成都市区白颊噪鹛繁殖行为及对城市环境的行为适应

2012—2013年繁殖季节,在成都市四川大学望江校区观察了白颊噪鹛Garrulax sannio的繁殖行为,与已有的研究结果相比,结果显示:(1)白颊噪鹛巢材选择广泛,可就地利用多种材料,包括各种生活垃圾;(2)白颊噪鹛在市区主要营巢于高大乔木树种上,在市郊营巢于竹林或较低矮乔木树种;(3)影响其巢址选择的主要因素为胸径、巢位高度、树高;(4)孵卵时间为11~12 d,较1950年代(15~17 d)明显缩短;(5)育雏时间为12 d,但市区白颊噪鹛在卵质量、育雏期日喂食频次、出巢日雏鸟体质量和体长上均高于市郊;(6)市区白颊噪鹛繁殖成功率(73.3%)高于市郊(23.1%)。在城市化进程中,市区白颊噪鹛较市郊个体产生了行为的适应性变化,这些行为变化是其成为城市优势种的重要原因。     

西藏林芝灰腹噪鹛(Garrulax henrici)繁殖生态及行为节律

灰腹噪鹛(Garrulax henrici)是中国的特有鸟种,也是噪鹛属中繁殖行为研究较少的物种之一。2016年4—7月,在西藏林芝西藏农牧学院内进行了灰腹噪鹛的繁殖生态研究,采用瞬时扫描法观察其求偶期日行为节律,用红外相机监测孵卵期3巢和育雏期2巢灰腹噪鹛的行为。结果表明:灰腹噪鹛4月中旬开始产卵,窝卵数2~3枚,卵长径29.6±0.4mm,短径20.3±0.17 mm,卵重6.66±0.12 g;灰腹噪鹛75.0%的巢树为针叶树,12.5%为阔叶树,8.3%为灌木,4.2%为禾本科;灰腹噪鹛营巢成功率为86.7%,孵化成功率为60%,繁殖成功率为43.3%,影响其繁殖成功率的因素是人为干扰和天敌捕食;求偶期灰腹噪鹛觅食行为占总时间的32.03%,移动占29.27%,上午觅食、移动及鸣唱行为达到高峰,下午休憩行为偏多;孵卵期的主要行为是卧巢孵卵,占总时间的85.31%,翻卵占5.02%;育雏期亲鸟理巢行为占39.74%,卧巢占35.92%,喂食频率平均为2.95次·h-1,灰腹噪鹛单亲喂食频次多于双亲共同喂食。     

陕西红碱淖遗鸥育雏行为和雏鸟生长

2012年5～7月,应用e-Science信息技术和标记法,对陕西神木县红碱淖(N 38°13′～ 39°27′,E 109°42′～110°54′)遗鸥(Larus relictus)的育雏行为和雏鸟生长发育进行了研究.结果表明,雏鸟由双亲共同承担喂食.育雏前期,亲鸟采取直接喂食、食物呕吐于巢边和在巢中间断性喂食这3种喂食模式;亲鸟昼间平均喂食(0.706±0.036)次/h,夜间平均喂食(0.469±0.024)次/h,双亲在喂食频次上无显著差异(F=32.54,P＞0.05).育雏后期,主要采取双亲直接喂食和亲鸟把食物呕吐于地面上,由雏鸟自己取食的喂食模式;亲鸟昼间平均喂食(0.416±0.021)次/h,夜间平均喂食(0.331±0.018)次/h,亲鸟喂食次数与雏鸟的日龄存在相关性(r =0.074,P＜0.05).随着雏鸟日龄的增长,暖雏次数趋于减少,而在炎热晴天、降雨和大风等天气状况下,暖雏时间和护雏行为都增强.雏鸟20日龄后未再观察到暖雏行为.雏鸟体长及外部器官的形态学参数适合用Gompertz曲线方程拟合.同时,与其近缘种黑嘴鸥(L.saundersi)的育雏行为和雏鸟生长进行了比较.     

