Does nest box design influence use by the eastern pygmy-possum?

2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels N. Rueegger ◽  
Ross L. Goldingay ◽  
Lyndon O. Brookes
Keyword(s):  
Local Population ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Horizontal Cavity ◽  
Cercartetus Nanus ◽  
Vertical Cavity

Managing the availability of shelter sites is central to the conservation of vertebrate wildlife dependent on tree hollows (cavities) because hollow abundance has been reduced in many landscapes and trees do not typically acquire hollows until they are at least 100 years old. Artificial hollows (nest boxes) provide one option to offset local shortages in tree hollows. However, knowledge of preferred designs is required for this to be effective. We investigated nest box preference by the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus), a small marsupial recognised as threatened across part of its geographic range in eastern Australia. We installed nest boxes of four different designs in each of 30 plots where tree hollows were scarce. Designs showed no significant difference in thermal profile. We captured 223 adult and subadult pygmy-possums within 78% of the 120 boxes. Breeding females used boxes more frequently than adult males and showed a preference among the designs whereas males did not. Females favoured plywood nest boxes over a PVC design offering a horizontal cavity. Use of the PVC design increased when repositioned to present a vertical cavity. Thus, breeding females are selective of the cavities used to rear young, which may limit local population size.

Temperature variation in nest boxes in eastern Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Variation ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Extreme Temperatures ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
North West ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Hot Weather

Nest boxes are frequently installed in Australia to provide shelter sites for arboreal mammals. Little is known about the temperatures that may be experienced inside nest boxes or the factors that may influence those temperatures. I established paired nest boxes on the south-east and north-west sides of trees at two locations in south-east Queensland to investigate the influence of nest box aspect on nest box temperature. Squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis) occupied boxes at both locations. I recorded temperatures over a 1-month period in two summers. Temperature varied by up to 20°C within a 24-h period and some nest boxes experienced temperatures above 40°C. There was no significant difference in maximum temperature with nest box aspect but south-east boxes could be 1°C cooler during hot weather. Nest box construction material, colour (brown or green) and volume (0.008 m3 or 0.025 m3) had variable influences on temperature. Nest box installations for non-flying mammals should place nest boxes to minimise extreme temperatures. Further studies are required to determine whether temperature limits the effectiveness of nest boxes at some locations.

Does temperature variation influence nest box use by the eastern pygmy-possum?

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Occupancy Modelling ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
Cercartetus Nanus

Cavity-using birds and mammals reliant on nest boxes may be negatively affected by the poor thermal buffering of nest boxes. I investigated whether nest box use by the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) over a 4-year period was influenced by maximum ambient temperature, which ranged from 15.6 to 34.9°C during survey occasions. Occupancy modelling of 144 site detections over 30 survey occasions suggested that a model that included maximum temperature had little support whereas a model involving time-varying detection (i.e. detection differed across sample occasions) was the most plausible. I also investigated how temperatures in nest boxes and tree hollows varied over the four hottest days of summer, including one day when the temperature reached 40.6°C. Maximum temperatures were 3–4°C cooler in plywood nest boxes and 5–8°C cooler in tree hollows compared with ambient temperatures. Together, these results suggest that eastern pygmy-possums using nest boxes in coastal areas are unlikely to experience heat stress. Cavity-using species are a heterogeneous group such that empirical studies are required to identify those that may be vulnerable to heat stress if nest boxes are used to provide population support.

Do feathertail gliders show a preference for nest box design?

