鸮形目4种鸟类线粒体调控区全序列的测定与比较研究

利用Long-PCR和Primer Walking的方法对鸮形目的短耳鸮、长耳鸮、纵纹腹小鸮、灰林鸮4种鸟类的线粒体调控区进行了全序列测定。结果表明：短耳鸮的调控区跃度为3290bp;长耳鸮为2848bp;纵纹腹小鸮为2444bp;灰林鸮为1771bp。短耳鸮的调控区长度是4种鸮中最大的,并且是目前已知最大的鸟类线粒体调控区。这4种鸮类调控区的基本结构和其他鸟类相似,按照碱基变化速率的不同可以分为3个区：碱基变化速率较快的外围区域Ⅰ、Ⅲ和保守的中间区域Ⅱ。这4种鸟类调控区的3’端均存在大量的串联重复序列,短耳鸮为126bp单元重复7次和78bp单元重复14次;长耳鸮为127bp单元重复8次和78bp单几重复6次;纵纹腹小鸮有3个重复单元,分别为89bp单元重复3次、77bp单元重复4次和71bp单元重复6次;灰林鸮仅有1个单元的串联重复为78bp重复5次。调控区中串联重复序列可能是由链的滑动错配产生,另外这些重复序列都能形成热力学稳定的多重茎环二级结构,而且在重复序列中还发现一些保守基序,这说明重复序列可能具有一定的生理功能,影响调控区的调重控功能从而影响线粒体基因组的复制和转录。     

阿尔金山国家级自然保护区纵纹腹小鸮食性的季节变化

2012—2013年间,利用食团分析法对阿尔金山国家级自然保护区纵纹腹小鸮Athene noctua的食性进行分析。共分析343个纵纹腹小鸮食团,鉴定出353个猎物。以个体计,当地纵纹腹小鸮主要取食小型哺乳动物,占95.18%,其次为鸟类,占3.97%,也取食少量昆虫(0.85%)。生物量贡献则以小型哺乳动物为主,占99.35%。纵纹腹小鸮在夏季和冬季就可鉴定的取食动物种类比例组成而言,差异具有高度统计学意义(χ2=52.27,df=4,P0.01)。冬、夏两季纵纹腹小鸮取食哺乳动物的平均胫骨长度差异具有高度统计学意义(P0.01)。全年来看,纵纹腹小鸮取食哺乳动物的胫骨长度平均为19.45 mm±5.84 mm(n=194),主要取食Ⅱ级(10.01 mm~20.00 mm)和Ⅲ级(20.01 mm~30.00 mm)的猎物(分别为46.39%和48.45%)。保护区纵纹腹小鸮的食物生态位宽度以夏季最高(2.583),冬季最低(0.949)。研究结果表明纵纹腹小鸮是机会主义捕食者,根据生境中食物的可获得性改变食性。     

青藏高原胡兀鹫与巢域中峭壁生境营巢鸟类的种间互动关系初探

胡兀鹫(Gypaetus barbatus)是峭壁生境营巢鸟类,其领域是关系到繁殖与生存的必需资源。2010~2013年,在青藏高原4个省区中的7个胡兀鹫繁殖地进行了调查,结合1990~1993年的调查资料,用直接观察法记录了12个胡兀鹫繁殖巢域(距巢址500 m范围内)中的峭壁生境营巢繁殖鸟类,并初步评估了这些鸟类与胡兀鹫的种间关系。结果表明,巢区中观察到其体型可引起胡兀鹫警觉反应的鸟类计有23种,营巢繁殖的有11种。繁殖鸟类中猛禽有高山兀鹫(Gyps himalayensis)、猎隼(Felco cherrug)、金雕(Aquila chrysaetos)、大鵟(Buteo hemilasius)、长耳鸮(Asio otus)5种,鸦科鸟类有红嘴山鸦(Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax)、黄嘴山鸦(P.graculus)和大嘴乌鸦(Corvus macrorhynchos)3种。前述23种可引起胡兀鹫警觉反应的鸟类在胡兀鹫巢域中被记录到的活动行为频次为1 298次·只,观察到12种鸟与胡兀鹫发生种间互动行为,频次合计65次,其中鸦科鸟类与胡兀鹫发生的种间互动行为频次最高(34次)。观察到胡兀鹫驱赶巢域内的捕猎金雕导致其放弃猎物的行为。对种间关系的初步评估结论为:(1)毗邻高山兀鹫繁殖巢的胡兀鹫,表现出同种繁殖对之间巢间距明显缩短的现象,其巢间距由35.84 km(25.10~47.30 km,n=6个巢)缩短至7.39 km(6.22~8.58 km,n=5个巢);(2)在胡兀鹫巢域中营巢繁殖的猎隼,其同种间巢间距缩短至150~360 m(n=4个巢);(3)由于高山兀鹫在当地传统文化习俗中的重要地位,胡兀鹫与其毗邻营巢,可以在很大程度上降低人类直接干扰活动对其繁殖成功率的不利影响;(4)在人为干扰活动或其他原因导致胡兀鹫亲鸟离巢的情况下,鸦科鸟类和捕食性猛禽(尤其是猎隼)的存在,在很大程度上增加了胡兀鹫卵和幼雏被天敌掠食的可能性;(5)胡兀鹫育雏早期需要获取肉含量高的食物(体型较小的死亡动物),在胡兀鹫巢域或附近区域营巢的捕食性猛禽所遗落的猎物,很可能具有一定程度的补充作用。     

