内蒙古乌审召察汗淖尔遗鸥繁殖群数量及繁殖点分布变化

2015—2020年每年的5—6月,对内蒙古自治区鄂尔多斯市乌审召镇察汗淖尔的遗鸥Ichthyaetus relictus繁殖数量和繁殖点分布进行了监测和研究。结果表明,2015—2020年遗鸥繁殖种群数量分别为2 000巢、364巢、2 782巢、3 360巢、3 407巢和3 914巢。除2016年外,该地的繁殖遗鸥种群数量一直呈增长态势。6年间共记录12个有遗鸥繁殖巢群分布的湖心岛,其中4个较稳定,一直维持着该地绝大多数遗鸥繁殖群数量。该地已成为遗鸥一个重要的繁殖地。因此,呼吁相关部门对这一湿地进行重点保护和监管。     

遗鸥繁殖期新分布——内蒙古袄太湿地

2012年5月24日在内蒙古呼和浩特市袄太湿地观测到遗鸥(Larus relictus) 640只,包括285只坐巢个体.遗鸥集中分布在四个湖心岛上,仅利用高出水面20 ～ 50 cm左右的岛面营巢.此次发现属于我国遗鸥的新繁殖地.     

陕西定边苟池湿地发现遗鸥繁殖群分布

2013年5月23日,在陕西省定边苟池湿地发现遗鸥 (Larus relictus) 繁殖群,统计结果为434巢。分为南、北两个巢群,南部巢群341巢,北部巢群93巢,南、北两个巢群间距8 m。遗鸥筑巢于坑洼相连的盐碱沼泽中一处较大"岛屿"上,巢址高出水面30~50 cm。定边苟池湿地是我国又一处新的遗鸥繁殖地。     

遗鸥繁殖群在鄂尔多斯的新发现

在鄂尔多斯漠地,发现世界最大的遗鸥繁殖群,共581巢。该发现为遗鸥在国内繁殖记录的首次报道。本文对遗鸥繁殖地生境,繁殖习性,食性和天敌等做了记述。     

河北张家口康巴诺尔湖国家湿地公园遗鸥繁殖群新发现

2014年4月14日在张家口市康保县康巴诺尔湖国家湿地公园(东经114°35′06″~114°36′32″,北纬41°49′05″~41°50′33″)发现遗鸥(Larus relictus)3 000余只。同年7月在湖边发现新繁殖的遗鸥幼鸟觅食。2015年4月底发现遗鸥在湖心岛筑巢产卵,同年6月采用国产大疆精灵3四轴航拍飞行器航拍法及样方法统计湖心岛遗鸥种群数量,共记录遗鸥成鸟2 100余只,806巢,出壳雏鸟2 080只。此次发现属于我国遗鸥繁殖地的新发现。     

基于卫星跟踪的遗鸥活动特征与空间利用研究

河北省康巴诺尔湖和张家口坝上已成为遗鸥Larus relictus的重要繁殖地和迁徙停歇地,但对此地繁殖种群的研究才刚开始。为了掌握遗鸥繁殖种群的活动区、活动节律和空间利用等特点,2016年6—9月,利用卫星跟踪技术对康巴诺尔湖遗鸥的活动特征和空间利用进行了研究。对4只遗鸥个体的跟踪结果表明:活动特征方面,(1)遗鸥主要活动区位于张家口坝上和内蒙古乌兰察布市东部,且不同个体位点分布差异较大;(2)繁殖后期和游荡期遗鸥活动区面积差异明显,游荡期活动区面积(155.95 km~2)大于繁殖后期(59.90 km~2)。同时不同个体活动区重叠程度差异较大,繁殖后期重叠程度高,游荡期重叠程度低;(3)活动节律显示遗鸥每天凌晨和黄昏都出现较长的活动距离。空间利用方面,本研究首次将粪区和农草区划为遗鸥的觅食区域,发现繁殖后期和游荡期遗鸥对湖淖区均有较高程度的利用。此外,还对遗鸥潜在食源进行了调查,发现在康巴诺尔湖遗鸥主要食物为摇蚊科Chironomidae幼虫和划蝽科Corixidae,在其他觅食地主要食物为丰年虫Chirocephalus sp.、蚌虫Cyzicus sp.、鲎虫Triops sp.和蛆虫。     

