Evidence of nest abandonment in Grass Wrens Cistothorus platensis suggest that non-breeding nests are not structures that differ in function from breeding nest
- Llambias, Paulo
- Jefferies, María Milagros
- Zarco, Agustín
- Garrido Coria, Paula Sabrina
- Arrieta, Ramiro Santiago
DOIAbstract
Several hypotheses propose an adaptive function of non-breeding nests (female attraction, decoys for nest predators and safe places for roosting). Alternatively, non-breeding nests may be structures abandoned before completion. Grass Wrens Cistothorus platensis build two types of non-breeding nests: platform and dummy nests. Platforms are rudimentary accumulations of grasses whilst dummies are dome-shaped, similar in appearance to breeding nests. We assess nest ontogeny, structure, dimensions and placement of non-breeding and breeding nests to provide evidence of abandonment. We predict that non-breeding nests would lack several of the nest layers present in breeding nests but would not differ in nesting microhabitat. Platforms had an incom...
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