北京市区越冬长耳的食性分析

2004年11月至2005年4月,采用食团分析法对北京市区内天坛生物制药厂和国子监公园内栖息越冬的长耳鸮(Asiootus)的食物组成进行了分析。发现天坛生物制药厂长耳鸮的食物中啮齿类占41.0%,翼手类占29.5%,鸟类占29.3%,食虫类占0.2%;国子监长耳鸮的食物组成中翼手类占53.8%,啮齿类占21.5%,鸟类占24.7%。翼手目主要种类有山蝠(Nyctalus noctula)和普通伏翼(Pipistrellus abramus)等。长耳鸮三类主要食物所占比例的逐月变化显示,翼手类所占百分比不断上升,啮齿类所占比例先上升而到翌年1、2月开始下降,鸟类所占百分比一直在下降。蝙蝠大量出现于温带冬季鸮类的食物中属首次发现。     

乌鲁木齐市区越冬期长耳鸮的食性分析

2009～2011年间,利用食团分析法对乌鲁木齐市越冬长耳鸮(Asio otus)的食性进行分析。3年累计收集长耳鸮食团683份,辨认出1 132只猎物。分析结果表明,长耳鸮在冬季共捕食小型哺乳类6种,鸟类2种。小家鼠(Mus musculus)是最常见的食物,占总捕食量的53.45%。小型哺乳类是长耳鸮的主要食物,它在食物组成中出现的总频率为88.16%,以生物量计,小型哺乳类占食物构成的95.13%。长耳鸮的食物组成年度间差异显著,与当地猎物资源多样性和可获得性密切相关,表明长耳鸮可能采用机会主义者的捕食策略。     

波兰西南卢布林中部地区纵纹腹小鸮的繁殖期食性

2000、2001年4 -7月,我们对波兰东南部纵纹腹小( Athene noctua)繁殖期的食性进行了研究。通过对498个食丸的分析,检出了1 953类动物,其中昆虫占猎物总数量的60·5 % (生物量仅占2·7 %) ,且以鞘翅目(Coleoptera)昆虫居多。该地区纵纹腹小的主要食物是小哺乳动物(占总生物量的93·4 %和总数量的38·3 %) ,在4月出现了一个取食小哺乳动物的高峰。在所捕食的猎物中,个体最大的是欧鼹鼠(Talpa eu-ropaea) ( n=2)。研究还发现,纵纹腹小的猎物种类有季节性变化,以满足繁殖各阶段(如孵卵、育雏和饲喂离巢幼鸟)不同的能量需求。     

大(鵟)和长耳鸮的部分血液生理生化指标及血细胞的显微结构观察

为了解大(鵟)(Buteo hemilasius)、长耳鸮(Asio otus)的血象、血液生理生化参数正常值及血细胞的形态特征,为其健康检测和保护提供参考资料,采用纽巴氏法、沙利氏比色法、离心法、瑞士染色等方法检测了大鵟和长耳鸮的血象,利用全自动血液生物化学分析仪测定了两种鸟的19项血液生化指标,利用生物显微技术对其血细胞进行观察.结果表明:大鵟的红细胞数量、红细胞压积、红细胞分布宽度、血红蛋白含量、平均血红蛋白浓度、嗜酸性粒细胞数量、淋巴细胞数量、白细胞数量及凝血细胞数量均高于长耳鹗,而其他指标均低于长耳鸮;其中,红细胞平均体积在两种鸟类间存在极显著性差异(P＜0.01),其他均无显著性差异(P＞0.05).在生理生化检测中,大(鵟)的谷草转氨酶、总蛋白含量、白蛋白含量、球蛋白含量、总胆固醇、甘油三酯和葡萄糖含量均高于长耳鸮,且大(鵟)的无机离子中的钠和氯离子浓度也高于长耳鸮,而其他指标均低于长耳鸮,其中谷丙转氨酶和肌酐具有极显著性差异(P＜0.01),尿酸和葡萄糖具有显著性差异(P＜0.05),其他指标均无显著性差异(P＞0.05).大(鵟)和长耳鸮的血细胞形态相似.种属不同及生活习性的差异可能是导致这两种鸟类血液生理常值差别及显微结构差异的主要原因,而采样时的机体状况、营养状况及测试操作方法也有一定的影响.     

