DOI: 10.5061/dryad.79cnp5j5k
title: Data from: Associations between human non-motorized recreational activity on nest box occupation, exploratory behaviour, and breeding success in a passerine bird

description: Anthropomorphic activities have a large impact on ecosystems in many ways,
 one of which is how animals behave. Non-motorised nature recreation is a
 popular human activity of which the impacts on nature are largely unknown.
 These activities, which include hiking, biking, pet walking and horseback
 riding, tend to increase during the commencement of the breeding activity
 for most passerine forest birds in temperate zones. We here investigated
 whether variation in recreational activity associates with patterns of
 nest box occupation and reproductive success in a long-term study of
 personality-typed great tits (Parus major). We measured human disturbance
 in the area by recording the frequency of non-motorised recreational
 activities by observations. We were particularly interested in the
 relationship between disturbance levels and nest box occupancy as well as
 the relationship between disturbance levels of occupied nest boxes and
 exploratory scores of the great tits that occupied them. We also
 investigated whether reproductive characteristics such as fledging
 success, clutch size, chick weight and tarsus length varied with
 disturbance levels at occupied nest boxes. We did not find a relation
 between nest box occupation and disturbance. Habitat quality rather than
 disturbance explained the nest occupation. More exploratory individuals
 occupied boxes in less disturbed areas, independent of habitat quality.
 Fitness decreased with increasing disturbance independent on habitat
 quality. Chicks were heavier and had longer tarsi, and clutch sizes were
 bigger in less disturbed areas. In conclusion, we found breeding site
 choice of great tits to be independent on human activity, although there
 are clear fitness effects of human disturbance.
description: <em><strong>Data
 Collection</strong></em>
 <em><strong>The disturbance</strong></em>
 data is an observational data. To measure the disturbance caused by
 recreational activities, we counted the number of people we encountered on
 the 12 path junctions in the study area. The activities that were
 considered recreational activities were hiking, walking, cycling, pet
 walking and horseback riding. On each junction, the measurements were
 taken the same number of times in two separate time periods that we
 pre-determined morning (9-12h) and afternoon (12-15h). A kernel
 interpolation was performed using ArcGis Pro version 3.1.0 to estimate the
 disturbance levels of each nest box in the study area. Kernel values were
 calculated by taking into account the number of visitors on the paths and
 the distance of nest box to all paths around it.
 <strong>The nest occupancy</strong> data was
 extracted from the nest box breeding occupancy data that were collected
 during breeding seasons (April-June) from 2012 to 2021. In order to
 determine the individuals that occupie the nest aduly birds were caught
 inside the nest box using spring traps on day 7 after hatching.
 <strong>Reproductive measures: 1)</strong>
 laydate <strong>2) </strong>clutch
 size <strong>3)</strong> chick biometric measures (weight and
 tarsus length) and <strong>4) </strong>the number of fledged
 chicks, were collected during breeding seasons (April-June) from 2012 to
 2021. To record these measures, bi-weekly checks were conducted on nest
 boxes in order to determine the state of the nest building from the end of
 March onwards. When nest building occurred, nest boxes were checked every
 other day in order to determine the exact <em>laying
 date</em>, <em>clutch size</em> and start of incubation.
 The exact hatch date was determined by checking the broods daily around
 the expected hatch date. On day 14 after hatching, we measured tarsus
 length (0.1mm) and body mass (0.1gr). To determine the number of fledged
 chicks, we checked nest boxes 22 days after hatching.
 <strong>Habitat quality: </strong>During the 2019
 breeding season, we assessed the quality of the territory around each nest
 box (50m radius). Based on the two most abundant tree species within the
 territory we assigned each nest box to be of “high” or “low” quality. A
 territory was considered to be of ‘high’ quality when the two most
 abundant tree species were deciduous (pedunculate oak, <em>Quercus
 robur</em>; beech, <em>Fagus sylvatica</em>; red oak,
 <em>Q. rubra</em>; birch, <em>Betula pendula</em>;
 larch, <em>Larix decidua</em>), while it was considered as
 ‘low’ quality when there was a species mixture, one deciduous of the above
 mentioned and one coniferous (pine, <em>Pinus sylvestris</em>;
 silver fir, <em>Abies alba</em>).
