Incubation period length varies with temperature, female age, and clutch size in Protonotaria citrea (Prothonotary Warblers)

The length of the incubation period is determined by the development rate of embryos, which is dependent on thermal stability provided by environmental conditions and parental incubation behavior. With climate change, many bird species are advancing their breeding earlier in the season. This exposes broods and parents to more variable temperatures and inclement weather conditions. Assessing how the length of the incubation period varies with weather conditions is important for understanding potential consequences of phenological advancements with climate change, such as higher offspring mortality-risk and parental energetic demands. This study examined the length of the incubation period in response to weather conditions (i.e., temperature and precipitation), female age, clutch size, and timing of breeding (early vs. late season) in a population of nest-box breeding Protonotaria citrea (Prothonotary Warblers). Across 1,036 clutches spanning 22 years, we found the incubation period to ra..., , # Incubation period length varies with temperature, female age, and clutch size in Protonotaria citrea (Prothonotary Warblers)

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.ngf1vhj5n](10.5061/dryad.ngf1vhj5n)

## Description of the data and file structure

Long-term Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) nest data was collected from 1999 to 2023 at three sites along the James River in Virginia, USA. We assessed the abiotic and biotic factors that influenced the length of incubation period across 1,036 clutches spanning 22 years. 

### Files and variables

Files Include:

#### Incubation_Length_Dataset.csv, Incubation_Length_Dataset_Metadata.xlsx, and Incubation_Length_Analysis.Rmd

**Descriptions:** 

#### Incubation_Length_Dataset.csv

This dataset represents the raw data used in our analysis. Each row represents a unique clutch monitored in our study system. Each column is a variable used in our analysis. 

##### Variables

* Sample: Sample Number
* Year: The year documented clutch took place (199...,