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay ◽  
Matthew J. Grimson ◽  
Geoffrey C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Local Populations ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
North East ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eucalypt Plantations ◽  
Arboreal Marsupials ◽  
Breeding Groups

Although nest boxes have considerable application in the research and management of hollow-using arboreal marsupials, few studies have assessed whether species show a preference for particular nest box designs. This study aimed to determine whether the feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus) showed a preference when offered four different designs, each of which had been used in earlier studies. We established one of each design in 45 plots across five locations, spanning north-east New South Wales and south-east Queensland. Feathertail gliders used 34 nest boxes at four locations but avoided a medium-sized rear-entry box with a 45-mm-diameter entrance. No clear preference was shown for three designs with narrow (≤25 mm) entrances. Feathertail gliders used 15 small rear-entry boxes, 10 large slit-entrance boxes and 9 wedge-shaped bat boxes. A slight preference was shown by breeding groups to occur in the non-wedge boxes compared with the wedge boxes. Squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis) used 51% of medium rear-entry boxes at four locations. This may account for the avoidance of this box design by feathertail gliders at these locations. Breeding and prolonged use of nest boxes by resident feathertail gliders and squirrel gliders at two locations in eucalypt plantations suggest that nest boxes can support local populations of arboreal marsupials where tree hollows are absent or scarce.

The value of nest boxes in the research and management of Australian hollow-using arboreal marsupials

2006 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgia L. Beyer ◽  
Ross L. Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
Management Tool ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Species Introduction ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Survey Techniques ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Arboreal Marsupials ◽  
Cercartetus Nanus ◽  
Key Aspects

Nest boxes have been recognised as research and management tools for arboreal marsupials in Australia for over 20 years. We review the published literature with the aim of describing the scope of studies conducted in Australia thus far and providing guidance to future research. We recognise three types of application in research: (1) detection of species, (2) study of a species’ ecology, and (3) investigation of box designs preferred by different species. Several species of arboreal marsupial may be detected more readily in nest boxes than by conventional survey techniques, allowing description of key aspects of their ecology; e.g. feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus), eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus) and brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa). Identifying the most favoured nest-box design for any species has implications for detection and management uses of nest boxes. More research is needed but preliminary findings suggest that species prefer narrow entrance holes, while height of the nest box above 3 m may be inconsequential. We recognise three types of management application: (1) species introduction, (2) support of populations of endangered species, and (3) strategic placement such as to enhance habitat connectivity. Currently there have been few attempts to use nest boxes to manage arboreal marsupials but further research is needed to realise their potential as a management tool.

The use of nest boxes by arboreal marsupials in the forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria

2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 259 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. B. Lindenmayer ◽  
C. I. MacGregor ◽  
R. B. Cunningham ◽  
R. D. Incoll ◽  
M. Crane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brushtail Possum ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Arboreal Marsupials ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Mountain Ash ◽  
The Common ◽  
Central Highlands ◽  
Leadbeater's Possum ◽  
Ringtail Possum

The results are reported of a nest-box study conducted in two locations in the mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria (south-eastern Australia) to compare usage of different nest-box designs located at different heights in trees. A total of 96 nest boxes was established using a rigorous experimental design – two regions (Powelltown and Toolangi State Forests), two forest age classes (20-year post-logging regrowth and 60-year fire- and salvage-logging regrowth), two nest-box designs (large boxes with large entrance holes and small boxes with small entrance holes), and two heights at which nest boxes were attached to trees (3 m and 8 m above the ground). The study entailed setting out four nest boxes at each of 24 sites to meet the design criteria. Evidence of occupancy by vertebrates was recorded in a total of 19 of 96 boxes on 11 of 24 sites site during regular inspections over more than three years. Thirteen boxes were used by Leadbeater's possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri), six by the mountain brushtail possum (Trichosurus cunninghami) and seven by the common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus). The common ringtail possum and mountain brushtail possum were seen only in high–large boxes but Leadbeater's possum used all but the low–large boxes. There was evidence of spatial dependence in usage patterns, with all four boxes at a given site showing signs of eventually being occupied. Only two nest boxes located in mountain ash forest regenerating after the 1939 wildfires were occupied. Relatively limited use of nest boxes supports concerns about the use of a nest box over large scales and long timeframes as an effective recovery tool for species threatened by the loss and subsequent shortage in the numbers of naturally occurring hollows.

