笼养灰胸竹鸡的繁殖行为

于1999年3－7月对笼养条件下灰胸竹鸡的繁殖行为进行了观察。结果表明,笼养灰胸竹鸡仍保留求偶,交配和产卵等野外繁殖行为,但营巢,邻域,孵卵和育雏行为基本消失,求偶和交配于3出现,5月达到高峰,8月以后繁殖行为基本消失,本文还分析了笼养灰胸竹鸡繁殖期的觅食行为。     

笼养灰胸竹鸡的活动时间分配

采用直接观察法对灰胸竹鸡在笼养条件下的活动时间分配及行为特点进行研究,结果表明笼养条件下灰胸竹鸡的主要行为有走动、站立、取食、静卧4种,一天中有两个活动高峰,雄鸡的活动强于雌鸡;白天休息时间占40%以上,采食集中在上午和傍晚进行;站立、取食、静卧发生的频次在雌雄之间无显著差异（P〉0．05）,而走动的频次雄鸡极显著的高于雌鸡（P〈0．01）,各行为每频次在持续时间上差异不显著（P〉0．05）。     

两种竹鸡线粒体DNA的遗传变异

采用PCR和直接测序的方法测定灰胸竹鸡(Bambusicola thoracica)与棕胸竹鸡(B.fytchii)线粒体DNA(mtDNA)控制区1142bp的序列,分析二者间的遗传变异。两种竹鸡间共发现32个变异位点,其中20个转换,12个颠换。灰胸竹鸡mtDNA控制区的碱基含量T34.26%、C25.98%、A24.84%和G14.96%,棕胸竹鸡的分别是T34.47%、C25.60%、A25.03%和G14.93%。t-检验分析显示,两种竹鸡mtDNA控制区的T和C含量差异显著。在系统发生树上,两种竹鸡在系统发生树各聚成一支,支持率达到100%。两种竹鸡间的遗传距离是0.0396。根据分子钟计算,它们大约在200万年前分歧进化。推测它们的物种形成主要受更新世第二次寒冷期的影响。     

笼养大紫胸鹦鹉取食活动

采用扫描、焦点动物和全事件取样法对笼养条件下大紫胸鹦鹉 (Psittaculaderbiana)的取食行为进行了观察 ,结果表明 :笼养大紫胸鹦鹉取食活动占观察时间的 14 5 1% ,是其主要行为活动之一。日取食活动呈现早(7:0 0～ 10 :0 0 )、晚 (15 :0 0～ 19:0 0 ) 2个明显的高峰。每日取食 (32 12± 14 2 8)次 ,累计日取食时间 (15 3 2 3±73 11)min。每次取食的时间平均为 (5 2 9± 1 0 6 )min。两性和成幼间以及不同时期的取食活动有一定的差异。在整个取食过程中 ,除拾取 (45 47% )和咀嚼 (46 49% )两种取食行为外 ,还有身体护理 (2 5 1% )、运动 (3 5 9% )、静栖 (1 72 % )、攻击 (0 12 % )、求偶 (0 1% )等活动出现。逐步回归分析表明 :影响大紫胸鹦鹉成鸟取食活动的主要因素是生物学因素 ;5月龄以前幼鸟的取食行为除受生物学因素的影响外 ,还与温度有一定的关系     

桂西南喀斯特山地雉类的生态分布和空间生态位分析

桂西南喀斯特地区位于中国广西的西南部,属于全球生物多样性热点地区。通过自2003年以来,对该地区雉类进行的调查,共记录到7种雉类,分别是中华鹧鸪(Francolinus pintadeanus)、褐胸山鹧鸪(Arborophila brunneopectus)、棕胸竹鸡(Bambusicola fytchii)、灰胸竹鸡(Bambusicola thoracica)、原鸡(Gallus gallus)、白鹇(Lophura nycthemera)和环颈雉(Phasianus colchicus)。对该地区雉类的生态分布状况及栖息地的植被类型和坡位等空间生态位进行分析和比较的结果表明,原鸡的综合生态位最宽,灰胸竹鸡第二,最窄为中华鹧鸪。综合生态位重叠值最大的是中华鹧鸪--环颈雉和灰胸竹鸡--原鸡。分布范围狭窄、种群数量相对较少及生态适应性较低的褐胸山鹧鸪应该是该地区最易受到威胁的种类。     

