棕腹杜鹃在山蓝仙鹟巢中寄生繁殖

正棕腹杜鹃(Hierococcyx nisicolor)是鹃形目(Cuculiformes)杜鹃科(Cuculidae)的寄生性繁殖鸟类(郑光美2011,Dickinson et al.2013)。目前棕腹杜鹃已记录的宿主主要为鹟科(Muscicapidae)鸟类,例如北灰鹟(Muscicapa dauurica)、白腹蓝姬鹟(Cyanoptila cyanomelana)等(Payne 2005,Erritz?e et al.2012)。棕腹杜鹃在中国的宿主报道很少,仅粟通萍等(2016)报道了在广西大明山的棕腹杜鹃寄生于海南蓝仙鹟(Cyornis hainanus)一例。     

陕西长青发现棕腹杜鹃和八声杜鹃

正2014年7月16日和2015年6月9日,先后在陕西洋县长青国家级自然保护区内(33°38′42.25″N,107°29′54.42″E,海拔1 199~1 319 m)分别发现并拍摄到两种杜鹃科鸟类。参考相关文献(约翰·马敬能等2000,赵正阶2001,Erritz?e et al.2012),鉴定为棕腹杜鹃(Cuculus nisicolor)和八声杜鹃(Cacomantis merulinus)(图1)。两种杜鹃均为陕西省首次记录(郑光美2011)。棕腹杜鹃为亚成鸟,生境为靠近溪流的落叶阔叶林,林下为巴山木竹林(Arundinaria fargesii)。其头顶、颈     

河北平山发现锈胸蓝姬鹟

正2015年6月22日,在河北省平山县驼梁国家级自然保护区驼峰附近的华北落叶松林内(113°49′33″E,38°44′59″N,海拔2 056 m)观察到1雌1雄2只鹟科鸟类。雌鸟上体橄榄褐色,两翼各具1道棕白色的翼斑;喉部、胸部浅褐色,并略带皮黄;尾上覆羽沾棕色;眼周白色,嘴黑褐色。雄鸟上体暗蓝灰色,喉、上胸、两胁橙红色,腹部颜色逐渐变白,尾近黑色。发现时,雌鸟往返飞行于落叶松枝和地面进行觅食;雄鸟在落叶松上部的树枝上频繁地鸣唱。经查阅文献(约翰·马敬能等2000,曲利明2014,Clement et al.2016),确定该鸟种为锈胸蓝姬鹟(Ficedula hodgsonii)(图1)。     

西藏南部8种鸟类的新分布记录

2016年9和10月,在西藏自治区林芝及日喀则开展鸟类多样性调查期间新记录到8种鸟类,包括白胸翡翠指名亚种(Halcyon smyrnensis smyrnensis)、黑冠山雀指名亚种(Periparus rubidiventris rubidiventris)和栗腹?指名亚种(Sitta cinnamoventris cinnamoventris)、斑尾鹃鸠(Macropygia unchall)、红喉姬鹟(Ficedula albicilla)、黄胸柳莺(Phylloscopus cantator)、棕脸鹟莺(Abroscopus albogularis)以及田鹨(Anthus richardi)。     

西藏墨脱地区6种鸟类种和亚种的新分布记录

2018年10月至2021年10月,在西藏墨脱县开展鸟类多样性调查期间记录到6种鸟类新分布,分别是大蓝仙鹟 (Cyornis magnirostris)、黄嘴角鸮 (Otus spilocephalus)、金胸雀鹛指名亚种 (Lioparus chrysotis chrysotis)、细嘴钩嘴鹛Sintextus亚种 (Pomatorhinus superciliaris intextus)、白喉姬鹟指名亚种 (Anthipes monileger monileger)、棕胸雅鹛assamense亚种 (Trichastoma tickelli assamense)。     

北京门头沟灰林鸮繁殖记录

<正>灰林鸮(Strix aluco)是广泛分布于欧亚大陆及非洲西北部温暖森林地带的鸮形目(Strigiformes)鸱鸮科(Strigidae)猛禽(del Hoyo et al.1999)。2008年出版的鸮形目鸟类专著Owls of the World将分布于南亚、东亚、东南亚的原属Strix aluco的种群划分出来作为一个独立的种Strix nivicola(K?nig et al.2008),其英文名为     

鸟类核型研究 Ⅲ.莺亚科和鹟亚科14种

本文报道了莺亚科10种和鹟亚科4种的核型,并对已报道过的这二亚科18种鸟类的核型进行了比较研究。这两个亚科通常依据表型差异被划分在一个科——鹟科中。Siblcy(1988)等则依据DNA差异(通过DNA—DNA分子杂交测定)将它们划在不问的三个科(鹟科、莺科和戴菊科)中。核型比较的结果支持了Sibley对这两亚科鸟类的重新划分。     

四川省杜鹃花属植物地理分布新记录

报道了四川杜鹃花属(Rhododendron)2新分布种和1新分布变种,它们分别是乳黄杜鹃(Rhododendron lacteum Franch.)、迷人杜鹃(R.agastum Balf.f.et W.W.Smith)、毛柱红棕杜鹃(R.rubiginosum Franch.var.ptilo-stylum R.C.Fang).     

