Artificial Nests Design Method

Some Birds nesting relying on specific environment requirements, such as the Oriental White Stork, Lin ducks, swallows, etc. However, the environment does not always meet the needs of these birds reproduction, especially in circumstances that human disturbance increasing, habitat fragmentation growing seriously at the present day. Artificial nests can improve the environment breeding success of birds, especially for endangered species.Playing artificial nests is in order to improve the effectiveness of the breeding for birds within unsuitable habitats, help recover their populations number, and develop their population size. We summarized the concept of artificial nests. Namely, artificial nests refer to artificial structures furniture for endangered birds or birds that can only use existing nest sites or other birds’nest-sites, imitating their natural nests structure or natural nests hosting condition, providing by human beings. These birds do not nest by themselves, or nest own but surrounding lack of nest-site resources. Mading a quantitative analysis of artificial nests design method, and basing on the morphological characteristics of artificial nests, we classified the artificial nests into three types of nest, eaves nest, nest boxes, nest shelves. We find the reproductive needs of the target species reproduction needs as a starting point to explore the artificial nest design methods systematically, coming out an artificial nests design method system, including design principles, contents and procedures, etc, hoping to provide a reasonable and feasible theoretical basis for the future design of artificial nest.Artificial nest design should be based on nesting environmental needs for the target species, birds morphological characteristics, natural nest characteristics. And follow the principles that bellow, animal-centered, safe, economic, ecology. The main design elements of artificial nests is that, nest structures, materials, colors, and other defensive measures. Before designing artificial nests, we should determine the type of artificial nests, namely eave-nests, nest boxes, nest shelves, combing structural characteristics of the parent birds and the physical characteristics and natural nests, Determine the specific values of the size of each artificial nest components. Then use3D modeling software to map out the artificial nest models.Using of artificial nest design method presented above, we propose the three types artificial nest theoretical models, artificial swallow nests, artificial nest tree, and artificial nest shelves. By analyzing the morphological characteristics and breeding needs of barn swallow (H. rustica) and rumped swallow (Hirundo daurica), we propose artificial swallow nests design model. By analyzing the morphological characteristics and breeding needs of primary cavity nesting birds and secondary cavity-nesting birds, such as green woodpecker(Picus canus), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) great tit (Parus major), North Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus), we come out artificial nest tree design models. By analyzing the morphological characteristics and breeding needs of the large-size and medium-size waderfowls, such as Oriental White Stork(Ciconia boyciana), Crested Ibis(Nipponia nippon), we propose artificial nest frame design model. At last, we determine and the structure components and composition size of the artificial nest shelves.We examined twenty two nest characteristics of Oriental White Stork, including five natural nest and seventeen artificial nests in Heilongjiang Honghe Natural Nature Reserve from June to August2013. Sixteen natural nest variables were measured and compared by Non-parametric analyses, including lacation of nest tree(LNT), height of nest trees(HNT), diameter of tree at breast height (DBH), height under branch(HUB), number of nest branch(NNB), age of nest branch(ANB), diameter of nest branch(DNB), diameter of tree at nest height (DNH), nest height above ground (NHAG), Nest height(NH), Nest outer diameter(NOD), nest inner diameter(NID), nest depth(ND), cushion thickness(CH) natural nsets characteristics analyses illustrated variables preference range, DBH(30.0～50.0cm), NNB(3～4个), DNB(10.0～15.0cm), VAB (30°～60°), JH (7.0～12.0m), NHAG(7.5～12.5m), NH(45.0～65.0cm), NOD(130.0～140.0cm), NID(85.0～100.0cm), ND (18.0～23.0cm). Artificial nest characteristics non-parametric analyses illustrated variables effective range, DNB(10.0-12.0cm), VAB (25°～30°),JH (3.0～3.8m),NHAG(4.0～4.5m), NH (45.0～55.0cm), NOD(122.0～142.0cm),ND (16.0～30.0cm), CH(20.0～30.0cm). Basing on nest features, and combining with the Oriental White Stork morphological and behavioral characteristics, we come out an suitable characteristics range of artificial nest shelf, diameter of nest pillar (15.0～25.0cm), height of nest pillar (5.0～12.0m), diameter of nest stand(9.0～12.0cm), vertical angle of stand (45°～60°), number of nest stand (3～4) length of nest stand (90.0～140.0cm).Then propose an three stand artificial nest shelf model, in order to provide a scientific basis for the future design of Oriental White Stork artificial nests and population restoration and management.