Breeding ecology of tits Parus spp. using artificial nest boxes in a coniferous forest over a five-year period

Abstract

This study was conducted to clarify the breeding ecology of tits Parus spp. using artificial nest boxes with different entrance diameters in a coniferous forest at the Ansung Campus, Chung-Ang University from March through July, 2006 to 2010. A total of 42 breeding pairs, including varied tit Parus varius, marsh tit P. palustris, coal tit P. ater and great tit P. major utilized the artificial nest boxes during our study period. There were differences in preferred entrance diameter of artificial nest boxes for each species. The 30 mm artificial nest box entrance diameter was used most frequently. For each tit species, there were differences in first egg date, clutch size, brood size, egg incubation period, nestling care period and breeding success over the course of the study. Long-term ecological research is necessary to collect more data on environmental factors to be able to estimate their full consequences in terms of the breeding ecology of Parus spp. © 2011 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.