社群学习对植食性鸟类和哺乳动物觅食行为的作用

社群学习是动物的一种可塑性行为表现型式。综述了社群学习对植食性鸟类和哺乳动物觅食行为的作用,并述评了其学习机制。社群同伴对动物个体觅食地点、时间和取食方式均有影响,母体摄食的食物信息可通过胎盘和乳汁显著影响幼体的食物选择。动物通过观察学习、嗅闻学习以及味觉厌恶学习,不仅能更快找到食物资源,提高觅食效率,而且能有效降低中毒与被捕食的风险,从而提高其适合度。     

东方田鼠社群气味对家族群成员个体觅食行为的影响

东方田鼠家族群成员个体的觅食行为是否因食物斑块存有家族群自身及非亲缘家族群气味而发生变异,进而影响其摄入率。在新鲜马唐叶片构建的均质密集食物斑块上,分别配置家族群自身巢垫物及非亲缘家族群巢垫物作为社群气味,测定东方田鼠家族群在食物斑块觅食时,其成员个体觅食行为的序列过程及参数,检验家族群自身气味及非亲缘家族群气味对成员个体觅食行为的影响。结果表明,家族群自身气味能显著地缩短本群成员个体的觅食决定时间,通过减少成员个体的嗅闻及直立扫视动作时间比例、增大一般扫视、盯视及静听动作时间比例,降低觅食中断时间比例,提高其摄入率;而非亲缘家族群气味则能显著地延长家族群成员个体的觅食决定时间,通过增大家族群成员个体的嗅闻和一般扫视动作时间比例、减小直立扫视、盯视及静听动作时间比例,增大觅食中断时间比例,降低其摄入率。结果揭示,熟悉的社群气味会促使觅食活动中的家族群成员个体,在监测环境风险时,将精力更多地用于观察和监听群内其他成员个体的行为及其发出的警报信息,以便在有效规避环境风险的同时减缓个体间因干扰性竞争对觅食活动所造成的不利影响;而陌生的社群气味会迫使成员个体,将精力由依赖群内其他成员个体的行为转向凭借自身直接警觉周围环境。     

年龄、集群、生境及天气对鄱阳湖白鹤越冬期日间行为模式的影响

于2012年1—3月和2012年12—2013年3月,采用瞬时扫描法研究了鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区越冬白鹤(Grusleucogeranus)的昼间时间分配模式和日活动节律,分析了年龄、集群大小、生境类型和天气对白鹤越冬行为的影响。结果表明,白鹤越冬期的主要行为有觅食、警戒、理羽、游走、休息和争斗。其中,觅食是鄱阳湖越冬白鹤主要行为,占其昼间活动时间的82.94%;警戒占11.94%,理羽占3.52%,游走占1.88%,休息占0.15%,争斗占0.02%。白鹤在越冬期间的觅食、游走、休息和争斗行为存在明显的昼间节律性,其中游走、觅食和争斗行为在每天的上午和下午各存在1个高峰,休息行为在中午出现一个高峰;警戒和理羽行为则没有显著的昼间节律变化。年龄、集群大小、天气和生境对白鹤的越冬行为具有显著的影响:幼鹤取食的时间显著多于成鹤,而警戒时间则显著的小于成鹤;与家庭群中的个体相比,集体群中的个体取食和争斗时间显著增加,警戒时间显著减少;在天气晴朗时,白鹤的警戒时间显著大于阴天的警戒时间,取食时间则显著少于阴天时白鹤的取食时间;白鹤在大风天气显著增加理羽行为;在有雾的天气会显著增加取食时间,减少警戒时间。在草洲和浅水两种生境中,白鹤的游走和理羽行为存在显著差异,而觅食和警戒行为没有显著的差异,这可能源于草洲和浅水生境相互毗邻,并且具有相同程度的人为干扰。GLM分析结果表明,年龄和集群大小、年龄和生境、集群大小和天气、集群大小和生境、天气和生境对白鹤昼间时间分配模式的影响存在显著交互效应。     

