This study was designed to determine if, by providing artificial nest sites, a raptorial predator could be attracted into an area where suitable sites are limited. The American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) was a common species in the area and nest boxes designed for their use were placed in three vegetational types in western Utah and eastern Nevada. Seventy boxes were available in 1975 and 110 in 1976. Kestrels nested both years in the salt-desert shrub community but were absent from the pinyon-juniper and riparian areas. Four other bird species nested in the latter two areas, however. In 1975 the nesting success was affected by severe weather including unseasonable cold and snow. In 1976 interaction with and predation by rodents affected utilization and success. Other factors such as existing hole-nesting populations, size, construction, and placement of the box also affect the rate of occupancy and number of boxes used.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BGMYU2/oai:scholarsarchive.byu.edu:etd-8818 |
| Date | 07 March 1977 |
| Creators | McArthur, Laurence Barrett |
| Publisher | BYU ScholarsArchive |
| Source Sets | Brigham Young University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | http://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/ |
Page generated in 0.0012 seconds