PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

Nest boxes have been used as artificial cavities for decades to attract cavity-nesting birds that rely on such structures to roost and breed. Nest boxes aid research efforts to understand the biology and behaviour of birds and may increase breeding success, thereby contributing to the conservation of a species. The type and dimension of nest boxes and the survey design used in the tropics vary, depending on the targeted species. This paper reviewed 30 published in-situ works using nest boxes and their survey design in Malaysia. Most studies were done on Barn Owls (Tyto alba javanica) (25), followed by hornbills (5), where they were conducted in oil palm plantations (50%), rice fields (20%), forest habitats (16.7%), urban landscapes (10%), and different habitat matrices (3.3%). Attempts to enhance/manage the local populations were the main research purpose. Unlike studies from other tropical countries, studies involving nest boxes in Malaysia are still in their infancy. This review suggests future research focus on forest species, especially those requiring immediate conservation attention, and delineate parameters highlighted in published works to counter literature inconsistency. Such research involving nest boxes may also be further expanded to the study and/or conserve other interconnected fauna species.

• Abidin, C. M. R. Z., Noor, H. M., Hamid, N. H., Ravindran, S., Puan, C. L., Kasim, A., & Salim, H. (2021). Comparison of effectiveness of introduced barn owls, Tyto javanica javanica, and rodenticide treatments on rat control in oil palm plantations. Journal of Pest Science, 95, 1009-1002. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-021-01423-x

• Abidin, C. M. R. Z., Noor, H. M., Hamid, N. H., Ravindran, S., Puan, C. L., Kasim, A., & Salim, H. (2022). Breeding parameters of an introduced barn owl (Tyto alba javanica) population in an agricultural area. Journal of Raptor Research, 56(4), 455-456. https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-21-08

• Adidharma, D. (2002). Natural breeding of barn owls, Tyto alba, at Tunggal Perkasa Oil Palm Plantation, Air Molek, Riau, Indonesia. In Proceedings of Agriculture Conference: Enhancing Oil Palm Industry Development through Environmentally Friendly Technology (pp. 536-543). Indonesian Oil Palm Research Institute. https://repository.ipb.ac.id/handle/123456789/55883

• Amzah, B., Khadzir, M. K., Masarudin, M. F., & Yahya, H. (2014). Enhancing barn owl population in rice fields through installation of tree nest boxes. In C. S. Y. Yong, M. S. Maidin, G. Annavi, & W. N. W. Ibrahim (Eds.), Malaysia International Biological Symposium 2014: Sustainable Bioresources for Bioeconomy (pp. 104-106). Faculty of Science Universiti Putra Malaysia. http://repository.uin-malang.ac.id/4417/2/4417.pdf

• Arct, A., Martyka, R., Drobniak, S. M., Oleś, W., Dubiec, A., & Gustafsson, L. (2022). Effects of elevated nest box temperature on incubation behaviour and offspring fitness-related traits in the Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis. Journal of Ornithology, 163, 263-272. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-021-01944-3

• Balčiauskienė, L., Juškaitis, R., & Atkočaitis, O. (2005). The diet of the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) in South-Western Lithuania during the breeding period. Acta Zoologica Lituanica, 15(1), 13-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/13921657.2005.10512604

• Beasley, H. A., & Parrish, J. W. (2009). Breeding population of Southeastern American Kestrels in tubular cross-armed transmission towers in South-Central Georgia. Journal of Raptor Research, 43(4), 372-376. https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-08-42.1

• Calabrese, L., Mucciolo, A., Zanichelli, A., & Gustin, M. (2020). Effects of nest boxes on the most important population of red-footed falcon Falco vespertinus in Italy. Conservation Evidence, 20, 35-39.

• Cooper, C., & Bonter, D. (2008). Artificial nest site preferences of Black‐capped Chickadees. Journal of Field Ornithology, 79(2), 193-197. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1557-9263.2008.00162.x

• Cremades, M., & Ng, S. C. (2012). Hornbills in the city: A conservation approach to hornbill study in Singapore. Singapore National Parks Board.

• Cremades, M., Lai, H., Wong, T.-W., Koh, S.-K., Segran, R., & Ng, S.-C. (2011). Re-introduction of the Oriental Pied Hornbill in Singapore, with emphasis on artificial nest. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 24, 5–10.

• Davis, J. B., Cox, R. R., Kaminski, R. M., & Leopold, B. D. (2007). Survival of wood duck ducklings and broods in Mississippi and Alabama. Journal of Wildlife Management, 71(2), 507-517. https://doi.org/10.2193/2005-720

• Duckett, J. E. (1976). Owls as major predators of rats in oil palm estates with particular reference to the barn owl (Tyto alba). Planter, 52(598), 4-15.