 <strong>Exploratory behaviour: </strong>To measure
 this we performed a novel environment test in the indoor facilities of the
 Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). During the novel environment
 test birds were tested individually in a sealed test room (4.0 x 2.4 m and
 2.3 m high) under artificial light with five artificial wooden trees.
 Behaviours were observed through an one-way glass window. All movements
 the focal bird made were noted by an observer. The number of movements in
 the first two minutes since the bird entered the room was used as
 measurement for exploratory behaviour (exploratory score). We used the
 total number of flights and hops within the first 2 minutes corrected for
 June date (see Dingemanse et al. 2002) as our measure of exploratory
 behaviour. <em><strong>Data
 Processing</strong></em> All data was
 analysed and processed in R statistical software using lme4 package. The
 occupancy data and habitat quality data were binary data (0 or 1).
 Reproductive measures, disturbance and exploratory behaviour data were
 continuous data. In order to make laydate continuous data, we calculated
 the number of days the first egg was laid after 1st of april. 
description: # Data from: Associations between human non-motorized recreational
 activity on nest box occupation, exploratory behaviour, and breeding
 success in a passerine bird
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.79cnp5j5k](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.79cnp5j5k) ## Description of the data and file structure This dataset contains the data and codes to replicate the results that were presented in the paper Urhan et al. (2025) paper in the Journal of Avian Biology.  All data was collected in in Westerheide forest (Groot Warnsborn, 52.01633, 5.84114), near Arnhem, the Netherlands. The disturbance data is an observational data. To measure the disturbance caused by recreational activities, we counted the number of people we encountered on the 12 path junctions in the study area. The activities that were considered recreational activities were hiking, walking, cycling, pet walking and horseback riding. On each junction, the measurements were taken the same number of times in two separate time periods that we pre-determined morning (9-12h) and afternoon (12-15h). A kernel interpolation was performed using ArcGis Pro version 3.1.0 to estimate the disturbance levels of each nest box in the study area. Kernel values were calculated by taking into account the number of visitors on the paths and the distance of nest box to all paths around it. The nest occupancy data was extracted from the nest box breeding occupancy data that were collected during breeding seasons (April-June) from 2012 to 2021. In order to determine the individuals that occupie the nest aduly birds were caught inside the nest box using spring traps on day 7 after hatching. Reproductive measures: 1) laydate 2) clutch size 3) chick biometric measures (weight and tarsus length) and 4) the number of fledged chicks, were collected during breeding seasons (April-June) from 2012 to 2021. To record these measures, bi-weekly checks were conducted on nest boxes in order to determine the state of the nest building from the end of March onwards. When nest building occurred, nest boxes were checked every other day in order to determine the exact laying date, clutch size and start of incubation. The exact hatch date was determined by checking the broods daily around the expected hatch date. On day 14 after hatching, we measured tarsus length (0.1mm) and body mass (0.1gr). To determine the number of fledged chicks, we checked nest boxes 22 days after hatching. Habitat quality: During the 2019 breeding season, we assessed the quality of the territory around each nest box (50m radius). Based on the two most abundant tree species within the territory we assigned each nest box to be of “high” or “low” quality. A territory was considered to be of ‘high’ quality when the two most abundant tree species were deciduous (pedunculate oak, Quercus robur; beech, Fagus sylvatica; red oak, Q. rubra; birch, Betula pendula; larch, Larix decidua), while it was considered as ‘low’ quality when there was a species mixture, one deciduous of the above mentioned and one coniferous (pine, Pinus sylvestris; silver fir, Abies alba). Exploratory behaviour: To measure this we performed a novel environment test in the indoor facilities of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). During the novel environment test birds were tested individually in a sealed test room (4.0 x 2.4 m and 2.3 m high) under