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Fort Hood Center for Cooperative Ecological Research
Nest Predation - Video Nest-Monitoring
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In 1997 TNC Fort Hood began a pilot study to test the quality and useability of video equipment in the study of nest parasitism and predation.The results were outstanding, and in 1998 we began a full scale video monitoring study with twelve cameras in the field. The photo at right shows the hardware, built by Fuhrman Diversified Inc., which is being used in the study.
In addition to providing a close-up look at the nesting behavior of out two endangered species (the black-capped vireo and the golden-cheeked warbler), the cameras at times provided spectacular answers to our questions about nest predation. The infrared emitters lit up snakes as they slipped in at night searching for easy prey. The cameras also caught mice stealing a few eggs, and swarms of fire ants administering a painful death to all the nestlings they could find. Cowbirds also trespassed from time to time at vireo nests, doing something very unexpected. Read about this and about all our results in our 1998 annual report.