• Duckett, J. E. (1991). Management of the barn owl (Tyto alba javanica) as a predator of rats in oil palm (Elaeis quineensis) plantations in Malaysia. Birds of Prey Bulletin, 4, 11-23.

• Food and Fertilizer Technology Center. (2002). Barn owls to control rats in paddy fields. FFTC.

• Gaia. (2019). Gaia 2019 highlights. https://xploregaia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Gaia-2019-highlights.pdf

• Geduhn, A., Esther, A., Schenke, D., Gabriel, D., & Jacob, J. (2016). Prey composition modulates exposure risk to anticoagulant rodenticides in a sentinel predator, the barn owl. Science of the Total Environment, 544, 150-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.11.117

• Gelter, H. P., & Tegelström, H. (1992). High frequency of extra-pair paternity in Swedish pied flycatchers revealed by allozyme electrophoresis and DNA fingerprinting. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 31, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00167810

• Goldingay, R. L., Rohweder, D., & Taylor, B. D. (2020). Nest box contentions: Are nest boxes used by the species they target? Ecological Management and Restoration, 21(2), 115-122. https://doi.org/10.1111/emr.12408

• Gong, Y., Bibi, N., & Wang, H. (2018). Nest usurpation between Mandarin duck Aix galericulata and coexisting bird species in nest boxes in a secondary forest, Zuojia Nature Reserve, China. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 50(4), 1537-1540. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/2018.50.4.sc2

• Griffiths, S. R., Lumsden, L. F., Robert, K. A., & Lentini, P. E. (2020). Nest boxes do not cause a shift in bat community composition in an urbanised landscape. Scientific Reports, 10, 6210. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-63003-w

• Hafidzi, M. N., & Na’im, M. (2003a). Prey selection by barn owls in rice fields in Malaysia. In Rats, mice and people: Rodent biology and management (pp. 220-223). Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

• Hafidzi, M. N., & Na’im, M. (2003b). The use of the barn owl, Tylo alba, to suppress rat damage in rice fields in Malaysia. In Rats, mice and people: Rodent biology and management (pp. 274-276). Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research.

• Hafidzi, M. N., Hamzah, M. H., & Jamaluddin, M. L. (2003). Ranging behaviour of Tyto alba in a rice field from radio telemetry studies. Journal of Malaysian Applied Biology, 32(1), 47-51.

• Hafidzi, M. N., Naim, M., & Akbar, Z. (2007). Influence of wet and dry seasons on the breeding of barn owl and its relation to rat damage. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, 30(1), 45-50.

• Hanmer, H. J., Thomas, R. L., Beswick, G. J. F., Collins, B. P., & Fellowes, M. D. E. (2017). Use of anthropogenic material affects bird nest arthropod community structure: Influence of urbanisation, and consequences for ectoparasites and fledging success. Journal of Ornithology, 158, 1045-1059. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-017-1462-7

• Hudin, N. S., De Neve, L., Strubbe, D., Fairhurst, G. D., Vangestel, C., Peach, W. J., & Lens, L. (2017). Supplementary feeding increases nestling feather corticosterone early in the breeding season in house sparrows. Ecology and Evolution, 7(16), 6163-6171. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3114

• HUTAN. (2018). Artificial nest boxes to encourage the breeding of hornbills in Malaysia. https://www.fondationensemble.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/FT-HUTAN-GB_finalWeb-3.pdf

• Katzner, T., Robertson, S., Robertson, B., Klucsarits, J., McCarty, K., & Bildstein, K. L. (2005). Results from a long-term nest-box program for American Kestrels: Implications for improved population monitoring and conservation. Journal of Field Ornithology, 76(3), 217-226. https://doi.org/10.1648/0273-8570-76.3.217

• Kaur, R. (2019). The conservation of Bornean hornbills in Malaysia: The Kinabatangan wildlife sanctuary. https://www.conservationleadershipprogramme.org/media/2019/10/CLP15032019FinalReportBorneoHornbills.pdf

• Kaur, R., & Ancrenaz, M. (2016). The Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation Project (KOCP): Conserving hornbills in Sabah. HUTAN. https://www.hutan.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/KOCP-Conserving-Hornbills-in-Sabah.pdf

• Kemp, A. C. (1995). The hornbills: Bucerotiformes (Vol. 1). Oxford University Press.