陕西红碱淖同域分布遗鸥与棕头鸥巢址选择比较

2009—2011年4—7月在陕西红碱淖对同域分布的遗鸥和棕头鸥巢参数特征、巢群空间分布和巢址生境选择进行了对比分析。结果表明:巢外径、巢深、巢高等参数均存在显著差异,这主要是与营巢生境和巢址空间分布上有关;从巢群空间分布上来看,两者均选择于湖心岛上营巢繁殖,巢群呈斑块状分布,但彼此没有混巢现象,有时甚至通过压缩种间巢间距来达到共存,由于遗鸥繁殖群体数量占优势,遗鸥总是占据最佳的巢域,棕头鸥巢群通常被排挤至湖心岛边缘部分;在巢址生境选择上,植被类型、植被高度、植被盖度、巢离水面高度和巢距最近水边距离均存在显著差异。这表明两者巢址生境选择上具有特异性,这种特异性使得巢址生境选择上存在生态位差异,促成了遗鸥和棕头鸥能在同一湖心岛上营巢繁殖因素之一。     

新疆艾比湖遗鸥和细嘴鸥的数量现状

1 遗鸥(Larus relictus Lonnberg,1931) 遗鸥,顾名思义,是一个飘忽不定的稀有物种,经常在亚洲极端干旱地区的盐泽中出没,繁殖地也不固定.     

遗鸥鄂尔多斯种群研究的最新报道

野外工作结果表明,1993年遗鸥鄂尔多斯种群繁殖群体的数量达到90年代以来的最高值,共计1510余巢;同时桃力庙- 阿拉善湾海子对于遗鸥鄂尔多斯种群的生存具有特别重要的意义,且出现于那里的湿地鸟类集中地反映了鄂尔多斯高原荒漠型湿地鸟类群落的特点,依据《拉姆萨公约》所推荐的评判标准应考虑将该地点列入《国际重要湿地名录》。     

遗欧在鄂尔多斯中部的分布暨一新巢群的发现

在内蒙古鄂尔多斯漠池，继桃力庙—阿拉善湾海子之后，1991年于毛乌素沙漠腹地的敖贝诺尔又发现遗鸥—更大繁殖群体，共624巢，为迄今所知的最大巢群。本文还对遗鸥在毛乌紊沙漠中的分布态势及数量问题做了探讨。     

洋县野生朱Huan的繁殖

朱鹮(Nipponia nippon)的繁殖状况 ,尤其是种群数量的变化 ,一直受到国内外的关注。本文收集分析了 1 981～ 1 997年 1 7年朱繁殖资料 ,进一步研究了朱的繁殖及其数量 ,以期为朱保护 ,采取行之有效的措施 ,提供科学依据。1　研究方法自 1 981年朱被重新发现后 ,至 1 997年 ,每年3～ 6月繁殖期 ,固定人员 ,2～ 3人为 1组 ,在每个巢区设立观察点 ,进行跟踪观察 ,并详细统计每窝产卵数、孵化数、雏鸟成活数和死亡数。并结合平常的跟踪监护 ,调查分析种群数量动态 ,统计成鸟死亡数 ,然后进行整理分析。2　结果与讨论2 .1　种群数量1 98…     

