高黎贡山好观鸟——解读高黎贡山（二）

横断山脉地区素有鹛类和雉类乐园的美誉,在这一地区,画眉科鸟类和雉科鸟类的种类极为丰富。全世界画眉科鸟类有259种,中国有117种,而在高黎贡山地区发现和记录的画眉科鸟类近90种。中国有62种雉科鸟类,高黎贡山地区就有18种。鹛类和雉类的某些种类在中国还只分     

利用CoI基因序列对雀科鸟类的分子系统发育关系初探

基于线粒体DNA(mtDNA)中Col基因的部分序列(1300bp)对雀形目雀科(Fringillidae)36种鸟类进行系统发育分析.对数据集构建NJ树、Baycs树和ML树.对建树结果进行分析,发现铁爪鸦(Calcarius lapponicus)与鸦属(Emberiza)鸟类的亲缘关系比其他雀科的鸟类更近;支持蓝鹀(Latoucheornis siemsseni)隶属于鹀属的观点:证实了黄颈拟蜡嘴雀(Mycerobas affinis)与黑尾蜡嘴雀(Eophona migratorius)之间紧密的亲缘关系;发现长尾雀(Uragus sibiricus)和朱鸦(Urocynchramus pylzowi)之间亲缘关系很远,而与朱雀属(Carpodacus)有较近的亲缘关系:结果支持雀类与鸦类的亚科级分类水平.     

四川雀形目鸟巢和鸟卵记述

本文对四川雀形目燕科、鹤鸰科、山椒鸟科、鹎科、伯劳科、黄鹂科、卷尾科、鸦科、山雀科、绣眼鸟科、文鸟科、雀科和科等13科49种另2亚种鸟类的巢和卵进行了记述。其中我国特产鸟类黑额山噪鹛的巢、卵和山噪鹛的卵均为首次报道。     

四川唐家河自然保护区发现灰冠鸦雀

灰冠鸦雀(Paradoxornis przewalskii)为中国特有鸟类,隶属于雀形目画眉亚科鸦雀属。目前已知灰冠鸦雀仅分布于甘肃南部卓尼县到四川西北部松潘地区岷山山脉海拔2440～3050m的高山针叶林及河谷竹灌丛中,其分布模式与该区域另一种中国特有鸟类黑额山噪鹛(Garrulaxsukatschewi)类似,两者为典型的狭域分布物种。灰冠鸦雀被IUCN(世界自然保护联盟)和《中国物种红色名录》列为易危(VU)物种。灰冠鸦雀是别列佐夫斯基和毕安科1891年依据俄罗斯中亚考察队1886年在甘肃省南部采集的标本订名的,到目前已知仅有4个分布点,即甘肃岷县、卓尼、舟曲以及…     

雪雀属系统发育关系的研究（雀形目：文鸟科)

雷雀属Montifringilla7种36个形态特征作为分类单元,进行支序分析。以麻雀属Passer、石雀属Petronia部分种类作为比较外群,讨论雪雀属的分类地位及其与近缘属麻雀属、石雀属系统发育关系;分析了雪雀属内种间的系统发育。支序分析的结果表明雪雀属为单系群,建议将雪雀属划分成两个亚属,讨论了雪雀属种类在进货上的位置,在3个近缘属的系统发育关系中,麻雀属类群较原始,雪雀属类群较进化,石雀属在进货中介于二之间。     

陕西的几种画眉

画眉科鸟类多为华南区(东洋界)固有的种类,而华南区又以云南省内发现的种类为最多,其次为广西、广东和福建;在华北区所产的种类最少。陕西省隶属于华北区(古北界),以往有纪录的有六属 Pomatorhinus,Pnoepyga,Garrulax,Spelaeornis,Alcippe和 Babax。在太白山北麓及渭河平原,最近三年内获得七种画眉鸟类,分隶三属:Pomato-rhinus,Garrulax和 Yuhina。其中 Yuhina是属于新纪录范畴。因此对于种类分佈,似有一定意义,依郑作新氏建议(1950),古北界与东洋界的分界线,在陕西省应以秦岭为准。就此种鸟类分佈而言,似更合理。这样,对于鸟类区划问题,可增多一些认识,特分述于下:     

西藏昌都发现白领凤鹛、小鹀和黑颈辟鸟虒鸟

2013年08月—11月,在西藏昌都地区拍摄到3种鸟类,经过分类鉴定分别为白领凤鹛(Yuhina diademata)、小鹀(Emberiza pusilla)和黑颈(Podiceps nigricollis)。查阅资料后,证实这三种鸟为西藏的新纪录。     