• Lai, C. (2021, August 25). Society proposes artificial box for nesting hornbills at Piasau Camp. Borneo Post. https://www.theborneopost.com/2021/08/25/society-proposes-artificial-box-for-nesting-hornbills-at-piasau-camp/

• Lambrechts, M. M., Adriaensen, F., Ardia, D. R., Artemyev, A. V., Atiénzar, F., Bańbura, J., Barba, E., Bouvier, J.-C., Camprodon, J., Cooper, C. B., Dawson, R. D., Eens, M., Eeva, T., Faivre, B., Garamszegi, L. Z., Goodenough, A. E., Gosler, A. G., Grégoire, A., Griffith, S. C., ... Ziane, N. (2010). The design of artificial nestboxes for the study of secondary hole-nesting birds: A review of methodological inconsistencies and potential biases. Acta Ornithologica, 45(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.3161/000164510X516047

• Lambrechts, M. M., Wiebe, K. L., Sunde, P., Solonen, T., Sergio, F., Roulin, A., Møller, A. P., López, B. C., Fargallo, J. A., Exo, K. -M., Dell’Omo, G., Costantini, D., Charter, M., Butler, M. W., Bortolotti, G. R., Arlettaz, R., & Korpimäki, E. (2012). Nest box design for the study of diurnal raptors and owls is still an overlooked point in ecological, evolutionary and conservation studies: A review. Journal of Ornithology, 153, 23-34. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0720-3

• Le Roux, D. S., Ikin, K., Lindenmayer, D. B., Bistricer, G., Manning, A. D., & Gibbons, P. (2016). Effects of entrance size, tree size and landscape context on nest box occupancy: Considerations for management and biodiversity offsets. Forest Ecology and Management, 366, 135-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2016.02.017

• Lee, C. H. (1997). Barn owl for field rat control in cocoa. Journal of Tropical Agriculture and Food Science, 25(1), 43-54.

• Lenton, G. M. (1980). The ecology of Barn Owls (Tyto alba) in the Malay Peninsula with reference to their use in rodent control [Unpublished Doctoral dissertation]. Universiti Malaya.

• Lenton, G. M. (1983). Wise owls flourish among the oil palms. New Scientist, 97(1345), 436-437.

• Liébana, M. S., Sarasola, J. H. (2013). Nest-box occupancy by neotropical raptors in a native forest of central Argentina. Journal of Raptor Research, 47(2), 208-213. https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-12-51.1

• Lim, J. L., Visvalingam, M., Buckle, A. P., Ward, J. K., & Fenn, M. G. P. (1993). Prey selection by barn owls (Tyto alba) in an oil palm plantation in Malaysia. Journal of Plant Protection in the Tropics, 10, 185-192.

• Mainwaring, M. C., Wolfenden, A., Read, J. E., Robson, J. M. A., Tomlinson, C. J., & Hartley, I. R. (2015). Feathering the nest: The effects of feather supplementation to Blue Tit nests. Avian Biology Research, 9(2), 89-95. https://doi.org/10.3184/175815516X14551240159329

• Mänd, R., Tilgar, V., Lõhmus, A., & Leivits, A. (2005). Providing nest boxes for hole-nesting birds - Does habitat matter? Biodiversity and Conservation, 14, 1823-1840. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-1039-7

• Maziarz, M., Broughton, R. K., & Wesołowski, T. (2017). Microclimate in tree cavities and nest-boxes: Implications for hole-nesting birds. Forest Ecology and Management, 389, 306-313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2017.01.001

• Miller, K. E. (2002). Nesting success of the Great Crested Flycatcher in nest boxes and in tree cavities: Are nest boxes safer from nest predation? The Wilson Bulletin, 114(2), 179-185. https://doi.org/10.1676/0043-5643(2002)114[0179:nsotgc]2.0.co;2

• Naim, M., Noor, H. M., Kasim, A., & Abu, J. (2010). Growth performance of nestling barn owls, Tyto alba javanica in rat baiting area in Malaysia. Journal of Agricultural and Biological Science, 5(6), 1-13.

• Naim, M., Noor, H. M., Kasim, A., & Abu, J. (2011). Comparison of the breeding performance of the barn owl Tyto alba javanica under chemical and bio-based rodenticide baiting in immature oil palms in Malaysia. Dynamic Biochemistry, Process Biotechnology and Molecular Biology, 5(2), 5-11.

• Naim, M., Umar, J., & Hafidzi, M. N. (2012). The ranging behaviour of Tyto alba in oil palm under baiting with anticoagulant rodenticides, warfarin and brodifacoum and a biorodenticide Sarcocystis singaporensis (Zaman & Colley, 1975). Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, 35(2), 209-221.