海南鸟类新记录——白眶鹟莺

2018年12月17日,在海南省海口市美兰区白沙门公园内(110°20’06. 16″E,20°04’16. 93″N,海拔3 m)拍摄到莺类(图1):上体橄榄绿色,下体鲜黄色;头顶中央冠纹呈橄榄绿色,未杂有明显的灰色条纹,可与韦氏鹟莺Phylloscopus whistleri相区别;头顶具2道黑色的侧冠纹,头侧呈橄榄绿色;眼眶黄色但不成全环,可与金眶鹟莺P. burkii相区别(Baker,1997);大覆羽先端黄色,形成1道翅斑。经查阅相关资料(Alstrom et al.,2006;Clement et al., 2016 ),鉴定为白眶鹤莺P. intermedium。     

浙江龙泉市凤阳山发现棕腹大仙鹟和冕雀

正2017年6月17日和18日,在浙江省龙泉市凤阳山先后观察并拍摄到了棕腹大仙鹟(Niltava davidi)和冕雀(Melanochlora sultanea),经查阅《浙江动物志》(诸葛阳1990)、《中国鸟类分类与分布名录》(郑光美2017)、《浙江鸟类名录更新》(陈水华等2012)等著作及相关网络数据库,确认为浙江省首次发现此二鸟种。2017年6月17日16时,在浙江省龙泉市凤阳山海拔1 500 m处(27°53′50.82″N,119°09′6.53″E)观察并拍     

大杜鹃对家燕的巢寄生

了解杜鹃(Cuculus spp.)对不同宿主鸟类的巢寄生,是研究杜鹃与其宿主之间协同进化的重要基础资料。大杜鹃(Cuculus canorus)和家燕(Hirundo rustica)分布遍及全国,且为同域分布,但两者之间的寄生现象尚未有过系统调查。2012年和2014年4~8月,对繁殖于吉林市昌邑区桦皮厂镇(34°58′44.18″N,126°13′26.83″E,海拔184 m)和海南岛的家燕种群进行调查,结果表明,吉林市昌邑区桦皮厂镇家燕种群的寄生率为2.4%(1/42),而在海南岛所调查的1 719个家燕巢未发现杜鹃寄生现象。同时在网络上搜集家燕巢寄生的报道案例,共记录到13巢家燕被大杜鹃寄生繁殖,均发生在北方的家燕种群。     

Brood-parasitism by the Shining Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus at Kaikoura, New Zealand

For three seasons starting in 1976 I studied the breeding of Shining Cuckoos Chrysococcyx lucidus in forest near Kaikoura, New Zealand. There is no evidence that the cuckoo parasitizes any host on mainland New Zealand other than the Grey Warbler Gerygone igata. A nestling cuckoo returned to within 1 km of its natal site in a subsequent breeding season, presumably after migrating beyond New Zealand. Empirical and theoretical estimates of the area occupied by Shining Cuckoos while breeding are given. Cuckoos near Kaikoura laid during ten weeks, the modal week of laying following seven weeks after the presumed peak of arrival of birds in New Zealand. First clutches of the host escaped parasitism because they were laid before most cuckoos arrived. Parasitized clutches received one cuckoo egg which replaced a host's egg. It was laid before, just after or long after the host began incubating, and mimicry was lacking. Cuckoo eggs, which were about 8% of the adult cuckoo's weight, hatched in 14–17 days. The frequency of parasitism near Kaikoura was 55% of late clutches (n = 40).
At 3–7 days old, nestling Shining Cuckoos evicted from the nest all other contents. The nestling period was at least 19 days. Growth in weight followed a logistic curve and the equation is given. Just over half the cuckoo eggs produced fledglings. The effect of brood-parasitism on the Grey Warbler's productivity was small. Only 17% of late warbler eggs, and late eggs only, were prevented by parasitism from yielding fledglings. Late laying by some Shining Cuckoos (relative to the host's incubational cycle), and late eviction, often led to brief inter-specific competition among nestlings for food. The brief coexistence of young Warblers and Cuckoos in the nest may explain the apparent mimicry by newly-hatched Shining Cuckoos of the host's young.     

