178.
32.
SurgeyJ., du FeuC. R. and DeemingD. C. (2012) Opportunistic use of a wool-like artificial material as lining of tit (Paridae) nests. Condor, 114, 385–392.
33.
TomásG., MerinoS., MorenoJ., SanzJ. J., MoralesJ. and García-FraileS. (2006) Nest weight and female health in the Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Auk, 123, 1013–1021.
34.
WesołtowskiT. (2002) Antipredator adaptations in nesting Marsh Tits Parus palustris: the role of nest-site security. Ibis, 144, 593–601.