artificial light with five artificial wooden trees. Behaviours were observed through an one-way glass window. All movements the focal bird made were noted by an observer. The number of movements in the first two minutes since the bird entered the room was used as measurement for exploratory behaviour (exploratory score). We used the total number of flights and hops within the first 2 minutes corrected for June date (see Dingemanse et al. 2002) as our measure of exploratory behaviour. ### Files and variables **File: Data.zip** Description: This zip file contains all the data and the R code used in our statistical analysis and creating graphs. Each csv file contains a dataset used in specific statistical analysis (see below). The codes to load all the necessary packages to replicate statistical analysis and graphs have been included in our R code. **Files** **data1.csv** : This file is used in the statistical model testing whether the nest occupancy (*occup_GT*) (1 = occupied, 0 = unoccupied) in a specific nest (*UserPlaceName*) is influenced by the disturbance levels (*RASTERVALU*) and habitat quality (*Hab_qual*) (High = high quality habitat, Low = low quality habitat) in the area. It also contains information concerning the Unique brood ID ("*BROODID*"), the year the brood was recorded (2012-2021) ("*BroodYear*"), the unique ID-number of the female ("*RingNumberFemale*"), the unique ID-number of the male ("*RingNumberMale*"), the date the first egg of the season was laid in the nest box ("*LayDate*"), the number of eggs in a clutch ("*ClutchSize*"), the number of eggs that are hatched in the clutch ("*NumberHatched*") and the number of chicks that are successfully fledged out of the nest ("*NumberFledged*") **data2.csv:** This file contains data that was used in a statistical model testing the relation between chick weight (*weight.y*), chick tarsus length (*tars.y*), disturbance levels (*RASTERVALU.x*) and habitat quality (*Hab_qual*). It also contains information including; unique nest box number (*UserPlaceName*), unique brood ID ("*BROODID*") year brood was recorded (2012 - 2021)( "*BroodYear*"), Unique ID number of the female ("*RingNumberFemale*"), Unique ID number of the male ("*RingNumberMale*"), the date the first egg of the season was laid in the nest box ("*LayDate*" ), and the number of eggs in a clutch ("*ClutchSize*"). **data3.csv:** This data includes the distance of the nest box to the closest point of a path (*near_dist*) (measured in meters), the unique nest box number (*Nestbox*) and habitat quality data (*Hab_qual*) and was used to investigate the relation between habitat quality around the nest boxes and the nest boxes’ distance to the closest path. **data4.csv:** This data set was used to investigate the relationship between disturbance and exploratory behaviour scores. Data includes disturbance levels (*RASTERVALU*), habitat quality (*Hab_qual*), unique nest box number (*UserPlaceName*), unique brood ID ("*BROODID*") Year brood was recorded (2012 - 2021)( "*BroodYear*"), unique ID number of the female ("*RingNumberFemale*"), unique ID number of the male ("*RingNumberMale*"), sex of the individual that was tested in the exploratory behaviour task (*Sex*) (Male = COR_LOC_M, female = COR_LOC_F) and exploratory behaviour score (*COR_LOC*). **data5.csv:** This data was used to investigate the association between reproductive measures: chick weight (mg) and b) chick tarsus length (mm), The date the first egg of the season was laid in the nest box ("*layaprl*" ), the number of eggs in a clutch ("*ClutchSize*"), the number of chicks that are successfully fledged out of the nest ("*NumberFledged*"), disturbance levels (*RASTERVALU*), habitat quality *(Hab_qual*), exploratory behaviour (*COR_LOC*). The data "*layaprl*" is the number of days past since the 1st of April when the first egg in the clutch was laid.  **data6.csv:** This data was used to investigate the relationship between habitat quality and the disturbance level in specific areas. This data includes the distance of the nest box to the closest point of a path (*near_dist*) (measured in meters), the unique nest box number (*Nestbox*), habitat quality data (*Hab_qual*) and disturbance data (*RASTERVALU*). **Urhan_et.al_recreation_Rcode** : This R file contains all the codes to recreate the statistical models and graphs used in Urhan et al (2025). ## Code/software We used R statistical software (2023) (R version 4.3.1). We used lme4 package ( version 1.1-34) for statistical analysis, "car" package (version 3.1-2) to extract p, chi square and df values and ‘sjPlot’ version 2.8.15 for the graphs.