A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling
Abstract Background Accurate nestling age is valuable for studies on nesting strategies, productivity, and impacts on reproductive success. Most aging guides consist of descriptions and photographs that are time consuming to read and subjective to interpret. The Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) is...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Avian Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-021-00258-5 |
| _version_ | 1797965118622924800 |
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| author | Audrey A. Sanchez Andrew W. Bartlow Allison M. Chan Jeanne M. Fair Aaron A. Skinner Kelly Hutchins Maria A. Musgrave Emily M. Phillips Brent E. Thompson Charles D. Hathcock |
| author_facet | Audrey A. Sanchez Andrew W. Bartlow Allison M. Chan Jeanne M. Fair Aaron A. Skinner Kelly Hutchins Maria A. Musgrave Emily M. Phillips Brent E. Thompson Charles D. Hathcock |
| author_sort | Audrey A. Sanchez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Accurate nestling age is valuable for studies on nesting strategies, productivity, and impacts on reproductive success. Most aging guides consist of descriptions and photographs that are time consuming to read and subjective to interpret. The Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) is a secondary cavity-nesting passerine that nests in coniferous and open deciduous forests. Nest box programs for cavity-nesting species have provided suitable nesting locations and opportunities for data collection on nestling growth and development. Methods We developed models for predicting the age of Western Bluebird nestlings from morphometric measurements using model training and validation. These were developed for mass, tarsus, and two different culmen measurements. Results Our models were accurate to within less than a day, and each model worked best for a specific age range. The mass and tarsus models can be used to estimate the ages of Western Bluebird nestlings 0–10 days old and were accurate to within 0.5 days for mass and 0.7 days for tarsus. The culmen models can be used to estimate ages of nestlings 0–15 days old and were also accurate to within less than a day. The daily mean, minimum, and maximum values of each morphometric measurement are provided and can be used in the field for accurate nestling age estimations in real time. Conclusions The model training and validation procedures used here demonstrate that this method can create aging models that are highly accurate. The methods can be applied to any passerine species provided sufficient nestling morphometric data are available. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:55:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4891d2ceb19b47b289c7f1941ee7ec17 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2053-7166 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:55:11Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-4891d2ceb19b47b289c7f1941ee7ec172023-01-03T05:20:38ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Avian Research2053-71662021-06-011211910.1186/s40657-021-00258-5A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modelingAudrey A. Sanchez0Andrew W. Bartlow1Allison M. Chan2Jeanne M. Fair3Aaron A. Skinner4Kelly Hutchins5Maria A. Musgrave6Emily M. Phillips7Brent E. Thompson8Charles D. Hathcock9Environmental Stewardship, Los Alamos National LaboratoryBiosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National LaboratoryWater Program, N3BBiosecurity and Public Health, Los Alamos National LaboratoryEnvironmental Stewardship, Los Alamos National LaboratoryEnvironmental Stewardship, Los Alamos National LaboratoryEnvironmental Stewardship, Los Alamos National LaboratoryEnvironmental Stewardship, Los Alamos National LaboratoryEnvironmental Stewardship, Los Alamos National LaboratoryEnvironmental Stewardship, Los Alamos National LaboratoryAbstract Background Accurate nestling age is valuable for studies on nesting strategies, productivity, and impacts on reproductive success. Most aging guides consist of descriptions and photographs that are time consuming to read and subjective to interpret. The Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) is a secondary cavity-nesting passerine that nests in coniferous and open deciduous forests. Nest box programs for cavity-nesting species have provided suitable nesting locations and opportunities for data collection on nestling growth and development. Methods We developed models for predicting the age of Western Bluebird nestlings from morphometric measurements using model training and validation. These were developed for mass, tarsus, and two different culmen measurements. Results Our models were accurate to within less than a day, and each model worked best for a specific age range. The mass and tarsus models can be used to estimate the ages of Western Bluebird nestlings 0–10 days old and were accurate to within 0.5 days for mass and 0.7 days for tarsus. The culmen models can be used to estimate ages of nestlings 0–15 days old and were also accurate to within less than a day. The daily mean, minimum, and maximum values of each morphometric measurement are provided and can be used in the field for accurate nestling age estimations in real time. Conclusions The model training and validation procedures used here demonstrate that this method can create aging models that are highly accurate. The methods can be applied to any passerine species provided sufficient nestling morphometric data are available.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-021-00258-5Cavity-nestingNest boxesNestling developmentPredictive modelsWestern Bluebird |
| spellingShingle | Audrey A. Sanchez Andrew W. Bartlow Allison M. Chan Jeanne M. Fair Aaron A. Skinner Kelly Hutchins Maria A. Musgrave Emily M. Phillips Brent E. Thompson Charles D. Hathcock A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling Avian Research Cavity-nesting Nest boxes Nestling development Predictive models Western Bluebird |
| title | A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling |
| title_full | A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling |
| title_fullStr | A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling |
| title_full_unstemmed | A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling |
| title_short | A field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling |
| title_sort | field guide for aging passerine nestlings using growth data and predictive modeling |
| topic | Cavity-nesting Nest boxes Nestling development Predictive models Western Bluebird |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-021-00258-5 |
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