Cameras facing nests in open landscapes may increase predation risk (1 Viewer)

[JTweedie]

Predators, particularly corvids, may learn to associate a camera in an open area (where the camera is set to observe a nest) with the presence of food. The study suggests that being curious birds, they will investigate changes in their environment, such as a new camera, and then come to associate the cameras with food. It also suggests that the birds may learn to watch people in general and to investigate where people had been.

They suggest using smaller cameras that are harder to see in the landscape, but perhaps they need to take a cue from corvids and pretend to be active at multiple locations so that the birds can't remember all the places that the researchers visited, just like the birds are known to pretend to hide food knowing that they're being watched by their rivals.

JWM: Trail cameras can lure predators to nests - The Wildlife Society

Researchers’ efforts to observe natural behavior may skew predator-prey dynamics

wildlife.org

 

[Montereyman]

Birds like ravens and gulls look for the spoils left by larger predators. They are in effect scavengers in many situations. There needs to be a baseline of how many nests are unsuccessful regardless of human activity.

This has been done with osprey nests that are preyed upon by eagle. In the San Francisco Bay area there are osprey nests in industrial areas and on top of cranes and other equipment. What is absent at these locations are any bald eagles to prey on the young osprey nestlings.

 

[jurek]

It haas been known since decades that crows and ravens can learn to spy birdwatchers looking for birds nests.

 

[tembabavuma]

This is a very helpful post. I didn’t know that putting cameras near nests in open areas could make it easier for predators to find them. It's really important to think about how our tools affect nature. Thanks for sharing this clear and useful research. Do you think using smaller or hidden cameras might help reduce the risk?

 

[Montereyman]

The crows and ravens are watching people approaching the nests. An interesting study done in Oregon indicated that the offspring would cue off a masked human that only their parents had observed.

Nest design and location is very important. Many nest boxes are raided or taken over by squirrels and yet few people bother to install baffles to prevent this.