利用线粒体Cyt b基因全序列探讨部分鸥类的系统发育关系

利用线粒体细胞色素b(Cyt b)基因全序列,对采自陕西红碱淖湿地繁殖的遗鸥Larus relictus、棕头鸥Larus brunnicephalus、普通燕鸥Sterna hirundo和鸥嘴噪鸥Gelochlidon nilotica的序列特征进行了分析.联合已知该基因全序列的其它32种鸟类,构建了36种鸟类之间的系统发育关系,并确定了4种鸥在系统发育中的地位.结果表明:4种鸥Cytb基因全长均为1 143 bp;MP、ML和Bayes树拓扑结构大致相同,支持遗鸥、渔鸥Larus ichthyaetus和地中海鸥Larus audouinii、Larus melancephalus划归为黑头鸥族;棕头鸥划归为面具族;遗鸥与地中海鸥亲缘关系较近,与渔鸥次之,与棕头鸥亲缘关系较远;普通燕鸥和鸥嘴噪鸥均划归为黑帽族;燕鸥属和凤头燕鸥属亲缘关系较近,噪鸥属较为古老,是较早分化出的一支;鞘嘴鸥科作为单型科,受不同选择压力导致和鸥类亲缘关系甚远;建议将灰头鸥Larus cirrocephalus移人巾头鸥族;鸥科、燕鸥科和剪嘴鸥科的拓扑结构未能准确解析,需要进一步分析研究.     

中国的噪鹛及其研究现状

中国的噪鹛种类丰富,共计有40种之多,其中噪鹛属28种,彩翼噪鹛属12种。本文综述了我国噪鹛类分布、分类现状和已报道的噪鹛类生态学研究结果,主要包括繁殖生态、身体大小性二态、配偶选择、体温调节和适应性产热、鸣唱等方面的研究。以期为后续深入研究提供参考。     

贵州宽阔水7种雀形目鸟类繁殖巢记述

2012~2016年每年的4~8月,在贵州宽阔水国家级自然保护区记录到7种雀形目鸟类的巢共20个,分别为绿翅短脚鹎(Hypsipetes mcclellandii)2巢、斑胸钩嘴鹛(Pomatorhinus erythrocnemis)2巢、灰背燕尾(Enicurus schistaceus)1巢、灰眉岩鹀(Emberiza godlewskii)4巢、褐顶雀鹛(Alcippe brunnea)3巢、褐胁雀鹛(A.dubia)7巢和黑颏凤鹛(Yuhina nigrimenta)1巢。对其巢、卵或雏鸟以及巢址等进行了描述。     

Singing for your supper: sentinel calling by kleptoparasites can mitigate the cost to victims

Parasitism generally imposes costs on victims, yet many victims appear to tolerate their parasites. We suggest that in some cases this may be because parasites provide victims with mitigating benefits, paradoxically giving rise to selection for advertisement rather than concealment by parasites. We investigate this possibility using the interaction between an avian kleptoparasite, the fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), and one of its victims, the pied babbler (Turdoides bicolor). Combining field observations and a playback experiment, we demonstrate that a conspicuous vocal signal broadcast by drongos perched waiting to steal food from foraging babblers allows the latter to improve their own foraging efficiency, although not to the same extent as that experienced in response to conspecific sentinel calling. We argue that "sentinel" calling by drongos may originally have arisen as a means of manipulating babblers: because babblers find more food items and venture into the open more in response to these vocalizations, drongos are presented with more kleptoparasitism opportunities. However, the resulting benefit to babblers could be sufficient to reduce selection for the evolution of defenses against drongos, and the current situation may represent a rare example of an interspecific relationship in transition from a parasitism to a mutualism.     

Molecular systematics of the Malagasy babblers (Passeriformes: timaliidae) and warblers (Passeriformes: sylviidae), based on cytochrome b and 16S rRNA sequences

The phylogenetic relationships of the Timaliidae (babblers) and Sylviidae (warblers) have long challenged ornithologists. We focus here on three Malagasy genera currently assigned to the Timaliidae, Mystacornis, Oxylabes, and Neomixis, and on their relationships with other babblers and warblers using the sequences of two mitochondrial genes (cytochrome b and 16S rRNA). Maximum parsimony analyses show that the Malagasy "babblers" are not related to any of the other African and Asian babblers. The genus Mystacornis is neither a babbler nor a warbler. The other Malagasy "babblers" are members of warbler groups (the monophyly of the Sylviidae is not demonstrated). Oxylabes madagascariensis and Hartertula flavoviridis (we recognize Hartertula as a genus for the species flavoviridis, previously Neomixis flavoviridis) constitute, with two presumed sylviine taxa, Thamnornis chloropetoides and Cryptosylvicola randrianasoloi, a warbler radiation endemic to the island of Madagascar. The other Neomixis species (tenella, striatigula, and viridis) belong to another warbler group comprising cisticoline taxa. These results show that the Timaliidae did not disperse to Madagascar. Rather, the island has been colonized, independently, by at least two clades of warblers, probably originating from Africa, where the Sylviidae radiation has been the most extensive.     

