Brant's Climbing Mice using weaver nests

Abstract

Brant's climbing mice were found to utilize weaver nests after the weavers had completed breeding, at Zandvlei lake in Cape Town. Mice built their own balls-shaped nests within weaver nests of both Cape and Southern Masked Weavers. In this study the weaver nests were in reeds. Mean nest height for all weaver nests (both species) in the study area was 119.3 cm (range 57-207 cm, n=15) and for weaver nests used by mice mean height was 128.1 cm (57-207 cm, n=8). The main period of climbing mouse occupation of weaver nests was from November to April. In total 9 out of 23 weaver nests at the site contained mice nests, but not all were occupied at the same time, i.e., some mice pairs may have deserted a nest and occupied a new nest. Six nests contained mice during a single visit, indicating that there were a minimum of six pairs utilizing weaver nests. One mouse nest was present in a weaver nest for over six months.