Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species Colony
ABSTRACT Resource partitioning is crucial for the coexistence of colonial herons, as it allows multiple species to share the same habitat while minimising competition. This study took advantage of a natural experiment in 2006 and 2007 when Black‐crowned Night Herons were prevented from breeding at L...
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70761 |
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| author | Farrah Samraoui Riad Nedjah Abdennour Boucheker Hamed A. El‐Serehy Boudjéma Samraoui |
| author_facet | Farrah Samraoui Riad Nedjah Abdennour Boucheker Hamed A. El‐Serehy Boudjéma Samraoui |
| author_sort | Farrah Samraoui |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Resource partitioning is crucial for the coexistence of colonial herons, as it allows multiple species to share the same habitat while minimising competition. This study took advantage of a natural experiment in 2006 and 2007 when Black‐crowned Night Herons were prevented from breeding at Lake Fetzara in the first year due to the presence of a feral cat. This event provided valuable insight into the spatial and temporal dynamics of nest site selection among coexisting heron species, which consisted of Cattle Egrets (Ardea ibis), Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) and Squacco Herons (Ardeola ralloides). After the cat was removed, egg‐laying began in the core areas of the colony and gradually spread to the periphery. Species that initiated nesting early selected mid‐elevation sites near the tree trunk, which likely offered protection from both ground and aerial predators, while also providing some shielding from solar radiation and strong winds. These early selected sites featured larger branches, which conferred greater nest stability. Vertical stratification was evident among the heron species; however, contrary to long‐standing assumptions, it was not directly related to body size. Both vertical and horizontal stratification were observed, with nests progressively moving higher and further from the tree trunk as the breeding season advanced. The following year, Black‐crowned Night Herons displaced other species to lower heights and positions further from the trunk, highlighting the significant influence of interspecific interactions on nest site selection. This study underscores the complex interplay between nest site selection, biotic interactions and abiotic factors in heron colonies, emphasising the importance of resource partitioning in maintaining species coexistence in densely populated breeding sites. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7520be9f536d4d11b5071b93284b1284 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-7520be9f536d4d11b5071b93284b12842025-01-29T05:08:41ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-01-01151n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70761Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species ColonyFarrah Samraoui0Riad Nedjah1Abdennour Boucheker2Hamed A. El‐Serehy3Boudjéma Samraoui4Laboratoire de Conservation Des Zones Humides University of Guelma Guelma AlgeriaLaboratoire de Conservation Des Zones Humides University of Guelma Guelma AlgeriaLaboratoire de Conservation Des Zones Humides University of Guelma Guelma AlgeriaDepartment of Zoology, College of Science King Saud University Riyadh Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biology University Badji Mokhtar Annaba AlgeriaABSTRACT Resource partitioning is crucial for the coexistence of colonial herons, as it allows multiple species to share the same habitat while minimising competition. This study took advantage of a natural experiment in 2006 and 2007 when Black‐crowned Night Herons were prevented from breeding at Lake Fetzara in the first year due to the presence of a feral cat. This event provided valuable insight into the spatial and temporal dynamics of nest site selection among coexisting heron species, which consisted of Cattle Egrets (Ardea ibis), Little Egrets (Egretta garzetta) and Squacco Herons (Ardeola ralloides). After the cat was removed, egg‐laying began in the core areas of the colony and gradually spread to the periphery. Species that initiated nesting early selected mid‐elevation sites near the tree trunk, which likely offered protection from both ground and aerial predators, while also providing some shielding from solar radiation and strong winds. These early selected sites featured larger branches, which conferred greater nest stability. Vertical stratification was evident among the heron species; however, contrary to long‐standing assumptions, it was not directly related to body size. Both vertical and horizontal stratification were observed, with nests progressively moving higher and further from the tree trunk as the breeding season advanced. The following year, Black‐crowned Night Herons displaced other species to lower heights and positions further from the trunk, highlighting the significant influence of interspecific interactions on nest site selection. This study underscores the complex interplay between nest site selection, biotic interactions and abiotic factors in heron colonies, emphasising the importance of resource partitioning in maintaining species coexistence in densely populated breeding sites.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70761Ardeidaebreeding phenologycolonial WaterbirdscompetitionNorth Africaresource partitioning |
| spellingShingle | Farrah Samraoui Riad Nedjah Abdennour Boucheker Hamed A. El‐Serehy Boudjéma Samraoui Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species Colony Ecology and Evolution Ardeidae breeding phenology colonial Waterbirds competition North Africa resource partitioning |
| title | Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species Colony |
| title_full | Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species Colony |
| title_fullStr | Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species Colony |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species Colony |
| title_short | Sky High or Grounded: Nest Site Selection of Herons and Egrets in a Mixed‐Species Colony |
| title_sort | sky high or grounded nest site selection of herons and egrets in a mixed species colony |
| topic | Ardeidae breeding phenology colonial Waterbirds competition North Africa resource partitioning |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70761 |
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