Molecular systematics and diversification of the Asian scimitar babblers (Timaliidae, Aves) based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences

The Asian scimitar babblers, including the genus Pomatorhinus and Xiphirhynchus, are a small group of babblers characterized by long down-curved bills and a distribution throughout East and Southeast Asia. To infer the molecular phylogeny of this group and their divergence time, we examined sequences of multiple fragments including two entire mitochondrial genes and four nuclear introns (4352 bp in total) from multiple samples of eight of the nine recognized species of Asian scimitar babblers. The phylogeny resulting from the concatenated multi-locus dataset suggests that Pomatorhinus is paraphyletic. Due to its paraphyly, we propose dividing the traditional genus Pomatorhinus into two morphologically and genetically diagnosable genera: Pomatorhinus and Erythrogenys. Results of the molecular dating based on the conventional mitochondrial DNA divergence rate indicates that the diversification of these babblers is likely congruent with the historical climatic events. Our findings shed light on the diversification of avian species in southern Asia, a poorly studied biodiversity hotspot.     

Influence of the Observer on the Frequency of the ‘Morning-Dance’ in the Arabian Babbler

The Arabian babbler, Turdoides squamiceps, displays an unusual behaviour, the ‘morning-dance’. This article examines the influence of the presence and behaviour of an observer on the dance frequency. The results are the summary of more than 3 yr of study by 12 observers, who performed 1335 observations and witnessed 286 dances that took place among 15 groups of babblers. Different experiments were carried out on 148 additional mornings. Different observers witnessed different dance frequencies. Dance frequency witnessed by an observer decreased with observer's experience. Observers watching groups of babblers on single days witnessed more dances than those who watched the same groups for several consecutive days. Dance frequency was higher on the first day of a series of observations than on the following days in the same series. If a group of babblers remained unobserved for one day, the frequency of dancing increased. An evening observation considerably decreased the frequency of dancing the following morning. Feeding experiments did not elevate dance frequency. Experimental disturbance at the roost before dawn increased dance frequency while permanent disturbance and frightening experiments did not. Change in the observer's presence and behaviour caused the babblers to react by dancing. The hypothesis that the observer's presence and behaviour influences different group members differently, and therefore alters the relationships among them, is offered to explain the results that observers can affect the dance frequency.     

Juvenile Female Aggression in Cooperatively Breeding Pied Babblers: Causes and Contexts

Sex biases in adult aggression have been well studied and commonly arise when resources which affect survival or lifetime reproductive success are less abundant or more valuable for individuals of one sex. Despite the prevalence of sex biases in adult aggression, evidence for sex biases in juvenile aggression is scant. Here, we present evidence for female‐biased juvenile aggression in cooperatively breeding pied babblers (Turdoides bicolor). Unlike most cases of non‐lethal sibling aggression, juvenile aggression in pied babblers does not seem to be determined by food availability. Instead, we found that juvenile aggression was related to adult dispersal patterns. This study shows that females that were more aggressive as juveniles attempted dispersal earlier than less aggressive females. Potential explanations for the association between juvenile aggression and adult dispersal patterns are discussed.     

Cooperatively breeding Arabian babblers call differently when mobbing in different predator-induced situations

Cooperatively breeding Arabian babblers (Turdoides squamiceps) havea repertoire of different calls that they use in predator-induced contexts.We investigated their vocal mobbing behavior in two different predator-inducedsituations. We presented territorial groups of babblers a perched,stuffed owl representing an avian predator and a cat representinga ground predator. Babblers approached in both situations andmobbed the predators with the same two call types. In both predator-inducedsituations their first call was a short, metallic-sounding "tzwick."In response to the cat, babblers continued to primarily usetzwicks. However, in continued response to the owl, the babblersprimarily used long trills. The experiments indicate that differencesin use of two common call types during mobbing provide informationon differences in predator-induced situations, although no calltype per se identified a specific situation. The experiments suggestthat the short tzwicks indicate a higher risk or urgency thantrills and that combinations of both call types may providegraded information about differences in predator-induced situations.The relatively stable groups of these cooperative breeders mighthave favored evolution for using different calls in differentmobbing situations.     

