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All OBers,
I'm interested if anyone has experience with duck nest boxes in our region?
I don't think there has ever been a posting on this with OB.
We have established with the local community a wetland sanctuary in the
middle of one of the haors (large wetlands) in north-east Bangladesh.
Although swamp forest trees have been planted and are growing well they
will take years to mature. There are no large trees within a few kilometers
of the sanctuary. So we tried making a few North American design Wood Duck
nest boxes plus a few of other designs, targeted at Cotton Pygmy-geese.
This year they occupied two Wood Duck design boxes and one clutch of
ducklings was seen to leave the box. I'm not aware of Cotton Pygmy-geese
using nestboxes in the wild, although I know they will nest in crevices in
old buildings. Have they used nest boxes anywhere else, and if so what design?
For the next season we want to try making some boxes for the many Fulvous
and Lesser Whistling-ducks that winter in the sanctuary. Does anyone have
experience with nest boxes for these or suggestions on dimensions and a
suitable design?
Comb Duck would be the only other likely species there that might use and
need nestboxes, but unfortunately they are now very scarce in Bangladesh
and none have yet been recorded in this sanctuary.
By the way, we also have four pylons/pillars with nest platforms targeted
at Pallas's Fish Eagles. They were put up before any eagles visited the
sanctuary, by last winter we had up to 6 birds in the sanctuary, often
perching on the platforms but no attempts at nesting (mostly immature birds
but at one stage 2 adults were present). Is there any experience of
artificial nest sites for this species? The platforms need repairing and we
are considering to put some branches around the outer sides in the hope
this gives a start to nesting.
Paul
(Paul Thompson
Dhaka, Bangladesh)
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