长耳鸮食性的初步分析

1982—1984年在曲阜孔庙共采集地区留鸟长耳鸮食物团375个,对其中353件进行了食性分析,结果表明,在3—5月,食物团中鼠类占94.44％;而在冬季,鼠类占99.4％;在春季及冬季,极少捕食有益鸟类等。 据胡鸿兴对武昌珞珈山长耳鸮的越冬习性和食性分析,武昌珞珈山长耳鸮有季节迁徙(11月中、下旬至翌年3月下旬)习性,食有害动物占89.3％;有益动物占10.6％。关于北方的长耳鸮生态,尚未见报道。我们从1982年3月至     

6种猛禽消化系统的比较研究

对6种猛禽(普通鵟Buteo buteo、毛脚鵟B.lagopus、红隼Falco tinnunculus、长耳鸮Asio otus、短耳鸮A.flammeus和鸮Bubo bubo)的消化系统形态结构进行了解剖测量和比较,以了解鸟类消化系统形态结构与食性的关系.结果显示,长耳鸮的消化管最长,是体长的2.08倍;鸮的消...     

不同栖居地和越冬时期长耳鸮的食物组成

通过分析2003—2006年连续3个冬季北京城区和城郊越冬长耳鸮的食团,研究了长耳鸮食物组成的时间与空间变化特征。每月收集1次长耳鸮食团,通过其内容物分析长耳鸮食物中的猎物种类和数量构成。结果表明：城区和城郊两地长耳鸮3种主要猎物中蝙蝠的被捕食率分别为41.6%和43.0%,鼠类为27.5%和39.4%,鸟类为30.7%和18.9%;城区和城郊长耳鸮的食物构成在2004—2005年与2005—2006年的冬季存在显著差异,初冬和冬末的食物构成差异也呈显著水平;同区域的长耳鸮食物构成在年度间和不同越冬时期皆存在显著差异;两地越冬长耳鸮捕食猎物比例的差异与生存环境中猎物资源的可获得性有关。     

浙江千岛湖黄腿渔鸮的繁殖记录

<正>黄腿渔鸮(Ketupa flavipes)隶属于鸮形目鸱鸮科,1836年由英国博物学家Brian Houghton Hodgson在尼泊尔发现并命名。为单型种,无亚种分化。分布范围从喜马拉雅山脉延伸至中南半岛东部、中国大陆中南部及台湾,我国主要见于东部、中部和南部。在云南、贵州、四川、重庆、湖北、湖南、安徽、江西、江苏、上海、浙江、福建、广东、广西和台湾等地有记录(郑光美2011),均为留鸟。黄腿渔鸮为我国国家Ⅱ级重点保护动物;在IUCN     

Landscape and anti-predation determinants of nest-site selection, nest distribution and productivity in a Mediterranean population of Long-eared Owls Asio otus

Nest predation is an important determinant of owl breeding success. We studied Long-eared Owl Asio otus productivity and attributes of nest-sites at the microhabitat and landscape scales in a Mediterranean locality over an 8-year period. We examined the effect on nest location and productivity of protective cover in concealing the nest from aerial and terrestrial predators. A dense cover of ivy and tree-foliage at canopy level favoured nest location but not productivity. By contrast, high shrub cover beneath the nest was selected by Owls and was positively related to both the site reoccupancy rate and the overall number of young fledged. Pre-fledging Owls use the ground, where they are exposed to terrestrial predators, which are much more abundant in the study area than are aerial predators. Our results therefore support the hypothesis that Owls adapt nest-site choice to local sources of predation risk. As reported elsewhere, Long-eared Owls in our study area showed restricted territoriality and nested in clusters. As active nest-sites during the same breeding season were more than 1 km apart on average, and their productivity was never greater for clustered nests than for more isolated nests, nest aggregation could not be interpreted as a case of facultative colonial breeding, which has been reported for this species in other areas. Neither landscape variables indicative of the availability of foraging areas nor structural attributes that protect young from predators explained the remarkable scarcity of nests in half of the study area. Unmeasured factors such as human disturbance could explain the pattern of distribution of Long-eared Owl nests.     

