NESTING HABITAT SELECTION BY CRESTED TITS PARUS-CRISTATUS IN A PINE PLANTATION

Habitats surrounding nest boxes used and not used by crested tits were compared at Culbin Forest, a plantation composed largely of Scots and Corsican pines. Crested tits preferred to nest in boxes where the tre es were thinner (median d.b.h. 13.7 cm). Diameter was correlated with tree height and negatively correlated with tree density. The ideal nes ting site for crested tits may therefore be a combination of a large r otten stump (rare in pine plantations) in which to nest and surroundin g cover of moderately-sized closely-space trees (rare in semi-natural pine forests).