Nest construction costs affect nestling growth: a field experiment in a cavity-nesting passerine.

The article explores the impact of nest construction on the nestling growth of birds. The authors conducted the study with a focus on the Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca and they aim to possible effects of duration and the materials used in nest construction on overall reproductive success. The study involved placing stored complete nests as a replacement for the original nests built by the birds. They found that on the fourth day of observation that female provisioning effort was doubled in experimental nests, which in turn affected their parental care in the coming days.