Nest cavities with suitable thermal conditions can provide fitness benefits for birds through reduced thermoregulatory cost. Insulation can however vary between natural and human-made cavities. While several studies have assessed cavity temperatures, research from high elevation habitats, where environmental conditions are particularly variable, is still scarce. We compared temperature profiles of vacant natural and human-made...

Infectious diseases bear a great risk for populations of naïve host species. In the present article we inform about the first microscopic and molecular detection of the bird pathogen Trichomonas gallinae in the White-winged Snowfinch ( Montifringilla nivalis subsp. nivalis ). The emergence of trichomonosis in this highly specialised alpine bird species may pose a serious threat to its already declining population. Interspecies...