Data from: Smart nest box: a tool and methodology for monitoring of cavity-dwelling animals

1.Camera recording and video analysis have emerged as a successful
non-invasive method for collecting a wide range of biological data on many
different taxa of animals. However, camera monitoring has rarely been
applied to long term surveillance of cavity or box-nesting species and
ordinary off-the-shelf cameras are employed. 2.We present methodology and
data on the effectiveness of nest box monitoring using a camera system
embedded in four “smart nest boxes” (SNBoxes). We applied the SNBoxes to
eight Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) nests in the Czech Republic
during a five-month period in 2014. Each SNBox consisted of a pair of
cameras with infrared lighting, an event detector, a radio-frequency
identification reader, auxiliary sensors, and a 60 Ah 12 V battery to
power the whole system. All devices used were centrally managed by an
embedded computer with specifically developed software. 3.Using four
SNBoxes, we observed owl nesting continually during the incubation,
nestling, and fledgling phases, in total 309 days, resulting in 3382 owl
video events. Batteries were changed every 6.5 days. A memory of 4 GB was
found sufficient to store monthly data. We identified 12 types of male and
female parental activities and their timing, the diet composition and
frequency of prey delivery, the manner of prey storage, the light
intensity at the time of each parental activity, the temperature inside
the clutch and outside the box, and the duration of nestling period of
each young. We also produced a video on owl nesting for the general
public. 4.The SNBox and related methodology show enormous potential as a
non-invasive tool for monitoring animals using boxes or natural cavities.
The main advantage of the SNBox is the possibility to study both nocturnal
and diurnal animal species and great flexibility in use of the software
and hardware for different tasks. As a result, the SNBox provides an
opportunity for novel insights into the breeding, roosting, hibernating,
and food storage activities of a wide range of cavity-living birds,
mammals, and reptiles.