绿背山雀人工巢箱真菌多样性差异分析

真菌是巢穴微生物的重要组成部分,与鸟类的生存、繁殖和环境适应息息相关。本研究通过悬挂人工巢箱招引绿背山雀(Parus monticolus)入住,基于内转录间隔区(ITS)测序技术,对绿背山雀繁殖成功巢箱与筑巢未产卵巢箱真菌群落的组成差异进行探究。结果显示,在门水平上,子囊菌门(Ascomycota,98.81%)是繁殖成功巢箱内微生物的主要菌门;子囊菌门(85.59%)和担子菌门(Basidiomycota,8.33%)是筑巢未产卵巢箱内微生物的主要菌门。在属水平上,繁殖成功巢箱的优势属为拟单宽皿菌属(Phialemoniopsis,83.04%)、曲霉属(Aspergillus,4.75%)、子囊菌属(Arthroderma,4.29%)和柄帚霉属(Scopulariopsis,1.78%);筑巢未产卵巢箱的优势属为拟单宽皿菌属(36.06%)、曲霉属(14.53%)、青霉属(Penicilliu,6.22%)、单端孢霉属(Trichothecium,5.80%)、德巴利酵母菌属(Debaryomyces,1.67%)和蝶孔耳属(Papiliotrema,1.09%)。Alpha多样性分析表明,筑巢未产卵巢箱中真菌的多样性和丰富度均显著高于繁殖成功巢箱(P < 0.05);Beta多样性分析表明,繁殖成功巢和筑巢未产卵巢箱之间的真菌群落存在显著差异;LEfSe分析共检测到19个具有统计学差异的生物标记物,繁殖成功巢箱和筑巢未产卵巢箱的显著生物标志物分布在子囊菌门和担子菌门中,两种巢箱的标记物种存在显著差异。整体来说,与繁殖成功巢相比,筑巢未产卵巢内分布有更多的潜在病原菌。     

A SOCIO-ECOLOGY OF MAGPIES PICA PICA

The behaviour and ecology of unmarked Magpies Pica pica living in the Cotswolds were investigated over 18 months. The spacing of nests was significantly more regular than random and breeding pairs defended territories throughout the year. In winter pairs occasionally left territories to feed with non-breeding birds which flocked throughout the year.
Magpies in flocks had a higher averiage feeding rate than birds alone or in pairs. Aggression rates in flocks increased as birds fed closer together and as food patches became richer.
Agonistic interactions between Crows Corvus corone and Magpies were common; Crows frequently dominated Magpies in disputes over food, and Crows also ate Magpie eggs and young. Single Magpies were most often chased by Crows while Magpies in flocks were able to feed longer in the presence of Crows.
Differences in fledgling success among breeding pairs were related to the location of nests; Magpie pairs breeding near Crow nests suffered higher rates of agonistic encounters with Crows and also produced fewer fledglings than did Magpies breeding at greater distances from Crow nests. Magpie nests were located nearer human habitations than were Crow nests.     

Predation by mustelids and rodents on the eggs and chicks of native and introduced birds in Kowhai Bush, New Zealand

Prior to human settlement the endemic New Zealand avifauna evolved in the absence of mammalian predators. Subsequently mustelids, rodents and feral cats have become established and frequently prey on birds and nests. It has been suggested that, because of their evolutionary history, the endemic birds are especially susceptible to such predators. In this paper predation by mustelids and rodents on the eggs and nestlings of eight species of native bird is compared with that on five species of introduced European passerine inhabiting the same lowland forest.
Final outcomes were known for 101 nests of native birds and 48 nests of introduced birds found during three breeding seasons. There was no significant difference between the two groups in frequency of predation. Native birds lost 70-1% of their nests to predators and introduced birds 64-6%. Most predations occurred during the egg stage. Clutch size did not influence frequency of predation, but brood size did for Fantails and introduced birds. Stoats and weasels were responsible for 77-9% of predations on native birds and 77-4% on introduced birds; corresponding percentages for rodents (principally ship rats) were 14-7% and 19-4%. Mustelids destroyed proportionately more nests with chicks than with eggs, whereas rodents did the reverse. Predation on both groups of birds was not influenced by their nesting habitat, the species of tree used for nesting, or the height and position of the nest. The vulnerability to introduced predators of native New Zealand birds is discussed in relation to the historical declines of many species, and also their life-history patterns.     

