Effects of predator guards on wood duck box usage

Published source details Cronan J.M. (1957) Effects of predator guards on wood duck box usage. Journal of Wildlife Management, 21, 468-468.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use artificial nests that discourage predation Action Link
	Provide artificial nesting sites for wildfowl Action Link

Use artificial nests that discourage predation

A replicated trial in woodland on Rhode Island, USA, in 1955-56 (Cronan 1957), found that installing predator guards on wood duck Aix sponsa nest boxes reduced the usage of nest boxes, compared to unguarded nest boxes, when birds were given a choice of boxes (55% of 40 boxes with guards used vs. 93% of 40 unguarded boxes). However, in areas where all boxes were either guarded or unguarded, there was no significant difference in usage (51% of 55 guarded nests used vs. 56% of 52 unguarded). This study is also discussed in ‘Provide artificial nesting sites’.
Provide artificial nesting sites for wildfowl

A replicated trial in 20 woodland sites on Rhode Island, USA, in 1955-56 (Cronan 1957) found that wood ducks Aix sponsa used 36-100% of nest boxes installed in study areas. A total of 102 nest boxes were observed in 1955 and 85 in 1956. This study is discussed in more detail in ‘Use artificial nests that discourage predation’.