Letha P. Cheriyan, Ammu Devan and Anju Ajan
Abstract
The nest architecture of the two human-associated bird species, Lonchura striata acuticauda and Pycnonotus jocosus, was studied in a semi-urban village of Kerala from August 2021 to September 2022. Discarded nests after the breeding season of both species were collected and deconstructed to compare the nest architecture. Lonchura striata acuticauda constructs dome-shaped, while Pycnonotus jocosus make open cup-shaped nests. The nest of Pycnonotus jocosus has a distinct outer wall with a thickness of 4.45± 0.84. The outerwall is composed of twigs, and the inner lining of the cup is distinct, with a thickness of 2.79 ± 0.83, composed of smooth fibres and readily detachable from the exterior nest. However, no distinct cup, but only an egglaying cavity is present in Lonchura striata acuticauda. There is no significant variation between the cup diameter parallel (8.26±1.34) and perpendicular (7.25±0.83) in Pycnonotus jocosus, but distinct variation in parallel (5.11±1.93) and perpendicular (3.03±1.17) axis forthe cavity in Lonchura striata acuticauda. Total nest mass was 13.60± 2.96 in Pycnonotus jocosus and 6.64±2.66 in Lonchura striata acuticauda. Materials from garden plants, surgical cotton, and spider webs were found in the nest, reflecting the adaptation of passerine finches in selecting nest materials in urbanising villages.