Records of a nest box camera, self-customized from a trail camera, to monitor the breeding biology of the Varied Tit Sittiparus varius on Okinwa-jima, southern Japan

Easy and quick self-customization was applied to a common trail camera to reduce the minimum focus distance (to approximately 15 cm) and also to control the amount of light passing through the lens, before attaching it to a nest box for small birds. This camera system was operated throughout the breeding season of the tit without maintenance (for about three months) and recorded daily activities inside the nest box using four Alkaline AA cells, with settings of all IR triggers inactive, timer to work only during one hour in the morning, and 20 min interval recording of 5MP images.