Changes and increased mechanisation of agricultural practices have influenced the biodiversity composition of farmland habitats and caused a decline of bird communities in many European countries. The removal of shrubs and large trees rich in natural cavities, has also led to a drastic decrease in nest site availability for cavity-nesting bird species. Nest-boxes are a common conservation tool used to improve nest-site availability, and have helped to reverse declines in many endangered bird populations. Nonetheless to maximize the results of such interventions it is crucial to know where nest-boxes should be sited. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the nest-box program for the European Roller (Coracias garrulus) population of Lazio region (Central Italy). More specifically, we focused on what landscape features were preferred (or avoided) in the process of nest box selection and how they influenced population's breeding parameters. Particular attention was paid to identifying potential limitations and to provide management recommendations for future interventions. Using data from 70 nest boxes sited on power lines monitored over a 7-year period (representing 140 breeding attempts), we developed probability functions to evaluate if nest box location, in terms of distance from habitat resources and habitat composition and structure, had an effect on nest box occupancy and on the main reproductive parameters. Nest boxes were more likely to be occupied if they were located near arable fields and in areas characterized by a higher amount of incoming solar radiation. Higher fledging success was associated with fallow fields and with a moderate/low habitat structural complexity. Higher breeding success was associated with solar radiation and with greater distance from urban areas. Our results highlight the importance of specific habitat variables in influencing nest occupancy, and show which drivers primarily affect species’ reproduction and persistence over time. Siting nest boxes in habitats where occupancy rate and fledging success is higher, such as in arable and fallow fields and on south-facing slopes where solar radiation is maximised, may help to extend the suitable habitat for rollers and facilitate its local expansion.

中文翻译：

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意大利中部的欧洲滚子的巢箱选择和繁殖：一项为期7年的研究

农业实践的变化和机械化的增加影响了农田生境的生物多样性构成，并在许多欧洲国家造成了鸟类群落的减少。清除灌木和大树丛中的天然空洞，也导致巢穴鸟类的巢穴可用性急剧下降。巢箱是一种常用的养护工具，用于提高巢穴的利用率，并有助于扭转许多濒危鸟类的数量下降的趋势。尽管如此，要使此类干预的效果最大化，了解嵌套盒应放置在何处至关重要。这项研究的目的是调查巢箱计划对拉齐奥地区（意大利中部）的欧洲过山车（Coracias garrulus）种群的有效性。进一步来说，我们重点研究了在巢箱选择过程中首选（或避免使用）哪些景观特征，以及它们如何影响种群的繁殖参数。特别注意确定潜在的局限性并为将来的干预提供管理建议。利用在过去7年中监测的电力线上70个巢箱的数据（代表140次繁殖尝试），我们开发了概率函数来评估巢箱位置（从与栖息地资源的距离以及栖息地组成和结构方面）是否具有对巢箱的占有率和主要繁殖参数的影响。如果将巢箱放置在可耕地附近和太阳辐射较多的区域，则它们很可能被占用。幼耕成功率较高与休耕地和中/低生境结构复杂性有关。较高的育种成功与太阳辐射和离市区的距离更大有关。我们的结果强调了特定栖息地变量在影响巢居率方面的重要性，并显示了哪些驱动因素随时间推移主要影响物种的繁殖和持久性。在占用率和初生成功率较高的栖息地中选址巢箱，例如在耕地和休闲地以及太阳辐射最大化的朝南山坡上，可能有助于扩大适合旱冰者的栖息地并促进其局部扩展。我们的结果强调了特定栖息地变量在影响巢居率方面的重要性，并显示了哪些驱动因素随时间推移主要影响物种的繁殖和持久性。在占用率和初生成功率较高的栖息地中选址巢箱，例如在耕地和休闲地以及太阳辐射最大化的朝南山坡上，可能有助于扩大适合旱冰者的栖息地并促进其局部扩展。我们的结果强调了特定栖息地变量在影响巢居率方面的重要性，并显示了哪些驱动因素随时间推移主要影响物种的繁殖和持久性。在占用率和初生成功率较高的栖息地中选址巢箱，例如在耕地和休闲地以及太阳辐射最大化的朝南山坡上，可能有助于扩大适合旱冰者的栖息地并促进其局部扩展。