Nest-site fidelity and breeding success in white storks
Collective Migration Research Group
What’s the project about? Nest-site fidelity is regarded as an adaptive strategy among many bird species. This life-history trait can enhance fitness by offering several advantages. One of the primary benefits of remaining faithful to a breeding site is habitat familiarity. This familiarity provides advantages over competitors, makes habitat exploration more efficient, optimizes food resource utilization, and aids in predator avoidance, even in less-than-ideal environments. Additionally, nest fidelity can strengthen pair bonds, thereby enhancing mate retention. The “win-stay, lose-switch” strategy predicts that breeding birds will stay at a nest site when able to produce offspring with a social mate, but switch to other sites for subsequent breeding attempts when unable to produce offspring. Analyzing ring readings from Baden-Württemberg, you will investigate the relationship between breeding success and nest fidelity in white storks using R. You would perform simple statistical analyses to examine how factors such as age, sex, habitat, colony size, and productivity in previous breeding attempts may influence this relationship.
Who can apply? The project is open to BSc students
