Unveiling nesting strategies: Investigating visual concealment and nest-site selection in Yellow-wattled Lapwings, Vanellus malabaricus (Boddaert, 1783)

Abstract

Ground-nesting birds such as Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Vanellus malabaricus (Boddaert, 1783) employ several nesting and behavioral strategies to mitigate nest predation, which greatly influences their reproductive success and survival. Yet the breeding ecology of Yellow-wattled Lapwing has received relatively little research attention despite the species widespread presence in the Indian subcontinent. The objective of this study was to investigate the significance and impact of two visual concealment strategies commonly utilized by open ground-nesting birds: visual concealment through vegetative characteristics and camouflage using Yellow-wattled Lapwing as the model organism. We also assessed the nest-site selection of Yellow-wattled Lapwings in relation to vegetation cover and food availability, as well as their choice of nest substrate by using behavioral sampling, quadrat sampling, and digital image analysis techniques. We found that variation in hatching success could not be attributed to the analyzed camouflage mechanisms (disruptive markings and pattern complexity matching). Furthermore, the nesting pairs exhibited a preference for areas with high vegetation cover and low food availability while selecting nesting sites. We also showed that this species might exhibit an active behavioral preference for selecting nest substrates. It is important to note that this study was conducted during a single nesting season for the Yellow-wattled Lapwings, and further temporal replicates are necessary to validate and establish the findings over the long term.