Study

Do feathertail gliders show a preference for nest box design?

  • Published source details Goldingay R.L., Grimson M.J. & Smith G.C. (2007) Do feathertail gliders show a preference for nest box design?. Wildlife Research, 34, 484-490.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Provide artificial dens or nest boxes on trees

Action Link
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation
  1. Provide artificial dens or nest boxes on trees

    A replicated study in 2005–2007 in five eucalyptus plantation sites in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia (Goldingay et al. 2007) found nest boxes were used by five marsupial species with different frequencies, depending on box type. Feathertail gliders Acrobates pygmaeus used 15 of 45 available small rear-entry boxes, 10 large slit-entrance boxes and nine wedge-shaped boxes, but did not use any medium rear-entry boxes. Squirrel gliders Petaurus norfolcensis used 18 of 45 medium rear-entry boxes and three large slit-entry boxes. Yellow-footed antechinus Antechinus flavipes used two large slit-entry boxes and one medium rear-entry boxes. Brown antechinus Antechinus stuartii used three small rear-entry boxes and brush-tailed phascogales Phascogale tapoatafa used one large slit-entry box. Nest boxes were of four types, small rear-entry boxes (height×width×depth: 23×14×14 cm, 25-mm-diameter entrance), large slit-entrance boxes (48×28×18.5 cm, 1.5×15 cm entrance on the side), wedge-shaped boxes (19×16×12.5–5 cm, 2×16 cm entrance at the base) and medium rear-entry boxes (40×14.5×14 cm, 45-mm-diameter entrance). They were installed in February–March 2005 and March 2006, 3 m above ground, in 45 plots. Each plot had one of each box type (180 boxes in total). Boxes were surveyed five times over 22 months.

    (Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)

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