杂色山雀亲代喂食与子代乞食间的行为

在育雏期,晚成鸟的子代一般都是由双亲共同来抚育,子代为了更好地存活,会用自己的方式竞争获得更多的食物和更好的生存空间,同时亲代也会根据子代的乞食信号来分配食物。2011年3～7月采用针孔摄像技术录制了杂色山雀(Parus varius)育雏期巢内亲代与子代间的行为,统计了亲鸟站位、雏鸟站位、雏鸟乞食强度及亲鸟的喂食情况等数据。分析结果表明:(1)雌雄亲鸟在巢中的站位各有特点,雄鸟在整个育雏期都喜欢站在距离巢口较近的位置;雌鸟站位不太固定,前期离巢口相对较远,中期和后期离巢口相对较近;(2)雏鸟离亲鸟越近,乞食强度越大,获得食物的机会就越多;离亲鸟越远的雏鸟越不爱乞食,所以站位对雏鸟的食物获得影响最大;(3)雌鸟承担主要的育雏任务,喂食频率远大于雄鸟;(4)育雏期的不同阶段雏鸟乞食强度、亲鸟喂食频率变化很大:中期雏鸟乞食强度最大,亲鸟喂食频率最高,后期雏鸟乞食强度最弱;(5)整个育雏期雌性亲本没有表现出明显的偏爱行为,但雄性亲本在中、后期更偏爱体型大的雏鸟。可见杂色山雀子代的行为和体型大小影响着亲代的食物分配,亲代也会根据雏鸟日龄调整站位和喂食行为。     

两种捕食马尾松毛虫鸟类的初步研究

大山雀和白颊噪鹛是马尾松毛虫的最重要捕食性天敌。大山雀营巢于墙洞、土洞和树洞中,每窝产卵4—9枚。孵卵期平均14.8天,育雏期15—18天,幼鸟出窝率56.06％。白颊噪鹛营巢于浓密的杉树树冠及荆刺丛中,每窝产卵2—5枚,孵卵期平均14.6天,幼鸟出窝率36.36—44.26％。大山雀对1龄松毛虫为吞食,对2龄以上的松毛虫只啄食虫体的一部分;白颊噪鹛对各龄松毛虫均为吞食。在林间松树上人工放虫后3—4天,鸟对松毛虫的最高捕食率达94.84％。对已驯化的鸟在笼内做捕食量测定,大山雀和白颊噪鹛对1龄松毛虫每小时的捕食量分别为187和951条。     

杂色山雀(Parus varius)亲代喂食与子代乞食间的行为交流

在育雏期,晚成鸟的子代一般都是由双亲共同来抚育,子代为了更好地存活,会用自己的方式竞争获得更多的食物和更好的生存空间,同时亲代也会通过子代的乞食信号来分配食物。2011年3月-7月采用针孔摄像技术录制了杂色山雀(Parus varius)育雏期巢内亲代与子代间的行为交流,统计了亲鸟站位、雏鸟站位、雏鸟乞食强度及亲鸟的喂食情况等数据。分析结果表明：(1)雌雄亲鸟在巢中的站位各有特点：雄鸟在整个育雏期都喜欢站在距离巢口较近的位置;雌鸟站位不太固定,前期离巢口相对较远,中期和后期离巢口相对较近;(2)雏鸟离亲鸟越近,乞食强度越大,获得食物的机会就越多;(3)杂色山雀主要是雌鸟担任育雏任务,喂食频率远大于雄鸟;(4)育雏期的不同阶段雏鸟乞食强度、亲鸟喂食频率变化很大：中期雏鸟乞食强度最大,亲鸟喂食频率最高,后期雏鸟乞食强度最弱;(5)整个育雏期雌性亲本没表现出明显的偏爱行为,但雄性亲本在中期表现出了偏爱大的雏鸟。     

普通夜鹰的繁殖习性及雏鸟的生长发育

2007年5～6月,对1窝普通夜鹰的繁殖习性及雏鸟的生长发育进行了观察.普通夜鹰育雏期约为18 d.雌、雄性都参与孵卵和育雏.育雏期每天有3个喂食高峰期,分别是晚上20:00～22:00、凌晨0:00~2:00、早上4:00~6:00.育雏过程中,亲鸟的领域性弱,护雏性强.初级飞羽在雏鸟出壳6 d后长出,但生长速度最快.     

乌鸫的繁殖行为与坐巢行为初步观察

于2009年3～7月、2010年3～6月,采用焦点动物观察法和全事件行为记录法对乌鸫(Turdusmerula)的孵卵及育雏行为进行了研究。结果表明,乌鸫是雌鸟孵卵,在孵卵期出现卵损失现象,具补卵行为;孵卵前期与后期的坐巢行为存在差异,且其坐巢时间、频次和坐巢率有随孵卵数递增的趋势。双亲育雏但以雌鸟为主,喂食模式3种:雌鸟喂食、雄鸟喂食、雄鸟将食物递给雌鸟由雌鸟喂食。随着雏鸟日龄的增长,喂食次数增多,暖雏行为减少,至育雏后期未观察到暖雏行为。为权衡孵卵期和育雏前期的能量分配,乌鸫在孵卵期及育雏前期分别采取时间长而频次少和时间短而频次多的坐巢策略。     

