Abstract
Understanding inter- and intraspecific variation in parental care has been an important focus in studies of avian behaviour and evolution. Unfortunately, typical methods for quantifying parental care, such as field observation and video recordings, can be extremely time-consuming. Here, we demonstrate that utilizing behavioural analysis software, such as EthoVision XT, can reduce time required for video data extraction by 37−69 %. This method is highly accurate; results and error rates did not differ from those of manual observation. We suggest this method could be beneficial and time-saving for studies analyzing large amounts of video recordings.
Zusammenfassung
Eine sehr genaue und zeitsparende Methode zur Extraktion von Nestbeobachtungsdaten aus Videoaufnahmen
Das Verständnis inter- und intraspezifischer Variation der elterlichen Brutpflege ist ein wichtiger Schwerpunkt bei der Erforschung des Verhaltens und der Evolution von Vögeln. Leider können die üblichen Methoden zur Quantifizierung elterlicher Fürsorge, beispielsweise Feldbeobachtungen und Videoaufzeichnungen, äußerst zeitaufwendig sein. Hier zeigen wir, dass der Einsatz von Verhaltensanalyse-Software, wie zum Beispiel EthoVision XT, die für die Extraktion der Videodaten notwendige Zeit um 37–69 % verringern kann. Diese Methode ist sehr genau; die Ergebnisse und Fehlerraten unterschieden sich nicht von denen bei manueller Auswertung. Wir sind der Ansicht, dass sich diese Methode bei Untersuchungen, welche die Analyse größer Mengen Videomaterials beinhalten, als vorteilhaft und zeitsparend erweisen könnte.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Bechstein P, Rehbach N-J, Yuhasingham G et al (2014) The clock gene period1 regulates innate routine behaviour in mice. Proc Biol Sci 281:20140034
Cox WA, Pruett, Benson TJ et al (2012) Development of camera technology for monitoring nests. surveillance of nesting birds, 1st edn. University of California Press, Berkeley, pp 185–198
Davies NB (1986) Reproductive success of dunnocks, prunella modularis, in a variable mating system. I. Factors influencing provisioning rate, nestling weight and fledging success. J Anim Ecol 55:123–138
Feenders G, Bateson M (2013) Hand rearing affects emotional responses but not basic cognitive performance in European starlings. Anim Behav 86:127–138
Fonio E, Benjamini Y, Golani I (2009) Freedom of movement and the stability of its unfolding in free exploration of mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci 106:21335–21340
Germain RR, Reudink MW, Marra PP, Ratcliffe LM (2010) Carotenoid-based male plumage predicts parental investment in the american redstart. Wilson J Ornithol 122:318–325
Ghalambor CK, Peluc SI, Martin TE (2013) Plasticity of parental care under the risk of predation: how much should parents reduce care? Biol Lett 9:20130154
Gladbach A, Braun C, Nordt A et al (2009) Chick provisioning and nest attendance of male and female Wilson’s storm petrels Oceanites oceanicus. Polar Biol 32:1315–1321
Morrison A, Flood NJ, Reudink MW (2014) Reproductive correlates of plumage coloration of female Mountain bluebirds. J Field Ornithol 85:168–179
Noldus LP, Spink AJ, Tegelenbosch RA (2001) EthoVision: a versatile video tracking system for automation of behavioral experiments. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput J Psychon Soc Inc 33:398–414
Osmond MM, Reudink MW, Germain RR et al (2013) Relationships between carotenoid-based female plumage and age, reproduction, and mate colour in the American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). Can J Zool 91:589–595
Robinson WD, Hau M, Klasing KC et al (2010) Diversification of life histories in new world birds. Auk 127:253–262
Schwagmeyer PL, Mock DW (2008) Parental provisioning and offspring fitness: size matters. Anim Behav 75:291–298
Shen S-F, Chen H-C, Vehrencamp SL, Yuan H-W (2010) Group provisioning limits sharing conflict among nestlings in joint-nesting Taiwan yuhinas. Biol Lett 6:318–321
Simmons R (1986) Food provisioning, nestling growth and experimental manipulation of brood size in the African Redbreasted sparrowhawk Accipiter rufiventris. Ornis Scand 17:31–40
Sullivan JP (1988) Effects of provisioning rates and number fledged on nestling aggression in Great blue herons. Colon Waterbirds 11:220–226
Węgrzyn E (2013) Intensity of mouth coloration in Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla nestlings affects food distribution among siblings but not provisioning of the whole brood. Ibis 155:156–164
Wood JN (2013) Newborn chickens generate invariant object representations at the onset of visual object experience. Proc Natl Acad Sci 110:14000–14005
Wright J, Both C, Cotton P, Bryant D (1998) Quality vs. quantity: energetic and nutritional trade-offs in parental provisioning strategies. J Anim Ecol 67:620–634
Acknowledgments
We thank G. Dreger, P. and J. Gray, and the members of the Kamloops Naturalists Club for use of their bluebird routes. We thank C. Miller for the use of EthoVision software, J. Mumford for his technical advice regarding EthoVision, and D. Eye for volunteering to watch nest watch videos. Funding for this project was provided by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Discovery Grant (MWR), the Canada-British Columbia Ranching Task Force Funding Initiative as administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of British Columbia (JSC), and a CUEF U-REAP undergraduate research award (DRE).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by F. Bairlein.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the Electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Evans, D.R., McArthur, S.L., Bailey, J.M. et al. A high-accuracy, time-saving method for extracting nest watch data from video recordings. J Ornithol 156, 1125–1129 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-015-1267-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-015-1267-5