Temperature variation in nest boxes occupied by arboreal mammals during winter in southern Australia
Ross L. Goldingay
A * and Karen J. Thomas B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Faculty of Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, PO Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
B Bendigo Field Naturalists Club, Spring Gully PO, Bendigo, Vic. 3550, Australia.
Australian Mammalogy 45(1) 24-31 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM21049
Submitted: 17 December 2021 Accepted: 13 April 2022 Published: 25 May 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the Australian Mammal Society.
Abstract
We investigated nest temperatures in nest boxes occupied by single lactating brush-tailed phascogales (n = 8 boxes) and 1–3 adult sugar gliders (n = 7 boxes) when overnight ambient temperature dropped to <5°C. Temperature in the nest decreased or increased rapidly as animals vacated or re-occupied their nests. In the hour following first night-time departure, temperatures in sugar glider nests dropped by 9°C but only by 4°C in phascogale nests. The slower rate in phascogale nests was due to the presence of nestlings. Phascogales returned repeatedly to the nest during the night, resulting in an average 15°C differential above ambient over the night (2200–0500 h). Gliders returned infrequently during the night, resulting in an average nest-ambient differential of 3–5°C. After departure some glider nests tracked ambient to <0°C. The ability of nests to insulate and moderate temperature fluctuations requires further study. Our study highlights that we have incomplete knowledge of many aspects of the nesting ecology of cavity-using Australian mammals.
Keywords: Bendigo, cavity-dependent mammal, nest cooling, nest structure, nest temperature, Petaurus, Phascogale, tree hollow.
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