Nest Site Selection by White-Winged Redstart <i>Phoenicurus erythrogastrus</i>: Trade-Offs Between Natural and Human-Altered Landscapes of Ladakh, India

A total of 243 active nests of White-winged Redstart were observed on 1,527 artificial and natural hosts across six different categories over a 70-day study period. To evaluate the selection, availability, and usage of nesting hosts, Manly’s resource selection function was applied. Host structure and composition patterns were assessed in both man-made structures and natural vegetation using the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Dunn’s pairwise test for multiple comparisons using rank sums. White-winged Redstarts showed a strong preference for nesting in man-made structures, followed by a moderate preference for Salix and Myricaria species, and a low preference for Populus species. A significant difference in host availability was identified using the Kruskal-Wallis test, further highlighting a notable difference between observed populations of Salix spp. and Populus spp. Our findings suggest a distinct variation between preferred host plants and man-made structures, with the most significant differences observed between nestings on Populus spp. and artificial structures. We hope this review illuminates how exploring this lesser-studied aspect of avian ecology can enhance both foundational and applied ornithological knowledge.