非人灵长类觅食行为生态学研究进展

觅食行为生态学是动物生态学研究的主要内容之一.从食物选择研究方法、食物选择策略机制、觅食行为的影响因素等方面综述非人灵长类动物觅食行为生态学研究进展.食物选择策略和活动时间分配是觅食行为生态学研究的主要内容.非人灵长类动物觅食行为生态学的研究对动物保护、人工驯养和繁殖具有重要意义.     

笼养大紫胸鹦鹉的活动时间分配

研究了笼养大紫胸鹦鹉的行为活动和时间分配。结果表明：笼养大紫胸鹦鹉一天中除静栖外,其余各行为所占时间比例在中午较小,而在早晚较大;在一年中不同月份间各种行为活动所占时间比例也有变化,呈明显的年周期和日节律;节律变化与日出、日落时间、季节、温度等变化有关。大紫胸鹦鹉各种行为活动所占比例分别为静栖４５．５５％、身体护理１６．６６％、取食１４．５１％、运动１０．６０％、在巢８．９８％、繁殖２．５５％、社     

Time budgets of Snow Geese Chen caerulescens and Ross's Geese Chen rossii in mixed flocks: implications of body size, ambient temperature and family associations

Body size affects foraging and forage intake rates directly via energetic processes and indirectly through interactions with social status and social behaviour. Ambient temperature has a relatively greater effect on the energetics of smaller species, which also generally are more vulnerable to predator attacks than are larger species. We examined variability in an index of intake rates and an index of alertness in Lesser Snow Geese Chen caerulescens caerulescens and Ross's Geese Chen rossii wintering in southwest Louisiana. Specifically we examined variation in these response variables that could be attributed to species, age, family size and ambient temperature. We hypothesized that the smaller Ross's Geese would spend relatively more time feeding, exhibit relatively higher peck rates, spend more time alert or raise their heads up from feeding more frequently, and would respond to declining temperatures by increasing their proportion of time spent feeding. As predicted, we found that Ross's Geese spent more time feeding than did Snow Geese and had slightly higher peck rates than Snow Geese in one of two winters. Ross's Geese spent more time alert than did Snow Geese in one winter, but alert rates differed by family size, independent of species, in contrast to our prediction. In one winter, time spent foraging and walking was inversely related to average daily temperature, but both varied independently of species. Effects of age and family size on time budgets were generally independent of species and in accordance with previous studies. We conclude that body size is a key variable influencing time spent feeding in Ross's Geese, which may require a high time spent feeding at the expense of other activities.     

Social influences on foraging behaviour of the Red-cheeked Cordon Bleu Uraeginthus bengalus Estrildidae

Red-cheeked Cordon Bleus U. bengalus forage on bare patches of ground for fallen grass seeds and termites in particular home ranges. Foraging is confined to shaded areas in the middle parts of the day but birds exploit places exposed to the full sun in the early mornings and late afternoons. They mostly occur in pairs but often aggregate to form temporary foraging groups. Although birds in groups spend less time vigilant than those foraging alone, they react sooner than them to approaching danger. Birds foraging in pairs peck more rapidly than those in other situations and it is suggested that one advantage of forming permanent pair bonds is that paired birds forage more efficiently than unpaired ones in preparation for the coming breeding season. Flight calls, contact calls and alarm calls are given in specific behavioural contexts. Birds make contact calls when they become separated from their mates and evidently use them to re-locate one another. It is shown experimentally that members of pairs can recognize one another's contact calls.     