秃鹫巢内育雏期亲鸟与幼鸟行为及时间分配

2016和2017年,采用焦点动物取样法及全事件记录法,在新疆和静县巴仑台镇研究了4个繁殖巢的秃鹫(Aegypius monachus)繁殖行为。通过红外相机和人工观察,构建了秃鹫巢内育雏期的行为谱,将秃鹫亲鸟的行为划分为9类33种,将雏鸟行为划分为6类28种。结果表明,亲鸟喂食次数的最高峰出现在12:30~13:30时,随后在15:30~18:30时之间出现一个小高峰。在育雏期,亲鸟行为以护幼、观望和警戒为主,雏鸟则以休息和观望为主。将巢内育雏期分为三个阶段:育雏前期(4~5月)、育雏中期(6月)、育雏后期(7月),运用单因素方差分析(one-way ANOVA)检验不同育雏阶段亲鸟、雏鸟行为时间分配的差异。结果显示,育雏前期与后期之间亲鸟的行为时间分配差异不显著(P0.05),前期与中期和中期与后期之间,亲鸟的行为时间分配差异均显著(P0.01);育雏前期、中期与后期的雏鸟行为时间分配差异均显著(P0.01)。国内秃鹫繁殖主要面临食物短缺、人类活动干扰等威胁。     

山噪鹛繁殖习性的观察

１９９２￣１９９４年４￣７月,在山西省庞泉沟自然保护区对山噪鹛的繁殖习性作了观察。该鸟在沟谷和阳坡较高的灌丛中营巢,窝卵数２．８８（２￣３）枚,孵化期１２￣１３天,育雏期１２天。１５个巢中产卵、孵化、离巢成功分别为８、７、６巢。     

Handicapped females receive more feedings during incubation from their mates: support for the female nutrition hypothesis

The female nutrition hypothesis posits that provisioning intensity of incubating females by their mates may depend on female needs and ensure proper incubation and a corresponding high hatching and breeding success of breeding pairs. Here, we have handicapped female pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca at the beginning of incubation by clipping two primaries on each wing and filmed nests during incubation and later nestling provisioning to estimate male involvement in incubation feeding at the nest and in offspring care. Incubation feeding was more frequent at late nests. Correcting for this seasonal effect, incubation feeding was significantly affected by treatment and twice as high at experimental as at control nests. There was no effect of the experiment on female incubation attendance. The handicap did not result in any effect on hatching and breeding success, nestling growth and male or female provisioning and mass at the end of the nestling period. Males adjust their incubation feeding activity at the nest to female energetic requirements during incubation.     

Testosterone and prolactin in two songbirds that differ in paternal care: the Blue-headed Vireo and the Red-eyed Vireo

We investigated the hypothesis that species differences in paternal care in birds may result from differences in concentrations of circulating testosterone (T) and prolactin (PRL). Concentrations of plasma T and PRL were compared in breeding Blue-headed Vireos (Vireo solitarius) and Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus), passerine congeners with biparental and maternal incubation, respectively. In male Blue-headed Vireos, plasma T remained low from prenesting to fledgling stages; whereas in male Red-eyed Vireos, plasma T was highest during prenesting and progressively decreased during incubation, nestling, and fledgling stages. In male Blue-headed Vireos, plasma PRL was similar to that in female Blue-headed Vireos and was higher than in male Red-eyed Vireos at all breeding stages. Plasma PRL increased in male Red-eyed Vireos at the incubation stage and remained moderately elevated through the nestling and fledgling stages. In male Blue-headed Vireos, the combination of high PRL and low T during the prenesting stage may promote brood patch formation and nest building, and, at later stages, incubation and feeding of young. In male Red-eyed Vireos, high PRL and low T during incubation and nestling stages may facilitate the feeding of young, as seen in males of other species. Our observations support the hypothesis that differences in paternal care reflect differences in circulating T and PRL.     

POPULATION,DIET AND THE ANNUAL CYCLE OF THE LAUGHING DOVE AT BARBERSPAN,PART 4. BREEDING DATA AND POPULATION ESTLMATES

Dean, W. R. J. 1980. Population, diet and the annual cycle of the Laughing Dove at Barber-span, Part 4: Breeding data and population estimates. Ostrich 51:80-91.

