A quick, inexpensive trap for use with nest boxes.

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News, Notes, Comments
A Quick, Inexpensive Trap for Use with Nest Boxes
Stutchbury and Robertson (1986) describe a
simple and effective trap design for capturing
cavity-nesting species in artificial nesting boxes.
Their trap consisted of a square aluminum plate
that is affixed to the inside of the nest box using
strips of masking tape (diagrams contained in
Stuchbury and Robertson 1986). To set their trap,
the plate is supported upright by using a stick or
shoot of grass. Here, we present a modification of
this original trap design, which allows for easier
field use and is also more cost effective.
Our trap is designed specifically for the side-
opening style nest box promoted by The North
American Bluebird Society (Fig. 1; for box plans
see http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org). This style
of box allows easy access for installation of the trap
within the box and subsequently for access to
captured birds. Our innovation involves replacing
the aluminum plate with a piece of 1/4-in hardware
cloth, which is both more cost efficient (approx-
imately $0.01 ea) and more easily affixed within the
box. Additionally, traps can be manufactured within
seconds in the field, allowing for a flexible trapping
schedule. Hardware cloth is constructed of stiff,
•nterwoven wire and is available at most hardware
stores. The hardware cloth is cut into a square (6.5
x 6.5 cm) and duct tape (5.8 x 6.5 cm) is folded
around the bottom to provide additional mass to the
mechanism. A second piece of duct tape (5.8 x 6.5
cm) is used to affix the trap to the inside of the box,
•mmediately above the entrance hole (Fig. 1). The
trap is light (about 4 g), allowing for the use of a thin
shoot of grass to support the trap within the box.
Jul - Sep 2004 North Amencan Bird Bander
During the course of our studies, we captured
about 500 male and female adult Eastern
Bluebirds (Sialia sialis). The trapping technique is
similar to that described by Stuchbury and
Robertson (1986). Trapping was most effective
during morning hours (0600 - 1100 h), and when
chicks were between 3 and 12 d old. During this
period of the nesting cycle, nestlings have the
highest energy demand and both the male and
female are intensively provisioning. Additionally,
nestlings are sedentary, minimizing unintentional
trap tripping by nestlings. Individuals were usually
caught within 20 min of installing the trap; however,
if unsuccessful, the trap was used on a box for a
maximum of 1 hr.
The trap is inexpensive and proficient use requires
minutes of training, unlike mist-nets. Trapping was
90% effective when used within the suggested time
frame, and no injuries were incurred while using
the trap. The original design by Stuchbury and
Robertson (1986) is effective, yet we believe these
modifications provide a substantial increase in
efficiency and adaptability.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We extend our thanks to H. Gangloft for illustrative
services. Additionally, we thank P. Lowther for
suggesting we submit this note.
Page115

Fig. 1. Side-opening nest-box design
with trap set within the box.
Recent Literature
LITERATURE CITED
Stuchbury, B.J. and R.J. Robertson. 1986. A
simple trap for catching birds in nest boxes.
J. Field OmithoL Winter: 64-65.
Thomas J. Robinson •,3, Lynn M. Siefferman 2,
and Thomas S. Risch 1
1Department of Biological Sciences
Arkansas State University
P.O. Box 599
State University, AR 72467
2Department of Biological Sciences
Auburn University
331 Funchess Hall
Auburn, AL 36849
3Corresponding author e-mail:
trobinson @ astate.ed u
BANDING HISTORY AND BIOGRAPHIES
A lark or two. W. E. Lanyon. 1993. Amer. Birds
47:1050-1057. Box 531, Keene Valley, NY 12943
(Color-banding helped author determine relation-
ships among Eastern and Western meadowlarks
in Wisconsin field, show stability of song patterns
of individuals from year to year and other social
details in classic 1950s study that showed that
these two species almost never hybridize in spite of
their nearly identical plumages. Further field and
captive studies in New York, Wisconsin, and
elsewhere demonstrated that males learned songs
from birds surrounding natal sites and that rare
instances of hybridization produced a high rate of
fertile young, but that the eggs of such young are
nearly all infertile.) MKM
BANDING EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES
Automated doors for waterfowl banding traps.
E. P. Ashley and N. R. North. 2004. Wildl. Soc. Bull.
32:273-275. Can. Wildl. Serv., Ontario Region, Big
Creek Natl. Wildl. Area, R.R. 3, Port Rowan, ON
N0E 1 M0 (Describes modifications to baited swim-
in water[owl traps to reduce predation and prevent
escape. This automatic door, made of readily
available materials, can be programmed to open
Page 116
and close at specific times so that the amount of
time captured animals remain in the trap is
reduced, as is the potential for escape through an
otherwise open funnel door.) SG
Radiotelemetry studies: are we radio-handi-
capping Northern Bobwhites? F. S. Guthery
and J. J. Lusk. 2004. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 32:194-201.
Dept. Forestry, 008C Agric. Hall, Oklahoma State
Univ., Stillwater, OK 74078 (This is a re-analysis
of data from previously published papers that
estimated bobwhite survival rates through radio-
telemetry. The authors determined whether
populations would reach a stable age distribution
using published survival rates. Most previously
published survival rates appear to underestimate
true survival rates. Consequently, the authors
suggest that survival rates based on telemetry
data be interpreted cautiously and that telemetry
may not be the best approach for a given research
question.) SG
Self-injury and capture myopathy in net-
captured juvenile Red-legged Partridge with
necklace radiotags. U. Hofile, J. Millan, C.
Gortazar, F. J. Buenestado, I. Marco, and R.
Villafuerte. 2004. Wildl. Soc. Bull. 32:273-275.
Natl. Res. Inst. on Game Biol., Instituto de
North American Bird Bander Vol. 29 No 3