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Nestlings of great tits are mainly fed with caterpillars; good quality food which makes them grow fast and assures they fledge the nest box in good condition. These caterpillars are only available for a short period of time; the caterpillar peak. Great tits time their reproduction so that the nestlings’ food requirements match the food availability.

Due to climate change, the food peak shifts forwards. Great tits lay their eggs earlier, but not early enough. This results in great tits missing the food peak. Strangely, parents are still able to raise their nestlings after the food peak. Using infra red spy cameras in the nest boxes of great tits, we will measure what parents feed their nestlings. We will measure food type as well as food size.

Additionally, we will measure food availability during the nestling rearing period using malaise- and pitfall traps (to catch flying and walking insects respectively). All field work will be carried out in National Park the Hoge Veluwe.

Contact
Interested? Contact Luc te Marvelde, e-mail: l.temarvelde@nioo.knaw.nl / tel.: +31 (0)26 4791 247.