Utilization of group nest-boxes by the Grey Starling and experiments with colour paints
1964 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 42-52
Details
1964 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 42-52
1. In 1957, His Highness the Crown Prince had two kinds of group nest-boxes set up in his garden for the Grey Starling, Sturnus cineraceus. The author had the honour of examining the result of nesting experiments with these interesting nest-boxes during the seasons of 1957-1963.
2. One was Danish type of four sided group nest-boxes with 5 nest-cells (one upper and four lower) on each side. Usually the upper cell was successfully used but lower nests were also occupied by putting a few nest material or by completing the nest. Some birds indulged in nesting in different nest-cells in turn exchanging the nest material, thus losing the time of egg laying. Others laid a single egg in incompleted nest or laid half clutches in two adjacent nest-cells. In this case, both were incubated (possibly by a parent) but did not hatch at normal date (the 12th day) and the eggs were found abandoned at 14th day.
3. These confusions in breeding were also noticed in the other type, the lateral group nest-boxes consisting of 30 nest-cells, with the entrance on alternate sides. This newly devised type was colour painted from the second year by units of 5 nest-cells, white-yellow-unpainted-green-unpainted-red from right to left (red and green were reversed in later years).
4. It was proved that the distal nest-cells particularly of the white (and yellow) end were better used than those of the middle part where no successful clutch was laid. This was probably because the birds tended to extend the nest territories from the free end toward the middle.
5. The white was best used (though with favourable position effect of being at the end), yellow, red and unpainted were almost the same, but green could be suspected to be disliked by the birds. Red when at the end was used successfully but was only nested when at the middle. However, no egg was laid in green even when at the end though was nested possibly merely as territory occupation. It was least used when at the middle.*
6. In conclusion, the group nest-boxes were readily used by the starlings and were proved to be useful for experiments with colour preference and other behaviours, but had some inefficient effects due to their nest-territoriality. A new type of lateral group nest-boxes was set up in 1964.