Diet of the tiger quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in south-eastern Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. A. Belcher ◽  
J. L. Nelson ◽  
J. P. Darrant
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Brushtail Possum ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Moist Forest ◽  
Ringtail Possum

Analysis of 338 tiger quoll scats from tableland moist forest in south-eastern New South Wales found that the greater glider was the major prey species occurring in 54.1% of scats and contributing an estimated 51.01% of the biomass consumed by tiger quolls. Medium-sized (0.5–5 kg) mammals were the most important prey group by occurrence (53.9%), frequency (66.0%) and estimated biomass contribution to diet (62.93%). Other medium-sized prey taken by tiger quolls included: long-nosed bandicoot, rabbit, brushtail possum and ringtail possum. Macropods and wombats were also present in the scats and had been presumably taken as carrion. There was no significant difference in the diets of male and female tiger quolls. Tiger quolls were recorded hunting greater gliders in their tree hollows during the day, hunting rabbits in their burrows both during the day and at night and were observed eating road-killed macropods and wombats around dawn and dusk.

Physical and microclimate characteristics of Nyctophilus gouldi and Vespadelus vulturnus maternity-roost cavities

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Rueegger ◽  
Ross Goldingay ◽  
Brad Law
Keyword(s):  
Tree Cavities ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Veteran Trees ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tree Cavity ◽  
Context Tree ◽  
Cavity Characteristics ◽  
Maternity Roost

Context Tree cavities suitable to rear young are a key resource in managed landscapes to support viable populations of tree cavity-roosting bats. Little is known about the selection of cavities for maternity roosts, presumably because of the difficulty in accessing such roosts. Aims Our study investigated physical and microclimate characteristics of maternity roosts of two species, namely, Gould’s long-eared bat (Nyctophilus gouldi) and little forest bat (Vespadelus vulturnus). Methods Maternity-roost cavities were identified in a timber-production landscape in south-eastern Australia. Roost trees (V. vulturnus n=5; N. gouldi n=9) and a subsample of available cavity-bearing trees (n=16) were climbed to obtain cavity characteristics. Key results Vespadelus vulturnus used tree hollows exclusively, whereas N. gouldi used both tree hollows (n=7) and thick loose bark (n=2). No significant difference in roost-cavity characteristics was detected between the species. However, V. vulturnus selected significantly narrower cavity entrances (mean: 16±3mm) than those of the available cavities. Temperature did not differ between maternity roosts and available cavities when investigated after the maternity season. However, a V. vulturnus maternity roost occupied for 33 consecutive days was warmer than mean roost and available cavities, suggesting that long-term roost use may be influenced by the thermal property of a cavity. Conclusions Our study has provided the first detailed tree-cavity description of maternity roosts of N. gouldi and V. vulturnus. The nightly roost switching and the large variation of tree-cavity characteristics used by N. gouldi suggest that this species requires a high density of non-specific tree cavities that are large enough for colony formation, whereas preferred roost cavities for V. vulturnus are likely to be hollows comprising narrow entrances that facilitate long-term use. Implications Our results highlighted the likely importance of narrow roost entrances for V. vulturnus, presumably for predator protection, and the conservation of tree cavities large enough for colonies to congregate. The formation of such hollows is likely to take many decades. Poor silvicultural practices, land clearing and inappropriate management of veteran trees have the potential to have an impact on this hollow resource. Our study also highlighted the need to further assess the importance of cavity microclimate for maternity-roost selection in warm climates.

scholarly journals Insulated nest boxes provide thermal refuges for wildlife in urban bushland during summer heatwaves

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reannan Honey ◽  
Chris McLean ◽  
Brad R Murray ◽  
Jonathan K Webb
Keyword(s):  
Critical Temperature ◽  
Extreme Heat ◽  
Critical Temperatures ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Extreme Heat Events ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Maximum Temperatures ◽  
Petaurus Breviceps ◽  
Heat Events