From 1974–1976, Laughing Doves Streptopelia senegalensis raised an observed total of 436 young in 619 nest attempts, giving a breeding success of 0,70 young per pair nest attempt, or an overall success of 0,35 young per egg. Breeding success, estimated by computing the probability of survival of an egg through the incubation period, and of a chick through the nestling period suggest that the breeding success is about 0,33 young per egg. Nests were found in every month of the year, though there was a tendency for breeding to be concentrated during the late rainy season and the dry season. The mean annual population size of the Laughing Dove in the study area was estimated at 221 adults and juveniles by one method and at 237 adults and juveniles by another method. The number of young produced each year is correlated with the estimated population size for each year.     

Water conditions influence nestling survival in a Hooded Crow Corvus cornix wetland population

This paper examines how flooded river valley conditions affect reproductive success of Hooded Crows Corvus cornix nesting in the biotope considered as primary for this species. The main goals of the present study were to determine the nesting period that most influences the breeding output and to investigate the factors influencing reproductive efficiency of the studied population. Mean survival rate of the whole nesting period (53 days––from egg laying to fledgling) was 0.371 (95% CL: 0.338–0.403), while mean survival for the incubation period (to day 21) was 0.850 (0.827–0.875) and mean survival rate for the nestling period was 0.499 (0.460–0.538). The study has shown that the most critical period in the breeding cycle is the first half of the nestling stage, especially from hatching to day 5. Furthermore, the study demonstrated how water conditions affect reproduction in untypical wetland species. Similarly to many other waterbirds, in the studied population of the Hooded Crow, water level positively influences its reproduction.     

How does an increase in minimum daily temperatures during incubation influence reproduction in the great tit Parus major?

Temperature variation affects all life stages of organisms, especially early development, and considering global warming, it is urgent to understand precisely its consequences. In egg‐laying species, incubation behaviour can buffer embryo developmental temperature variation and influence offspring development. We experimentally investigated the effect of an increase in minimum daily nest temperature during incubation in the great tit Parus major, by placing a hand warming pad under the nest in the evenings. As compared to controls, the experimental treatment increased nest temperature at night by an average of 4°C, and this increase carried over to the following day. We measured the consequences of this mainly nocturnal temperature increase during incubation on 1) parental behaviour (incubation and nestling feeding), 2) parental health (quantified by body condition, immune status, physiological and oxidative stress) and 3) reproductive success (nestling body condition, growth, i.e. mass gain, hatching and fledging success, and nestling immune status, physiological and oxidative stress). This study yielded three major results. First, we found that heating the nest did not change the duration of incubation as compared to controls. Second, increasing nest temperature during incubation decreased nestling feeding behaviour but did not affect parental health in terms of body condition, immune status, physiological and oxidative stress. Third, nestling mass at hatching was greater but nestling mass gain was slower in heated nests than in control nests, resulting in similar fledging mass. The present study demonstrates that increased environmental temperatures during incubation influenced nestling development in the great tit and especially hatchling mass, which might produce long‐term life history consequences.     

Timing,frequency, and duration of incubation recesses in dabbling ducks

Nest attendance is an important determinant of avian reproductive success, and identifying factors that influence the frequency and duration of incubation recesses furthers our understanding of how incubating birds balance their needs with those of their offspring. We characterized the frequency and timing (start time, end time, and duration) of incubation recesses for mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and gadwall (Mareca strepera) hens breeding in Suisun Marsh, California, USA, and examined the influences of day of year, ambient temperature at the nest, incubation day, and clutch size on recess frequency and timing using linear mixed models. Mallard, on average, took more recesses per day (1.69 ± 0.80, mean ± standard deviation) than did gadwall (1.39 ± 0.69), and 45% of mallard nest‐days were characterized by two recesses, while only 27% of gadwall nest‐days were characterized by two recesses. Mallard morning recesses started at 06:14 ± 02:46 and lasted 106.11 ± 2.01 min, whereas mallard afternoon recesses started at 16:39 ± 02:11 and lasted 155.39 ± 1.99 min. Gadwall morning recesses started at 06:30 ± 02:46 and lasted 91.28 ± 2.32 min, and gadwall afternoon recesses started at 16:31 ± 01:57 and lasted 192.69 ± 1.89 min. Mallard and gadwall started recesses earlier in the day with increasing ambient temperature, but later in the day as the season progressed. Recess duration decreased as the season progressed and as clutch size increased, and increased with ambient temperature at the nest. The impending darkness of sunset appeared to be a strong cue for ending a recess and returning to the nest, because hens returned to their nests earlier than expected when recesses were expected to end after sunset. Within hens, the timing of incubation recesses was repeatable across incubation days and was most repeatable for mallard afternoon recesses and on days in which hens took only one recess. Hens were most likely to be away from nests between 04:00 and 07:00 and between 16:00 and 19:00; therefore, investigators should search for nests between 07:00 and 16:00. Our analyses identified important factors influencing incubation recess timing in dabbling ducks and have important implications for nest monitoring programs.     

