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Thermal Variation and Mean Temperature Independently Affect Breeding Behavior Across Temporal Scales in Two
William H Kirkpatrick1, Sarah E DuRant1
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA.
Integrative and Comparative Biology
|June 4, 2026
Summary
Avian incubation behaviors are influenced by both average temperatures and thermal variability. Birds adjust nesting patterns based on recent and overall thermal conditions, impacting incubation constancy and daily investment.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Climate Change Biology
Background:
- Avian incubation is sensitive to thermal conditions, with research focusing on average temperatures.
- Climate change models predict increased environmental thermal variation, yet its impact on avian incubation behavior is less understood.
- Understanding thermal variability's role is crucial for predicting bird responses to climate change.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between nesting behaviors and temperature in Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows.
- To determine how average temperature and thermal variation independently affect incubation behaviors.
- To explore the time-dependent nature of incubation responses to thermal conditions.
Main Methods:
- Monitoring nesting behaviors and ambient temperatures in Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) and Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor).
- Analyzing the influence of recent thermal conditions (rate of change, average temperature) on off-bout duration.
- Assessing incubation constancy (percentage of time on nest) and daily investment in relation to mean temperature and thermal variation.
Main Results:
- Incubation behaviors were found to be time-dependent, responding independently to average temperature and thermal variation.
- Recent temperature changes and average temperature reduced off-bout length in the mornings but not afternoons.
- Incubation constancy increased with higher mean temperatures and greater thermal variation.
- Increased thermal variation led to greater daily incubation investment in Eastern Bluebirds.
Conclusions:
- Avian incubation behavior exhibits a complex dynamic with environmental temperature, influenced by both immediate thermal characteristics and overall incubation period patterns.
- Birds adjust incubation strategies in response to thermal variability, suggesting adaptive behavioral plasticity.
- Findings highlight the importance of considering thermal variation, not just average temperature, in avian behavioral ecology and conservation under climate change.
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