Great Spotted Cuckoo Nestlings but not Magpie Nestlings Starve in Experimental Age‐Matched Broods

Nestlings of non‐evicting avian brood‐parasites have to compete for food with foster parents' own nestlings. The outcome of these competitive contests is determined mainly by body size differences between parasitic and host nestlings. As part of the coevolutionary arms race between brood parasites and their hosts at the nestling stage, it has been reported that some host foster parents discriminate against parasitic chicks and are reluctant to feed them. Here, by experimentally creating size‐matched broods of different composition (only magpie Pica pica chicks, only great spotted cuckoo Clamator glandarius chicks or mixed broods), we show that great spotted cuckoo chicks starved in 20.2 per cent (17 of 84) of the parasitized magpie nests even in absence of size asymmetries, while in none (0 of 72) of the nests a magpie chick starved. As far as we know, this is the first record of non‐evictor brood parasitic nestlings starving without being smaller than their host nestmates in a frequently used host species. Nest composition had no effect on chick starvation. The cuckoo nestling starved even in two of the nests occupied by only one cuckoo chick. Our results could be explained by (1) magpies being reluctant to feed cuckoo chicks; (2) parasitic chicks receiving lower‐quality food items or cuckoo nestlings being sensitive to some particular component of the diet (e.g. cereal grains); and (3) the existence of cuckoo chick discrimination ability by magpie foster parents.     

A comparative study of host selection in the European cuckoo Cuculus canorus

Certain kinds of hosts are commonly regarded as being more suitable than other for rearing European cuckoos (Cuculus canorus) – insectivores that lay small eggs and have open, shallow nests – although empirical tests of cuckoo host selection are lacking. We analysed host use by the European cuckoo in 72 British passerines that are potential hosts and for which there was information available on life-history variables and variables related to cuckoo-host coevolution, such as rate of parasitism, rejection rate of non-mimetic model eggs and degree of cuckoo-egg mimicry of host eggs. The relative population size of the host species affected parasitism rate most strongly, followed by relatively short duration of the nestling period, and the kind of nest, with cuckoos selecting open-nesting hosts. However, the effect of the nestling period could be related to host body size and the kind of nest used, because hole-nesting species normally have longer nestling periods than open-nesters. We re-analysed the data excluding hole nesters and corvid species (species with larger body mass), but the results remained identical. The European cuckoo may benefit from selecting hosts with short nestling periods because such hosts provide food for their nestlings at a very high rate. When only those species known as cuckoo hosts were analysed, the variable that best accounted for the parasitism rate was duration of the breeding season. Therefore, availability of potential hosts in both time and space is important for cuckoos in selecting hosts. Received: 16 July 1998 / Accepted: 27 October 1998     

八声杜鹃在两种缝叶莺巢中寄生繁殖

了解杜鹃对不同寄主的选择和利用,可为研究两者之间的协同进化提供重要基础资料。2012至2014年每年的3~6月,在广西弄岗地区共记录到3例八声杜鹃(Cacomantis merulinus)的寄生繁殖,其中,2例寄生于栗头缝叶莺(Orthotomus cuculatus)的巢(寄生率1.4%,n=142),其中2枚杜鹃卵均为白色具棕色斑点;1例寄生于黑喉缝叶莺(O.atrogularis)(寄生率10%,n=10),杜鹃卵为白色具棕色斑点。栗头缝叶莺为八声杜鹃寄主的首次报道,而两种缝叶莺均首次在中国记录到被八声杜鹃寄生。八声杜鹃的卵重为(1.45±0.09)g,卵体积为(1.46±0.07 cm3)(n=3),其卵大小和重量均显著大于栗头缝叶莺和黑喉缝叶莺的卵(t检验,P0.001)。     

Corticosterone levels in host and parasite nestlings: Is brood parasitism a hormonal stressor?

