NestCams

Why do we need the target data?
The reproductive success of an individual can be considered a direct measure of its biological fitness. The total sum of individual fitness observed for a species provides insights into variability and hence the adaptive capacity of a species. Some pair partners are successful at incubating and raising their offspring while others fail to do so. We are interested in the breeding performance of two avian model species (greylag goose and northern bald ibis). By analysing the behaviour of the birds during the breeding period, we are investigating which behavioural patterns contribute to reproductive success.

What happens with the target data?
The data will be statistically analysed to explore differences between successful and unsuccessful pairs. As part of our scientific research, the results will be presented at conferences and published in international journals.

Where are the cameras located?
Using NestCams we observe the behaviour of birds at breeding facilities provided by the researchers.
The greylag geese use breeding huts located in the valley of the river Alm in Upper Austria (Austria, Europe). The huts are scattered across the landscape spanning the Konrad Lorenz Research Center, the Cumberland Game Park, and a system of ponds called Upper-Goose-Creek.
Goose breeding huts are placed in ponds as greylag geese naturally tend to build their nests very close to a water body, which protects their clutch from potential predators.
Nests of northern bald ibis are located in an open-air aviary within the Cumberland Game Park. The nesting location has attributes similar to the cliffs the birds would naturally use, including elevated breeding niches; they are additionally equipped with heating lamps.

What if I can’t correctly identify a behaviour?
Just try your best and make a good guess if necessary! Don’t worry that you might make a mistake. The program is designed to correct for errors. For example, many people will watch the same video and in this way, coded videos that contain many contradictions will be filtered out – which will alert researchers to take a closer look at them.
If you need extra help you can check out the Field Guide by clicking on the button located to the right of the video. It provides you with a detailed description of each behaviour as well as video examples of the behaviours we are interested in coding.

What if the observed animal’s behaviour doesn’t fit any of the descriptions?
If you don’t know how to assign the observed behaviour, there is the option to select "other" (see below). In case you want to leave an additional note about what you have observed, you can always inform us about it through NestCams Talk.

What exactly do you mean by the term "nest"?
It is very easy to mistake the actual nest with the breeding hut or the breeding niche.
For coding purposes, "nest" refers exclusively to the location with eggs, which is laid out with nesting material like straw, feathers and sticks etc. Therefore, "leaving the nest" means leaving this area regardless of whether the bird disappears from the entire picture or stays within its breeding hut or breeding niche.
Our main research question is about the behaviour of birds on their nests.

What if the video is too dark to determine the behaviour of a goose or northern bald ibis?
Light conditions may be very poor in some videos compared to other videos. Please try and code darker videos the best you can. If you can’t see properly enough to make a choice, you can select "other".

What can be called "other" behaviour?
Basically you can select "other" if the behaviour you see is not listed (e.g. cleaning and comfort behaviour). In cases where you are absolutely unsure about the behaviour you see, you can also click on "other".

Is it okay to make a choice about a behaviour even though the bird is not fully visible?
Please make a choice based on what you’re actually able to see. If for example only half of the bird is visible in the entire video, it is nearly impossible to give an accurate statement about its behaviour. So in this case please select "other".

What do I select if the birds appear mid way through a video?
If the nest is empty at the beginning of a video, and only after some time do one or two birds (in case of the northern bald ibis) move onto the nest, please select (depending on the question and species) "one adult" or "two adults" on the nest or "standing" or "sitting" on the nest. These questions always refer to the overall occurrence of the birds during the entire video. Because of such scenarios, we strongly advise you to always watch the entire video before starting to answer the questions.

How do I get in touch with you?
If you have another question or any ideas or statements, please do not hesitate to let us know through NestCams Talk. You can also visit our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page and homepage to get more information about what we are doing.

Where can I learn more about the greylag goose or the northern bald ibis?
If you want to learn more about the highly social greylag goose or the endangered northern bald ibis, please visit the website of the Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Research Station for Behaviour and Cognition (University of Vienna).