ABSTRACT Capsule: Within breeding season changes in nest orientation of the Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus may reflect responses to the local climate. Aims: To explore the effect of climate on the orientation of closed-cup nests of the Rufous Hornero at a subtropical urban site throughout its breeding period. Methods: The breeding season was divided into two periods: a cold period with low rainfall and a warm, humid period. For each period, the mean nest entrance orientation and distribution were estimated and compared against a random orientation model. Results: A total of 42 nests were found during the first period of reproduction and 32 during the second period. In both cases, the mean orientation was non-random and significantly different between the two periods: nests were more likely to be orientated towards the northwest in the first period and to the east in the second period. Conclusions: Climate variation throughout the breeding season was reflected in differences in nest entrance orientation. This could be because this species takes advantage of solar radiation to increase the temperature within the nest during the first cold months of the breeding season and reduces the humidity of the nest, generated by intense rain, as the season progresses.

中文翻译：

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气候对 Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus 巢穴方向的影响

摘要胶囊：在繁殖季节，Rufous Hornero Furnarius rufus 巢穴方向的变化可能反映了对当地气候的反应。目的：在整个繁殖期间，探索气候对亚热带城市地区红褐色 Hornero 闭杯巢穴方向的影响。方法：繁殖季节分为两个时期：寒冷少雨期和温暖湿润期。对于每个时期，估计巢穴入口的平均方向和分布，并与随机方向模型进行比较。结果：第一期繁殖共发现42个巢穴，第二期共发现32个。在这两种情况下，平均方向是非随机的，并且在两个时期之间存在显着差异：第一个时期的巢更可能朝向西北，第二个时期则朝向东方。结论：整个繁殖季节的气候变化反映在巢穴入口方向的差异上。这可能是因为该物种在繁殖季节的前几个月利用太阳辐射来提高巢内的温度，并随着季节的进行降低因强降雨而产生的巢内湿度。