Abstract

While the reproductive ecology of avian species that use tree cavities for nesting has been studied, the use of nest-sites in roadside banks has received less attention. Here, we report 38 nests in 19 cavities on roadside banks belonging to nine avian species that inhabit temperate forests of southern Chile. We describe the characteristics of occupied cavities, clutch size, and nest success. The characteristics of the cavities were proportionally related to the body measurements of the species that used roadside banks to nest. The horizontal diameter entrance, together with the horizontal depth, showed a positive relationship with the species' body length, and body mass showed a positive relation-ship with the horizontal depth of the cavities used for nesting. The average clutch size for six species was 2.3 (± 0.4) eggs and 48% of the nests were successful. Our records provide new insights into the life history of these cavity-nesting species and we discuss the potential im-portance of roadside banks as reproductive habitat in southern temperate ecosystems.