ACTIVITY BUDGETS OF SPURWINGED AND EGYPTIAN GEESE AT BARBERSPAN DURING WINTER

Halse, S. A. 1985. Activity budgets of Spurwinged and Egyptian Geese at Barberspan during winter. Ostrich 56:104-110.

Daily behaviour of Spurwinged and Egyptian Geese was studied during winter at Barbers an, a large lake in the Transvaal. Non-moulting Spurwinged and Egyptian Geese spend about 2 h and 1,5h, respectively, feeding in farmland surrounding the lake in the early morning and about 20 min and 30 min, respectively, feeding there in the evening. They return to Barberspan during the day.

Activity budgets were calculated for all Spurwinged and all Egyptian Geese, including both moulting and non-moulting birds, at the lake during the day. Both species spend most of the day sleeping on the shore and relatively little time feeding. Both species spend a large proportion of this limited feeding time on open water picking at floating Potamogeton pectinatus. Closer to the shore the feeding habits of the species differ, Egyptian Geese feeding mostly along the shoreline in water a few centimetres deep, immersing only the bill, while Spurwinged Geese upend or submerge their heads and necks in deeper water.

An energy budget was calculated for Spurwinged Geese using the activity budget data. An averag-sized non-moulting goose (5,2 kg) requires about 2000 kJ/day for maintenance. During moult energy requirements increase 30 per cent to 2500 kJ/day because of the extra energy required for feather growth.     

Blood Parasites of Taiwan Birds*

SYNOPSIS. Blood films were examined from 1477 birds of Taiwan (193 species, 49 families). Haemoproteus Kruse was by far the commonest parasite, with Leucocytozoon Danilewski a not very close second. It is probable that some of the Haemoproteus infections represented new species, and 1 occurring in the Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola thoracica sonorivox Gould) seemed characteristic enough to justify recognition as such; the name Haemoproteus bambusicolae sp. n. is proposed for this organism. Malaria was found in 77 birds, the greatest number of infections occurring in the Bamboo Partridge. Most of them were caused by Plasmodium juxtanucleare Versiani & Gomes, a pathogen of chickens, but a number were due to an undetermined species of Plasmodium. The Bamboo Partridge may be a reservoir host of the former. A few other identified species (P. rouxi Sergent & Sergent, P. hexamerium Huff, P. tenue Laveran & Mesnil) were seen, as well as some unidentified ones. Plasmodium tenue was seen in Garrulax canorus taewanus Swinhoe, a babbler: until now it was known only from the Pekin Robin (Leiothrix luteus Scopoli), also a babbler, in which we have found it extremely common. Sixty-four microfilarial infections were identified; they were especially frequent in the Button Quail (Turnix suscitator rostrata Swinhoe).     

Plasmodium japonicum,P. juxtanucleare and P. nucleophilum in the Far East*

SYNOPSIS. Plasmodium japonicum and P. juxtanucleare are two very similar species of avian malaria parasites. The former was discovered in domestic fowl in Japan, and the latter in the same host species in Brazil; it has since been found in chickens in Uruguay, Mexico, and Ceylon. The present study, based on a Ceylon strain of P. juxtanucleare and slides from the Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola thoracica sonorivox) of Taiwan indicates that the latter host is a natural reservoir of P. juxtanucleare, since this species appears to differ in no significant way from P. japonicum. Infection is common in the Bamboo Partridge (5 of 26 birds showed it), but it has not so far been found in any other avian species, although a total of 973 birds, belonging to 17 orders, 45 families, 110 genera, and 183 species, have been examined from this area. Since the younger stages of Plasmodium nucleophilum look very much like similar stages of P. juxtanucleare, they are compared. The older stages however are usually easily distinguishable, and the former species is so far known only from non-gallinaceous birds whereas the latter appears to be limited to gallinaceous ones.     

