Dynamics in numbers of group-roosting individuals in relation to pair-sleeping occurrence and onset of egg-laying in European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster

Liviu G. Pârâu; Sjouke A. Kingma; Simon E. Weigl; Hannah L. Dugdale; Catherine M. Lessells; Julia Schroeder

doi:10.1007/s10336-017-1468-1

Dynamics in numbers of group-roosting individuals in relation to pair-sleeping occurrence and onset of egg-laying in European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster

Liviu G. Pârâu (Corresponding author), Sjouke A. Kingma, Simon E. Weigl, Hannah L. Dugdale, Catherine M. Lessells, Julia Schroeder

NIOO - Animal Ecology (AnE)

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Abstract

Sleeping in the nest at the beginning of the breeding season is common for birds nesting in cavities. Here, we report evidence that European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster sleep in pairs in the nesting burrow. In 3.2% of the nest checks, we found two individuals sleeping together. This behaviour ceased once hatching started. A decrease in the number of birds at a communal roost coincided with the incidences of pair-sleeping and initiation of egg-laying. Thus, checking the burrows of European Bee-eaters at the beginning of the breeding season increases the chance of observing pair-sleeping.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1119-1122
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of Ornithology
Volume	158
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-017-1468-1
Publication status	Published - Oct 2017

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international

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title = "Dynamics in numbers of group-roosting individuals in relation to pair-sleeping occurrence and onset of egg-laying in European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster",

abstract = "Sleeping in the nest at the beginning of the breeding season is common for birds nesting in cavities. Here, we report evidence that European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster sleep in pairs in the nesting burrow. In 3.2% of the nest checks, we found two individuals sleeping together. This behaviour ceased once hatching started. A decrease in the number of birds at a communal roost coincided with the incidences of pair-sleeping and initiation of egg-laying. Thus, checking the burrows of European Bee-eaters at the beginning of the breeding season increases the chance of observing pair-sleeping.",

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year = "2017",

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doi = "10.1007/s10336-017-1468-1",

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Dynamics in numbers of group-roosting individuals in relation to pair-sleeping occurrence and onset of egg-laying in European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster. / Pârâu, Liviu G. (Corresponding author); Kingma, Sjouke A.; Weigl, Simon E. et al.
In: Journal of Ornithology, Vol. 158, No. 4, 10.2017, p. 1119-1122.

Research output: Contribution to journal/periodical › Article › Scientific › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dynamics in numbers of group-roosting individuals in relation to pair-sleeping occurrence and onset of egg-laying in European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster

AU - Pârâu, Liviu G.

AU - Kingma, Sjouke A.

AU - Weigl, Simon E.

AU - Dugdale, Hannah L.

AU - Lessells, Catherine M.

AU - Schroeder, Julia

N1 - 6397, AnE; Data archiving: no NIOO data

PY - 2017/10

Y1 - 2017/10

N2 - Sleeping in the nest at the beginning of the breeding season is common for birds nesting in cavities. Here, we report evidence that European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster sleep in pairs in the nesting burrow. In 3.2% of the nest checks, we found two individuals sleeping together. This behaviour ceased once hatching started. A decrease in the number of birds at a communal roost coincided with the incidences of pair-sleeping and initiation of egg-laying. Thus, checking the burrows of European Bee-eaters at the beginning of the breeding season increases the chance of observing pair-sleeping.

AB - Sleeping in the nest at the beginning of the breeding season is common for birds nesting in cavities. Here, we report evidence that European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster sleep in pairs in the nesting burrow. In 3.2% of the nest checks, we found two individuals sleeping together. This behaviour ceased once hatching started. A decrease in the number of birds at a communal roost coincided with the incidences of pair-sleeping and initiation of egg-laying. Thus, checking the burrows of European Bee-eaters at the beginning of the breeding season increases the chance of observing pair-sleeping.

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DO - 10.1007/s10336-017-1468-1

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SP - 1119

EP - 1122

JO - Journal of Ornithology

JF - Journal of Ornithology

IS - 4

ER -

Dynamics in numbers of group-roosting individuals in relation to pair-sleeping occurrence and onset of egg-laying in European Bee-eaters Merops apiaster

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