Scientific publications

We present the original analysis method of heat insulation properties of bird nests with the state-of-the-art thermal imaging equipment in field conditions and laboratory. The approaches include thermal imaging with a spheroid infrared emitter for standardization of measurements. We consider parameters of the tested equipment and physical characteristics of the stable infrared emitter based on the digital controller. The basic approaches in thermal insulation investigations according to different research aims (investigations of the intra- and interspecific variability of heat insulating qualities of nests, the dependence of heat insulation qualities of a nest from the stage of breeding, etc.) are described. The paper contains formulas and description of a process of the nest volume and nest density (parameters affected the heat insulation qualities) calculation for cup nests and sphere nests. Some information about approbation of the methods on the passerine nests in 2015 is also presented. The potential possibilities of the proposed methods are characterized as well.