Strategic placement of Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta nests adjacent to boulders

Stuart Rae

doi:10.1080/00063657.2015.1006163

Strategic placement of Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta nests adjacent to boulders

Stuart Rae^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Capsule: Rock Ptarmigan place their nests adjacent to boulders, in their lee and on their sunnier aspects. Aims: To investigate the proximity and orientation of Rock Ptarmigan nests in relation to boulders and vegetation height. Methods: The distances from boulders of 61 Rock Ptarmigan nests and 60 random points were compared. Orientation variables of nests from boulders were analysed with circular statistical formulae. Results: Rock Ptarmigan nests were closer to boulders than random points. The mean orientation of nests relative to adjacent boulders was south-east and the prevailing wind was westerly. Vegetation height at nest sites was taller than at randomly selected sites. Conclusion: Rock Ptarmigan which nest next to, in the lee of, and on the south-eastern aspects of boulders, probably gain advantages of protection from the prevailing wind and passive thermoregulation from solar heat.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	185-189
Number of pages	5
Journal	Bird Study
Volume	62
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00063657.2015.1006163
Publication status	Published - 3 Apr 2015

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10.1080/00063657.2015.1006163

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title = "Strategic placement of Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta nests adjacent to boulders",

abstract = "Capsule: Rock Ptarmigan place their nests adjacent to boulders, in their lee and on their sunnier aspects. Aims: To investigate the proximity and orientation of Rock Ptarmigan nests in relation to boulders and vegetation height. Methods: The distances from boulders of 61 Rock Ptarmigan nests and 60 random points were compared. Orientation variables of nests from boulders were analysed with circular statistical formulae. Results: Rock Ptarmigan nests were closer to boulders than random points. The mean orientation of nests relative to adjacent boulders was south-east and the prevailing wind was westerly. Vegetation height at nest sites was taller than at randomly selected sites. Conclusion: Rock Ptarmigan which nest next to, in the lee of, and on the south-eastern aspects of boulders, probably gain advantages of protection from the prevailing wind and passive thermoregulation from solar heat.",

author = "Stuart Rae",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 British Trust for Ornithology.",

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doi = "10.1080/00063657.2015.1006163",

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AB - Capsule: Rock Ptarmigan place their nests adjacent to boulders, in their lee and on their sunnier aspects. Aims: To investigate the proximity and orientation of Rock Ptarmigan nests in relation to boulders and vegetation height. Methods: The distances from boulders of 61 Rock Ptarmigan nests and 60 random points were compared. Orientation variables of nests from boulders were analysed with circular statistical formulae. Results: Rock Ptarmigan nests were closer to boulders than random points. The mean orientation of nests relative to adjacent boulders was south-east and the prevailing wind was westerly. Vegetation height at nest sites was taller than at randomly selected sites. Conclusion: Rock Ptarmigan which nest next to, in the lee of, and on the south-eastern aspects of boulders, probably gain advantages of protection from the prevailing wind and passive thermoregulation from solar heat.

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Strategic placement of Rock Ptarmigan Lagopus muta nests adjacent to boulders

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