Search

In order to potentially reduce use of environmentally damaging rodenticides, integrated Pest Management (IPM) for rodents, or Ecologically Based Rodent Management (EBRM), proposes a more sustainable management approach using strategies informed by an increased understanding of rodent population and community ecology, including interactions with important predators, such as raptors. Nest boxes and perches can encourage raptor presence in agricultural areas and potentially enhance the regulatory ecosystem services provided by raptor predation of agricultural pests. To assess this idea, we studied American kestrels (widespread, generalist predators that readily use nest boxes) in a fruit-growing region of northwestern Michigan. The most common mammal prey in the diets of these kestrels from 2013 through 2016 were voles, which are considered the most important rodent pests in temperate fruit orchards. We utilized live trapping to measure small mammal abundances and activity during the summer at sites with and without active kestrel nest boxes; furthermore, we utilized camera trapping to measure small mammal presence during the winter, when damage to trees is most likely. As predicted, small mammal abundance and activity was lower at orchards with active kestrel boxes and at orchards that had been more recently mowed; however, these differences did not carry over as differences in winter presence in orchards. Our sampling demonstrated that voles were absent from orchards during both summer and winter, which suggests that orchards offer insufficient cover except under certain conditions, such as sustained snow cover. Instead, mice were the most abundant small mammals in most orchards during the summer and were also present during the winter. More evidence is therefore needed to determine the extent of orchard damage attributable to Peromyscus spp. and whether indirect effects of kestrels on Peromyscus spp. may reduce damage. We provide recommendations for future research on the effects of raptor predation in orchards.

Landscape enhancements such as nest boxes can attract birds to agricultural areas, where they can provide ecosystem services such as pest reduction through their consumption of crop pests. However, there are large gaps in knowledge about how birds respond to enhancements. From 2014 to 2018 we installed American Kestrel (Falco sparverius; hereafter kestrel) nest boxes in a blueberry production region in western Michigan. From 2015 to 2018 we conducted surveys to monitor kestrel presence along 1.6-km transect segments (hereafter, sites) to estimate kestrel occupancy in areas with and without boxes. We also monitored box occupancy and reproductive success. Kestrel presence increased over time in the study area although there was some uncertainty in this trend. The presence of a box at a site did not increase kestrel presence there, but boxes in neighboring sites did increase presence. This indicated that enriching an area with boxes increases kestrel presence. Box occupancy rates were positively influenced by occupancy of the same box the previous year. Percent successful nests ranged from 75 to 100 percent, and mean number of fledglings produced was approximately 4 per nest box. Our results showed that nest boxes can serve as effective landscape enhancements to attract kestrels to agricultural landscapes, but the degree to which kestrels occupy boxes can vary geographically. Local-scale studies can provide information about the potential benefits and challenges of using nest boxes as a pest management tool. Las mejoras del paisaje, tales como la colocación de cajas nido, pueden atraer aves a las áreas agrícolas, donde pueden prestar servicios ecosistémicos como la reducción de plagas en cultivos. Sin embargo, existen grandes lagunas en el conocimiento sobre cómo responden las aves a estas mejoras. De 2014 a 2018 instalamos cajas nido para Falco sparverius en una región de producción de arándanos en el oeste de Michigan. De 2015 a 2018 realizamos censos para determinar la presencia de la especie a lo largo de transectos de 1.6 km (en adelante, sitios) y estimar la ocupación de F. sparverius en áreas con y sin cajas nido. También monitoreamos la ocupación de las cajas nido y el éxito reproductivo. La presencia de F. sparverius aumentó con el tiempo en el área de estudio, aunque hubo cierta incertidumbre en esta tendencia. La presencia de una caja nido en un sitio no aumentó la presencia de la especie allí, pero las cajas en lugares vecinos sí aumentaron la presencia. Esto indicó que enriquecer un área con cajas nido aumenta la presencia de F. sparverius. Las tasas de ocupación de cajas nido se vieron influidas positivamente por la ocupación de la misma caja el año anterior. El porcentaje de nidos exitosos varió del 75 al 100 por ciento, y el número medio de volantones producidos fue de aproximadamente 4 por caja nido. Nuestros resultados mostraron que las cajas nido pueden servir como mejoras efectivas del paisaje para atraer a F. sparverius a los paisajes agrícolas, pero el grado en que los individuos ocupan las cajas puede variar geográficamente. Los estudios a escala local pueden proporcionar información sobre los posibles beneficios y desafíos del uso de cajas nido como herramienta para el control de plagas. [Traducción del equipo editorial] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Raptor Research is the property of Raptor Research Foundation and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Installation of nest boxes for a declining raptor species, the American Kestrel ( Falco sparverius), in agricultural areas may benefit both local kestrel conservation and management of prey species that cause damage to crops. Kestrels responded quickly to the installation of 18 new nest boxes in northwestern Michigan cherry ( Prunus spp.) orchards between 2012 and 2013; they made nesting attempts (laid eggs) in 100% of boxes by 2015. In addition, kestrels that made nesting attempts in these boxes in 2013-2015 showed high reproductive rates: apparent nesting success was 91%, and mean number of fledglings per box with nesting attempts was 3.8. Also, kestrels were highly tolerant of both traditional monitoring techniques (opening the box) and newer camera technologies (a pole-mounted video camera and nest-box video cameras). Generalized linear modeling indicated that variables related to nest monitoring techniques and effort did not significantly affect daily survival rates for nests or brood size at fledging for successful nests; only hatching date had a small positive effect on brood size at fledging. These results suggest that orchard nest boxes have the potential to sustain or increase the breeding kestrel population in the region while increasing kestrel predation of crop-damaging prey in and around cherry orchards. This is promising for ongoing and future work with nest boxes in agricultural regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]