甘肃莲花山宝兴歌鸫的繁殖记录

2003年5～7月,在甘肃省莲花山自然保护区对中国特产鸟类宝兴歌鸫的繁殖,包括孵卵节律及育雏行为进行了观察。宝兴歌鸫在孵卵期平均每天出巢13．6次(n=7),出巢时间平均为12．0min(n=93),日活动期平均为855．5min(n=7)。亲鸟出巢时间的长度和环境温度呈明显的正相关(r=0．35,P=0．002,n=77)。宝兴歌鸫雌雄共同育雏,两只雏鸟的喂食频次分别为1．33次／h和0．98次／h。     

Foraging flight distances as a measure of parental effort in blue tits Parus caeruleus differ with environmental conditions

Life-history theory predicts that parental effort in nestling provisioning is optimised in relation to the quality of individuals and/or their habitat. We studied the investment of breeding pairs of blue tits Parus caeruleus for their reproduction during three breeding seasons in deciduous (high quality) vs. mixed (low quality) habitats in order to quantify to what extent habitat quality affects parental effort. Parental effort (costs) was related to their feeding rates and flight distances during foraging. In the deciduous habitat flight distances between nest and foraging patch were shorter than in the mixed habitat (22 m and 40 m, respectively), but the feeding rates did not differ between the habitats. The total flight distance per breeding pair from the first day after hatching until the 17th day of the nestling period was about half of the distance observed in the mixed habitat (375 km and 674 km, respectively). As the quality of fledglings did not differ between habitats, the higher number of fledglings per brood reflects better rewards per foraging trip in the deciduous than in the mixed habitat. Considering the parental foraging effort (costs) and, the quality and number of offspring (benefits), the benefit-cost-ratio was 2–3 times higher in the deciduous than in the mixed woodland.     

When do altricial birds reach maximum of their brood defence intensity?

It has been suggested that the brood defence by parents of altricial birds should increase during the breeding attempt until the young depart from the nest. The two proximate hypotheses provide alternative predictions about the peak of brood defence intensity: (1) the vulnerability hypothesis predicts a rapid rise in brood defence after hatching of the chicks, with maximum defence intensity just before fledging and strong decline afterwards; (2) the feedback hypothesis predicts that brood defence intensity will, after a rapid rise, reach a plateau at the end of the nestling period and early after fledging and then slowly decline. I compared brood defence behaviour of altricial meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis) breeding in the Czech Republic during the late nestling stage and during the fledging time. A stuffed stoat (Mustela erminea) was placed 5 m from a meadow pipit nest and the defence behaviour of parents was recorded for 10 min from a hide. Brood defence intensity was higher during the fledgling time than during the late nestling stage, and this trend was more evident in males than in females. Regardless of the proportion of already fledged chicks and those still present in the nest, brood defence did not significantly decrease during the fledgling time in males or females. The results do not agree with the predictions of the vulnerability hypothesis and support the predictions of the feedback hypothesis.     

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY,HELD AT CAPE TOWN ON 17 May 1969

Earle, R.A. &; Oatley, T.B. 1983. Populations, ecology and breeding of the Orange Thrush at two sites in eastern South Africa. Ostrich 54:205-212.

The two populations of the Orange Thrush Turdus gurneyi studied represented two races, the nominate gurneyi in Natal and disruptans in Transvaal. In the Transvaal there was a large influx of individuals during the winter but numbers stayed constant during the breeding season with one pair/ha. Natal birds were more sedentary. Food seemed to be a major factor in regulating the winter population size of both the Orange Thrush and the Olive Thrush T. olivaceus in the Transvaal forest as the number of earthworms showed a peak just before the bird numbers peaked. In Natal the Orange Thrush showed a higher degree of specialization in diet than the Olive Thrush which his a mixed diet. Clutches consisted of two eggs and incubation lasted IS days. Chicks were brooded frequently, virtually to the time of fledging, thus protecting them from the cool, wet conditions of the forest. The nestling period was 15–18 days. The Orange Thrush preferred areas in the forest where little vegetation occurred at 1,0-1,5 m and where a good layer of leaf litter was present.