What negative consequence results when Wood Duck nest boxes are installed too closely together?
Answer
Instances of egg dumping increase significantly, leading to strained, large clutches
When installing artificial nest boxes to aid Wood Ducks, spacing them appropriately is crucial because proximity can trigger detrimental reproductive behaviors. If boxes are placed too closely together, the instances of brood parasitism, commonly known as 'egg dumping,' rise considerably. This means one hen deposits some of her eggs into a neighbor's nest, leading to abnormally large clutches—nests have been recorded containing as many as 40 eggs. Such excessively large clutches place an unsustainable burden on the incubating female, ultimately straining her resources and reducing the overall success rate of hatching and fledging the young.
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