• Newton, I. (1994). The role of nest sites in limiting the numbers of hole-nesting birds: A review. Biological Conservation, 70(3), 265-276. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3207(94)90172-4

• Olah, G., Vigo, G., Heinsohn, R., & Brightsmith, D. J. (2014). Nest site selection and efficacy of artificial nests for breeding success of Scarlet Macaws Ara macao macao in lowland Peru. Journal for Nature Conservation, 22(2), 176-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2013.11.003

• Ortiz‐Catedral, L., & Brunton, D. H. (2009). Nesting sites and nesting success of reintroduced red‐crowned Parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) on Tiritiri Matangi Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 36(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014220909510133

• Palko, I. V., Kalyakin, M. V., & Thinh, N. V. (2011). Nesting of the white-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) in southern Vietnam. Bonner Zoologische Monographien, 57(57), 185-191.

• Pasuwan, C., Pattanakiat, S., Navanugraha, C., Chimchome, V., Madsri, S., Rattanarungsikul, P., Thiensongrusamee, P., Boonsriroj, T., & Poonswad, P. (2011). An assessment on artificial nest construction for hornbills in Budo Su-Ngai Padi National Park, Thailand. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, 59(24), 85-93.

• Proudfoot, G. A., Teel, P. D., & Mohr, R. M. (2006). Ferruginous pygmy-owl (Glaucidium brasilianum) and Eastern screech-owl (Megascopes asio): New hosts for Philornis mimicola (Diptera: Muscidae) and Ornithodoros concanensis (Acari: Argasidae). Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 42(4), 873-876. https://doi.org/10.7589/0090-3558-42.4.873

• Puan, C. L., Baxter, G. S., Goldizen, A. W., Zakaria, M., & Hafidzi, M. N. (2012). Barn owl predatory behaviour and response to prey abundance: Towards an ecologically-based agricultural practice. Ornis Mongolica, 1, 63-66.

• Puan, C. L., Davison, G., & Lim, K. C. (2020). Birds of Malaysia: Covering Peninsular Malaysia, Malaysian Borneo and Singapore. Lynx Edicions.

• Puan, C. L., Goldizen, A. W., Zakaria, M., Hafidzi, M. N., & Baxter, G. S. (2011). Absence of differential predation on rats by Malaysian barn owls in oil palm plantations. Journal of Raptor Research, 45(1), 71-78. https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-10-18.1

• Raid, R. N. (2012). Use of barn owls for sustainable rodent control in agricultural areas. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society, 125, 366-369.

• Ravindran, S., Saufi, S., Amni, W. N., Ishak, I., Hamid, N. H., Abidin, C. M. R. Z., Ahmad A. H., Azzam, G., & Salim, H. (2018). Sex identification comparison of barn owls (Tyto alba javanica) using morphological features and molecular-based methods. Slovak Raptor Journal, 12(1), 47-54. https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2018-0005

• Ravindran, S., Woo, W. K., Saufi, S., Amni, W. N., Hamid, N. H., Abidin, C. M. R. Z., Ishak, I., Azzam, G., & Salim, H. (2019). Molecular sexing of Southeast Asian barn owl, Tyto alba javanica, using blood and feather. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 30(2), 13-23. https://doi.org/10.21315/tlsr2019.30.2.2

• Rejt, Ł. (2001). Feeding activity and seasonal changes in prey composition of urban Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus. Acta Ornithologica, 36(2), 165-169. https://doi.org/10.3161/068.036.0201

• Richards, N. L., Mineau, P., & Bird, D. M. (2004). Exposure of the Eastern Screech-owl Otus asio to organophosphorus insecticides and anticoagulant rodenticides in apple orchards of Southern Quebec, Canada. In R. D. Chancellor & B.-U. Meyburg (Eds.), Raptors Worldwide: Proceedings of the VI World Conference on Birds of Prey and Owls (pp. 389-408). World Working Group on Birds of Prey and Owls and MME/Bird Life Hungary. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ngaio-Richards/publication/260057710_Exposure_of_the_eastern_screech-owl_Otus_asio_to_organophosphorus_insecticides_and_anticoagulant_rodenticides_in_apple_orchards_of_southern_Quebec_Canada/links/0c96052f3a5440329c000000/Exposure-of-the-eastern-screech-owl-Otus-asio-to-organophosphorus-insecticides-and-anticoagulant-rodenticides-in-apple-orchards-of-southern-Quebec-Canada.pdf

• Riyahi, S., Carrillo-Ortiz, J. G., Uribe, F., Calafell, F., & Senar, J. C. (2022). Risk-taking coping style correlates with SERT SNP290 polymorphisms in free-living great tits. Journal of Experimental Biology, 225(9), jeb243342. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.243342