BREEDING BIOLOGY OF THE EDIBLE-NEST SWIFTLET AERODRAMUS FUCIPHAGUS

A colony of the Edible-nest Swiftlet Aerodramus fuciphagus nesting in a Chinese shophouse in Penang, Peninsular Malaysia, was studied for seven months. Birds bred throughout, but laying was concentrated in the period October to February. Incubation and fledging periods were 23 ± 3 days and 43 + 6 days, respectively. Most young hatched during the dry season. The normal clutch size was two, with many birds laying second clutches (75%) and some third clutches (15-4%) using the same nest. Clutch size showed no variation with clutch order or month. The overall hatching success was 69-0 %, most losses caused by eggs falling from or with the nest. Fledging success was similar for broods of two (625%) and broods of one (59-4%), so that the former were twice as productive. The main loss of chicks occurred when they fell from the nest and were eaten by mammalian predators. There was a tendency for breeding success to decline with successive clutches, but not with month, being highest in November (53-6 %) and February (55-6 %). The growth rate of single chicks and successful broods of two was similar, except that the second chick was more prone to fluctuations in weight. Some second chicks showed evidence of starvation before falling from the nest. Diet was examined by analysis of foodballs regurgitated by mist-netted adults. Foodballs weighed 0–13-1 08 g and, on average, contained over 500 prey items. The main arthropods caught were Hymenoptera (40-8%), Ephemeroptera (26-4%), Homoptera (15-4%) and Diptera (7-7%). Flying ants and mayflies contributed most by weight, although figwasps and mayflies were the most numerous prey items. Only in December did the percentage of moulting mist-netted adult swiftlets fall below 70 %. It appeared that many birds were moulting and breeding simultaneously, although 21% of birds had primaries moulting in two places, suggesting arrested moult. Diurnal activity showed a normal high dawn exodus and dusk inflow of birds, although there was evidence of an increase of birds flying out prior to the dusk inflow. Nest harvesting was continued throughout the study, but most of the marked nests under study were left undisturbed.     

THE BIRDS OF LANGEBAAN LAGOON

Data are presented on breeding success of Red Bishops (Euplectes orix) collected over four breeding seasons at a colony in the Addo Elephant National Park, Eastern Cape, South Africa. Overall hatching and fledging success were 53.8% and 26.0% of all eggs laid, respectively, and the overall mean number of fledglings per breeding attempt was 0.77. Hatching and fledging success varied significantly among seasons, with both clutch and brood losses due to predation being the main reason for the observed differences. Hatching success also differed significantly among clutch sizes, being highest for four-egg clutches (63.2%), intermediate for three-egg clutches (55.5%) and lowest for two-egg clutches and five-egg clutches (33.2% and 34.3%, respectively). However, fledging success was not significantly different among clutch sizes. The mean number of fledglings per breeding attempt was 0.44 for two-egg clutches, 0.80 for three-egg clutches, 1.10 for four-egg clutches, and 0.57 for five-egg clutches. The height of accepted nests (i.e.nests in which at least one egg was laid) was significantly lower than the height of nests not accepted. In addition, accepted nests in which eggs hatched and young fledged were significantly lower than accepted nests in which no eggs hatched and no young fledged. These overall effects of nest height on nest acceptance and hatching and fledging success were, however, due only to nests built above water, since no such effects were found when nests built above ground (i.e.on dry land) were analysed separately. I detected no effect of nest coverage on the probability of a nest being accepted, nor was there any effect of nest coverage on hatching or fledging success. Nests above water were significantly more likely to be accepted than nests above ground; however, hatching and fledging success of nests that were accepted did not differ significantly between nests built above water and those built above ground.     

Reproductive interactions of the Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis and the Yellow-hooded Blackbird Agelaius icterocephalus in Trinidad

The reproductive interactions of the Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis , a brood parasite, and the Yellow-hooded Blackbird Agelaius icterocephalus , a host of the cowbird, were studied In Trinidad, West Indies. We gathered information on the breeding biology of the Shiny Cowbird and the Yellow-hooded Blackbird, the frequency of use of the host species, and the effects of brood parasitism on host breeding success. Yellow-hooded Blackbirds are polygynous for the most part; males build nests and attempt to attract females to lay in them by means of song and visual displays directed towards the nests. This behaviour probably makes it easy for cowbirds to locate breeding birds and their nests. Cowbird eggs were found in 153 of 377 (40–3 %) blackbird nests located before the nestling stage. Shiny Cowbird parasitism of the Yellow-hooded Blackbird had little negative impact on host reproductive success, whereas predation accounted for the majority of nest failures. Vigilant nest defense by male blackbirds combined with colonial breeding apparently also minimized the extent of host egg damage and removal by cowbirds, and the parasitized and unparasitized nests were equally successful at producing blackbirds. Cowbirds most frequently parasitized the first or only nesting attempts in blackbird territories, and first or only nests were also successful more frequently than subsequent nests.     