Comprehensive phylogeny of the laughingthrushes and allies (Aves,Leiothrichidae) and a proposal for a revised taxonomy

DNA phylogenies have gradually shed light on the phylogenetic relationships of the large babbler group. We focus in this study on the family Leiothrichidae (laughingthrushes and “song babblers”), which represents the largest clade of babblers in terms of species diversity. Our phylogeny includes all genera and 82% of the recognized species, using mitochondrial and nuclear loci. The sister group to Leiothrichidae is composed of the Pellorneidae (“jungle babblers”) plus the genus Alcippe. Within Leiothrichidae, four strongly supported primary clades (A–D) are recovered. Clade A includes Grammatoptila, Laniellus and Cutia. Clade B includes a large group of laughingthrushes, all of them classified in Trochalopteron. In Clade C, the two laughingthrushes endemic to southern India, T. fairbanki and T. cachinnans, which have recently been proposed to be placed in the newly erected genus Montecincla, form a sister clade to the group comprising the “song babblers” (Lioptila, Leiothrix, Heterophasia, Minla, Liocichla, Actinodura, Chrysominla, Siva, and Sibia). Clade D includes the African babblers (Turdoides, Phyllanthus, Kupeornis), Asian relatives (Argya, Acanthoptila, Chatarrhaea) and all remaining laughingthrushes (Garrulax). The time estimates suggest that the early diversification of the Leiothrichidae occurred in the mid‐Miocene, a period that corresponds to the diversification of many passerine groups in Asia. A revised taxonomic classification of the family is proposed in the light of these results.     

Facultative response to a kleptoparasite by the cooperatively breeding pied babbler

In many cases of interspecific kleptoparasitism, hosts developdefensive behaviors to minimize the impact of kleptoparasites.Because vigilance and defensive behaviors are often costly,selection should favor hosts that adjust the amount of investmentneeded to minimize losses to kleptoparasitism. However, examplesof such facultative responses are rare. Here, we investigatethe response of cooperatively breeding pied babblers (Turdoidesbicolor) to the drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), an avian kleptoparasitethat regularly follows pied babbler groups, often giving alarmcalls to alert the group to predators but also occasionallygiving false alarm calls in order to steal food items. We showthat pied babbler response to drongos varies markedly accordingto babbler group size. In small groups, where there are fewindividuals available to act as sentinels, babblers sentinelless when a drongo is present and respond strongly to drongoalarm calls. However, in large groups, where there are manyindividuals available to participate in predator vigilance,babblers sentinel more often when a drongo is present, rarelyrespond to drongo alarm calls, and aggressively displace drongos,with a consequent decline in the number of successful kleptoparasitismevents. This behavior represent a facultative response to akleptoparasite according to the costs versus benefits of toleratingtheir presence.     

Allofeeding in Arabian Babblers (Turdoides squamiceps)

Allofeeding is a common social display among adult Arabian babblers (Turdoides squamiceps). The sociology and rates of allofeeding were studied with a tame population of babblers at the Shezaf Nature Reserve in the Rift Valley, Israel. Allofeeding rate varies with the season and food availability. Experimental supplementation to the whole group or to certain individuals greatly increased the rate of allofeeding, but it did not change the social order of the interactions. The interactions were almost always unidirectional: the donor allofed an individual lower in rank. Most of the few exceptions were reciprocal allofeeding among pairs of low-ranking individuals, correlated with a change in dominance between a young male and a young female. Higher-ranking individuals sometimes interfered with allofeedings by lower-ranking ones, and receivers frequently refused to accept the food offered. Allofeeding may therefore be considered as a display of dominance. However, as dominance rank rarely changes, except in very young birds, we suggest that allofeeding interactions display the prestige of the donors, that is, the degree of dominance of one individual over the other.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at .     

THE TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HEAD-SCRATCHING METHODS OF BIRDS.

Birds scratch their heads in one only of two ways, either directly or indirectly, and one method is used by all members of the same family though not necessarily by all families in the same order. When related families have different head-scratching methods, then the behaviour can help in disentangling difficult relationships. Examples are given. In the case of the passerines, only the Timaliidae (babblers) scratch directly. The implications are briefly discussed; for example, on this evidence Picathartes is not a babbler. The Psittaciformes are a potentially rewarding group for future work.