Reproductive conditioning of the partridge (Perdix perdix) with GnRH and an increase in the photoperiod

Follicular growth and egg deposition were induced in the Grey Partridge (Perdix Perdix) after stimulation with Gn-RH and artificial light. The experiment was carried out from November to December 1983, during the short day period, and during the non egg laying period for this bird-sp. Two groups consisting of ten pairs of Grey Partridge each (female and male), received 3.8 mcg of Gn-RH (pGlu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH2) every 8 hours for 10 and 15 days, respectively. With interruption of the Gn-RH treatment we observed follicular regression. For this reason the birds were stimulated with artificial light daily from the 15th day of treatment until egg deposition. Fifty-five days after the start of the Gn-RH treatment the Grey Partridge laid eggs. Forty days of this period the birds were supplemented with artificial light. Twenty pairs of Grey Partridge were used as controls. Periodically two experimental female subjects (treated and control) were sacrificed to observe the development of ovary and oviducts.     

The hamster clock phase-response curve from summerlike light:dark cycles and its role in daily and seasonal timekeeping

We address the subject of entrainment of the hamster clock by the day:night cycle in summer when the sun sets after 6 PM and rises before 6 AM (nights < 12 h). Summer day:night cycles were simulated by 6 light:dark (LD) cycles with D < 12 h (summerlike, SLD) ranging from SLD 12.5 h:11.5 h (D, 6:15 PM-5:45 AM) to 18 h:6 h (D, 9 PM-3 AM). These are the near limiting SLDs for constant PM timing (entrainment) of behavioral estrus and wheel running in hamsters. The onset of estrus was observed every 4 d in the same hamsters as a phase marker of their 24 h clock. On the day before an experimental estrus, preceded and followed by control onsets, a dark period was imposed to cover a putative 6 PM-6 AM light-sensitive period (LSP). This was scanned with a light pulse (and periodic 5 sec bell alarms) lasting 5-240 min. Shifts in onset of estrus on the next day were plotted vs. the end of the light pulse for PM times ("dusk") and its onset for AM times ("dawn"). The resulting phase shifts from the six SLDs were similar, permitting their combination into a single phase-response curve (PRC) of 1605 shifts. This SLD composite PRC rose at 10:15 PM, peaked at 2 AM (81 min advanced shift), fell linearly to 5:55 AM, and then abruptly to normal at 6 AM (no shift). Peak shift was unaffected by light pulse duration or intensity, or hamster age. The SLD composite PRC lacked the 6 PM-9 PM curve of delayed shifts present in reported PRCs from LD 12 h:12 h and DD. However, a two-pulse experiment showed that all light from 6 PM to L-off was needed to block (balance) the advancing action of a 5 min morning light pulse, thereby maintaining entrainment. A working hypothesis to explain daily entrainment and seasonal fertility in the golden hamster is illustrated. A nomenclature for labeling the phases of the hamster clock (circadian time) is proposed.     

白眉山鹧鸪冬季觅食地选择

2010年11—12月,在广西九万山国家级自然保护区对白眉山鹧鸪冬季觅食地选择进行研究。发现觅食点34个,设置利用样方和对照样方各25个,测量并分析19个有关参数。结果显示,白眉山鹧鸪对阔叶林、针阔混交林、阔叶摆竹混交林和摆竹林表现为随机利用,对毛竹林和杉木林表现为避开选择;其偏向选择面朝东南方向的山坡,觅食地坡度在20～44°之间,觅食地摆竹灌丛密度和摆竹灌丛盖度、草本密度和草本盖度都显著低于对照样方,落叶盖度显著高于对照样方。逐步判别分析结果表明,落叶盖度、坡度和摆竹灌丛盖度是区分冬季觅食地和对照样方的主要参数,判别准确率达86.0%。白眉山鹧鸪冬季对觅食地的选择与食物资源和躲避危险有关。因此,建议在保护白眉山鹧鸪时应着重关注这两个因素。