Environmental conditions but not nest composition affect reproductive success in an urban bird

Adjusting the composition of their nests, breeding birds can influence the environmental conditions that eggs and offspring experience. Birds often use feathers to build nests, presumably due to their insulating properties. The amount of feathers in nests is often associated with increased nestling survival and body condition. However, it is unclear whether these putative beneficial effects of adding feathers to nests are relevant in a wide range of environmental conditions. Here, we combine data on weather conditions and feathers in nests (i.e., nest composition) to investigate their relative contribution to reproductive success in the Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus). Specifically, we investigate whether the effect of weather conditions on breeding success is modulated by the amount of feathers added to the nest. We found a strong negative effect of rainfall on the number of nestlings that successfully fledged per breeding attempt, but this negative effect was not mitigated by the amount of feathers in nests. We also found that the amount of feathers in nests varied along the breeding season, with nests containing more feathers early in the breeding season, when temperatures were lower. Despite considerable variation in nest composition, our results do not suggest an important role of feathers in nests protecting eggs or nestling tree sparrows against fluctuations in environmental conditions.     

FREQUENCY-DEPENDENT FITNESS CONSEQUENCES OF INTRASPECIFIC NEST PARASITISM IN SNOW GEESE

The reproductive efficiency, defined as the number of breeding recruits produced per egg laid; of intraspecific nest parasites; of hosts in parasitized nests; and of unparasitized nesting females, was measured for 14 years for lesser snow geese Anser caerulescens caerulescens nesting near Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Relative efficiencies were 0.71–0.88, 0.91, and 1.0 for eggs of parasites, hosts, and unparasitized birds, respectively. Differences in the hatching probabilities of the three classes of eggs produced the efficiency differences. Parasitic success was limited by the parasites' failure to place more eggs than expected by chance into nests at the appropriate time relative to host incubation. Host nesting success was lower when more than one parasitic egg was added to the clutch. No differences in gosling survival and breeding recruitment probabilities were detected among any categories of goslings. Thus, hatching parasitic young are at no disadvantage relative to parental young, and there is no support for the hypothesis that increased success of host young at later stages of reproduction might offset negative effects at the egg stage. The hatching efficiency of parasitic eggs declined more rapidly than that of parental eggs as the parasitism rate increased. Efficiencies were similar when 3–4% of the eggs laid per year were parasitic, but relative parasitic efficiency was significantly lower when the parasitism rate was 8–9% or more. Using ancillary information and assumptions about the fecundity, viability, and behavioral flexibility of parasitic and parental females, we conclude that intraspecific nest parasitism could compete with nesting as a reproductive strategy in this population. The conditional use of parasitism by a large component of the population in certain years, however, combined with negative-frequency dependent success, limits the potential spread of a purely parasitic strategy in this population.     

Isolation by time and habitat and coexistence of distinct host races of the common cuckoo

Isolation by time occurs when different populations of a single species reproduce at different times and thereby reduce the probability of interbreeding, potentially causing divergent adaptation to timing of reproduction, eventually resulting in ecological species separated by timing of reproduction. We analysed extensive data on timing of reproduction by different host races of the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus that is an obligate brood parasite laying eggs in the nests of many different species of passerine birds. Because different hosts breed at different times, specific host races of cuckoos have adapted to specific hosts by laying eggs when nests of these hosts are available, and such divergence may be further exaggerated by differences in timing of breeding among host races with similar habitat requirements. Host species accounted for a quarter of the variance in timing of breeding by the cuckoo. Common cuckoos reproduced at a similar, but narrower subset of dates as did possible hosts, showing that only a fraction of hosts with specific breeding dates were parasitized. Common cuckoo eggs laid in the 'right' kind of nests, phenotypically matching the eggs of the host, were laid later during the season than cuckoo eggs laid in the 'wrong' kind of nests where the eggs did not mimic those of the host. Pairs of sympatric cuckoo host races differed more in timing of breeding than pairs of allopatric host races, and pairs of cuckoo host races with similar breeding habitat differed more in breeding date than pairs of cuckoo host races with dissimilar habitat, as expected from reproductive character displacement. These findings are consistent with cuckoo host races being isolated by timing of breeding and habitat.