• Salim, H., Noor, H. M., Hamid, N. H., Omar, D., Kasim, A., & Abidin, C. M. R. Z. (2015). The effects of rodenticide residues deposited in eggs of Tyto alba to eggshell thickness. Sains Malaysiana, 44(4), 559-564. https://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2015-4404-10

• Salim, H., Noor, H. M., Hamid, N. H., Omar, D., Kasim, A., Rawi, C. S. M., Ahmad, A. B., & Abidin, C. M. R. Z. (2014). Sub-lethal effects of the anticoagulant rodenticides bromadiolone and chlorophacinone on breeding performances of the barn owl (Tyto alba) in oil palm plantations. Slovak Raptor Journal, 8(2), 113-122. https://doi.org/10.2478/srj-2014-0013

• Salim, H., Noor, H. M., Tajudin, R., Hamid, N. H., Omar, D., Kasim, A., & Abidin, C. M. R. Z. (2016). Effects of rodenticide on growth of nestling barn owl, Tyto alba javanica in oil palm plantations. Journal of Oil Palm Research, 28(1), 16-25. https://doi.org/10.21894/jopr.2016.2801.03

• Saufi, S., Ravindran, S., & Salim, H. (2019). Homing instinct of a female barn owl (Tyto alba). Journal of Raptor Research, 53(3), 343-345. https://doi.org/10.3356/JRR-18-78

• Saufi, S., Ravindran, S., Hamid, N. H., Abidin, C. M. R. Z., Ahmad, H., Ahmad, A. H., & Salim, H. (2020a). Diet composition of introduced barn owls (Tyto alba javanica) in urban area in comparison with agriculture settings. Journal of Urban Ecology, 6(1), juz025. https://doi.org/10.1093/jue/juz025

• Saufi, S., Ravindran, S., Hamid, N. H., Abidin, C. M. R. Z., Ahmad, H., Ahmad, A. H., & Salim, H. (2020b). Establishment of barn owls (Tyto alba javanica) in an urban area on Penang Island, Malaysia. Journal of Raptor Research, 54(3), 265-272. https://doi.org/10.3356/0892-1016-54.3.265

• Sipayung, A (1992). Barn owl (Tyto alba) reproduction in oil palm plantation. Buletin Pusat Penelitian Perkebunan Marihat, 12(3), 44-51.

• Soltész, Z., Seres, N., & Kovács-Hostyánszki, A. (2018). Dipteran assemblages in Red-footed Falcon (Falco vespertinus) nest boxes. Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 64(1), 91-102. https://doi.org/10.17109/AZH.64.1.91.2018

• Stanback, M. (2020). A plywood nest box for hornbills and other large cavity-nesters. Hornbill Natural History and Conservation, 1(2), 35-40.

• Sudarmaji., Pustika, A. B., Yolanda, K., Pujiastuti, E., Martini, T., & Stuart, A. (2021). The occupancy of barn owl in the artificial nest box to control rice field rats in Yogyakarta Indonesia. Journal of Agro Science, 9(2), 116-125. https://doi.org/10.18196/pt.v9i2.10893

• Surmacki, A., & Podkowa, P. (2022). The use of trail cameras to monitor species inhabiting artificial nest boxes. Ecology and Evolution, 12(2), e8550. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8550

• van der Hoek, Y., Gaona, G.V., & Martin, K. (2017). The diversity, distribution and conservation status of the tree‐cavity‐nesting birds of the world. Diversity and Distributions, 23(10), 1120-1131. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12601

• Vercoe, M., Barton, C., Kaur, R., Figueira, R., Macaulay, B., Boyd, M., & Ancrenaz, M. (2021). Artificial nest cavities can sustain populations of hornbills in the degraded forests of Kinabatangan, Borneo. Oryx, 55(3), 330-331. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003060532100020X

• Wesołowski, T. (2011). Reports from nestbox studies: A review of inadequacies. Acta Ornithologica, 46(1), 13-17. https://doi.org/10.3161/000164511X589866

• Wimberger, K., Carstens, K. F., Carstens, J. C., & Boyes, R. S. (2017). Nest boxes for Cape Parrots Poicephalus robustus in the Hogsback area, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Ostrich, 89(1), 79-85. https://doi.org/10.2989/00306525.2017.1405094

• Zárybnická, M., Kubizňák, P., Šindelář, J., & Hlaváč, V. (2016). Smart nest box: A tool and methodology for monitoring of cavity-dwelling animals. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 7(4), 483-492. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12509

• Zhang, L., Bai, L., Wang, J., Wan, D., & Liang, W. (2021). Occupation rates of artificial nest boxes by secondary cavity-nesting birds: The influence of nest site characteristics. Journal for Nature Conservation, 63, 126045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126045