Abstract In urban bushland, the installation of nest boxes is widely used to compensate for the loss of natural tree hollows. However, current nest box designs may not provide thermal refuges for wildlife during summer heatwaves, particularly if internal temperatures exceed the upper critical temperatures of wildlife. We investigated whether the addition of roofing insulation to nest boxes deployed for sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) and squirrel gliders (Petaurus norfolcensis) in urban bushland would reduce internal nest box temperatures during summer heatwaves. We measured temperatures of 44 insulated and 47 uninsulated nest boxes during one of the hottest summers on record (2018–2019) in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW, Australia, a period during which several prolonged heatwaves occurred. Over the 90-day study, maximum temperatures were, on average, 3.1°C lower in insulated boxes than in uninsulated boxes. The addition of insulation significantly lowered nest box temperatures regardless of aspect (north or south facing) or day of measurement. Temperatures exceeded the upper critical temperature (35.1°C) of gliders more frequently in uninsulated nest boxes (28% of days) than in insulated nest boxes (8% days). Although the addition of insulation to nest boxes lowered their internal temperatures, during heatwaves spanning 23 days, nest box temperatures exceeded the upper critical temperatures of gliders on 58% and 23% of days in uninsulated and insulated nest boxes respectively. These findings underscore the importance of retaining natural hollows in urban bushland to provide thermally suitable refuges for wildlife during extreme heat events.

The use of nest boxes in urban natural vegetation remnants by vertebrate fauna

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Harper ◽  
Michael A. McCarthy ◽  
Rodney van der Ree
Keyword(s):  
Brushtail Possum ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Nest Boxes ◽  
Common Myna ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Pseudocheirus Peregrinus ◽  
Acridotheres Tristis ◽  
The Common

Nest boxes are routinely installed as a substitute for natural tree hollows to provide den and nest sites for a range of hollow-utilising fauna. We installed 120 nest boxes in 20 patches of indigenous vegetation (remnants) across the urban/suburban landscape of Melbourne, south-eastern Australia, and investigated their use by indigenous and exotic vertebrate species over a period of 12 months. Nest-box use was dominated by the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), the common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) and the common myna (Acridotheres tristis), an aggressive introduced bird. We found that brushtail and ringtail possums utilised nest boxes all year round but more frequently in cooler months (May–August). Common mynas dominated nest-box use during spring/summer, potentially reducing the availability of this resource to indigenous species. We found evidence that the probability of a nest box being occupied by either species of possum was greater in remnants with abundant possum populations. Brushtail possums preferred thick-walled pine nest boxes over thin-walled plywood nest boxes, most likely owing to differences in their thermal insulation properties. Although considerable economic costs would be involved in using nest boxes as a long-term substitute for hollow-bearing trees, nest boxes may provide a temporary hollow resource until hollow-bearing trees are recruited in urban remnants.

Distribution of the southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in the Portland region of south-western Victoria

2000 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 539 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Rees ◽  
David Paull
Keyword(s):  
Local Population ◽  
Historical Records ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
Potential Habitat ◽  
Specimen Collection ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Spatial Isolation ◽  
Observational Bias ◽  
Western Victoria

The southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) occurs across the periphery of southern and eastern Australia as a series of isolated regional populations. Historical records and recent surveys conducted for I. obesulus indicate that it has disappeared or decreased significantly from many parts of its former range. Vegetation clearance, habitat fragmentation, feral predators and fire have all been implicated in the decline of the species. This paper examines the distribution of I. obesulus in the Portland region of south-western Victoria. Historical records of I. obesulus were compiled from the specimen collection of Museum Victoria, the Atlas of Victorian Wildlife, Portland Field Naturalists’ Club records and anecdotal sources. Field surveys were conducted to determine the current distribution of I. obesulus in the study area based on evidence of its foraging activity. The historical records reveal limited information: most are clustered around centres of human activity, indicating observational bias. The field surveys demonstrate that I. obesulus occurs in the Portland region as a series of local populations. Each local population is associated with a patch of remnant native vegetation separated from neighbouring patches by dispersal barriers. Within these habitat remnants the occurrence of the species is sporadic. Approximately 69% of the potential habitat is managed by the Forests Service, 31% is managed by Parks Victoria, and less than 0.5% is held under other tenures. Spatial isolation of habitat remnants, fires and feral predators are the main threats to I. obesulus in the Portland region.

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