Selection of nesting sites and nesting material in common myna (Acridotheres tristis) in an arban area

Abstract

The nest is built in roofs of houses, holes of walls, trees, railway station and wells. Nesting  materials were categorized  and identified  into different groups such as twigs of Azadirachta indica, Delonix regia, Cocos nucifera, grass, feathers of birds, plastic, cloth, flowers of Acacia, Rubber rings, matal wire and snake slough, which were found in nest cavity. The frequency of A. indica, A. labback, T. indica, P. dulce, F. tsiela, f. religiosa and m. zapota leaves in the nest was in proportion to the frequency of respective trees around the nest area. However, frequencies of A. indica leaves were high compared to other plants in the nest content of Common Myna. Among the animal byproducts used as nesting materials, bird feathers were the most frequent (100%). The weight of material from natural nest varied from 12.4g to 206.5g.