Parasite chicks from non-evictor species usually try to monopolize host parental care, thereby increasing considerably the level of food competition in the nest. Here, we propose that brood parasitism is an important stressor for host and parasite nestlings and explore this hypothesis in the non-evictor great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) and its main hosts, the same-sized black-billed magpie (Pica pica) and the larger carrion crow (Corvus corone). We experimentally created 3-nestling broods of different brood compositions (only cuckoo chicks, only host chicks, or cuckoo and host chicks together) and measured baseline corticosterone levels of nestlings along their developmental period (early, middle and late). We found that brood parasitism increased corticosterone levels in magpie nestlings in the mid and late nestling period compared to those raised in unparasitized nests. Interestingly, carrion crow nestlings from parasitized nests only increased their corticosterone levels in the mid nestling period, when the competition for food with the cuckoo nestling was highest. Our results suggest that brood parasitism could be a potential physiological stressor for host nestlings, especially during the developmental stages where food requirements are highest. Conversely, cuckoo nestlings could be physiologically adapted to high competition levels since they did not show significant differences in corticosterone levels in relation to brood composition.     

Egg Rejection and Brain Size among Potential Hosts of the Common Cuckoo

Interspecific brood parasitism by the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) lowers host fitness, and has selected for discrimination and rejection of parasitic eggs in their commonly parasitized hosts. Cognitive demands needed to discriminate and reject cuckoo eggs may have led to augmentation of relative brain size among passerine hosts parasitized by cuckoos. This hypothesis predicts for across species positive relationships of brain size with rejection rate, host suitability and parasitism level. Here we test these predictions while controlling for phylogenetic, ecological and developmental factors known to affect brain size and egg rejection in a comparative study using the cuckoo and their hosts in Europe as a model system. Contrary to expected the rate of rejection of non‐mimetic cuckoo eggs covaried negatively with relative brain size across bird species. Either suitability as cuckoo host, which reflects long‐time duration of exposure to cuckoo parasitism, and level of parasitism, did not relate to brain size. Our results do not support the hypothesis that cuckoo parasitism was a main direct force affecting brain size variation across passerine hosts.     

Reproductive biology of the European Cuckoo Cuculus canorus: early insights, persistent errors and the acquisition of knowledge

The brood parasitic habits of the European Cuckoo Cuculus canorus have excited wonder, disbelief and speculation since the fourth century BC. Accurate knowledge of cuckoo biology, however, accumulated only slowly and mostly since 1700. The aim of this study is to review six main topics: (1) the placement of cuckoo eggs in host nests; (2) cuckoo ‘clutch’ size; (3) cuckoo egg characteristics, mimicry and rejection; (4) choice of hosts; (5) eviction of eggs and chicks; and (6) the reasons why cuckoos are brood parasites and are incapable of rearing their own young. Early errors in reporting cuckoo biology were often a consequence of poor or incomplete observations leading to erroneous interpretations. Many of the early observers were egg collectors who focussed almost exclusively on the egg-laying period, thus ignoring cuckoo chick biology. Major landmarks in cuckoo studies included the facts that: (1) cuckoo eggs often resembled those of their hosts (1760s) and that this mimicry was adaptive (1850s); (2) hosts sometimes evicted cuckoo eggs (1770s); (3) female cuckoos laid individually distinctive eggs and that specific cuckoo gentes may exist (1850s); and (4) although well recognised that cuckoo chicks were reared alone, prior to Jenner’s work in the 1780s female cuckoo parents were thought to either eat or evict the host eggs or young. Jenner’s results was more readily accepted in Britain than in Germany. Between 1700 and 1859, cuckoo brood parasitism was difficult to reconcile with the prevalent conceptual framework of physico-theology (later known as the argument from design). Thereafter, Darwin’s idea of natural selection provided a superior conceptual framework, which in conjunction with experimental testing of specific hypotheses has continued to advance our understanding of brood parasitism. Our knowledge of cuckoo biology is far from complete, however, and we predict that continuing research often incorporating new technologies will refine and extend our understanding of the cuckoo’s extraordinary biology.     

以鸟类视觉模型揭示中杜鹃对冠纹柳莺的卵色模拟(英文)

于2009年4—7月,采用光谱仪量化卵色和建立鸟类视觉模型的方法,在贵州宽阔水自然保护区对中杜鹃(Cuculus saturatus)寄生冠纹柳莺(Phylloscopus reguloides)的卵色模拟进行了研究。中杜鹃产白色卵带极少数而微小的棕色斑,明显大于宿主卵,重2.06g,体积1.91cm3。从人眼看,中杜鹃卵对宿主卵在很大程度上是模拟的,但视觉模型表明,两者的卵色在色调和色度上都完全分离,揭示了人眼探测不到的卵色模拟情况。该文首次对中杜鹃的雏鸟特征进行描述,在4日龄以后雏鸟嘴裂中出现三角形黑斑,并随着日龄的增长而更加明显,这种特征在霍氏中杜鹃(C.optatus)的雏鸟中也存在,但未见于其他种类的杜鹃雏鸟。