Lifespan Analyses of Forest Raptor Nests: Patterns of Creation,Persistence and Reuse

Structural elements for breeding such as nests are key resources for the conservation of bird populations. This is especially true when structural elements require a specific and restricted habitat, or if the construction of nests is costly in time and energy. The availability of nesting-platforms is influenced by nest creation and persistence. In a Mediterranean forest in southeastern Spain, nesting-platforms are the only structural element for three forest-dwelling raptor species: booted eagle Aquila pennata, common buzzard Buteo buteo and northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis. From 1998 to 2013, we tracked the fate of 157 nesting-platforms built and reused by these species with the aim of determining the rates of creation and destruction of nesting-platforms, estimating nest persistence by applying two survival analyses, describing the pattern of nest reuse and testing the effects of nest use on breeding success. Nest creation and destruction rates were low (0.14 and 0.05, respectively). Using Kaplan Meier survival estimates and Cox proportional-hazards regression models we found that median nest longevity was 12 years and that this was not significantly affected by nest characteristics, nest-tree dimensions, nest-builder species, or frequency of use of the platform. We also estimated a transition matrix, considering the different stages of nest occupation (vacant or occupied by one of the focal species), to obtain the fundamental matrix and the average life expectancies of nests, which varied from 17.9 to 19.7 years. Eighty six percent of nests were used in at least one breeding attempt, 67.5% were reused and 17.8% were successively occupied by at least two of the study species. The frequency of nest use had no significant effects on the breeding success of any species. We conclude that nesting-platforms constitute an important resource for forest raptors and that their longevity is sufficiently high to allow their reuse in multiple breeding attempts.     

Nesting biology of Eastern Yellow Wagtails at Cape Romanzof, Alaska

ABSTRACT.   The nesting biology of the Eastern Yellow Wagtail ( Motacilla tschutschensis ) was studied at Cape Romanzof, Alaska, an arctic tundra site on the Bering Sea coast near the northeastern limit of the breeding distribution of the Yellow Wagtail ( Motacilla flava/citreola/tschutschensis ) species complex. Ninety-four nests were located and monitored from 1996 to 1999. Females built nests in 5–7 d, and nests were located on the ground. The mean clutch size was 5.6 eggs, and the mean incubation period was 11 d. Both adults incubated, and some males had a partial brood patch. The mean duration of the nestling period was 11.6 d, and both parents brooded and fed the young. Some adults began the complete prebasic molt (including primaries) while their young were still in the nest. Nestling development was similar to that reported for other Yellow Wagtails ( sensu lato ), but the breeding cycle and breeding season of Eastern Yellow Wagtails was compressed relative to Western Yellow Wagtails in Europe and to other passerine species breeding in western Alaska. Some breeding events overlapped, including initiation of egg laying before completion of nest building and initiation of adult molt while young were still in the nest. Clutch sizes were larger than reported for most European relatives. Clutch size generally fit with models predicting an increase of about one egg per 19 degrees of increased latitude. Rapid nest initiation, overlap of breeding cycle events, nest attendance (including incubation) by males, and slightly larger clutches appear to be adaptations to high-latitude breeding in this long-distance migrant.     

若尔盖湿地保护区黑颈鹤巢期及影响因子

对鸟类巢期的研究不仅可以丰富鸟类繁殖生物学资料,也可为理解和研究鸟类的生态适应与进化提供重要线索和依据。2013—2014年3月份至7月份,在若尔盖湿地保护区及周边对55对繁殖黑颈鹤的营巢时长进行了研究,调查结果显示:黑颈鹤的营巢时长在0.5—40 d之间,平均巢期为(6.7±9.3)d;在其营造的4种巢型中,巢期长短依次为:泥堆巢草堆巢草墩巢岛地巢,且差异性极显著(P0.001),巢期与巢型显著相关(r=0.728);在其营巢的3种巢址生境中,巢期长短依次为:湖泊生境沼泽生境河流生境,且差异性极显著(P0.001),巢期与巢址生境显著相关(r=0.315);从不同营巢月份看,巢期长短依次为:4月份巢5月份巢6月份巢,且差异性极显著(P0.01),巢期与筑巢月份显著相关(r=0.664);巢期与巢体积大小具有显著相关性(r=0.856),即营巢时间越长巢体积越大。黑颈鹤的营巢时间长短主要受营巢生境、月份和做巢类型的影响。     

Testing hypotheses about the function of repeated nest abandonment as a life history strategy in a passerine bird

Nest structures are essential for successful reproduction in most bird species. Nest construction costs time and energy, and most bird species typically build one nest per breeding attempt. Some species, however, build more than one nest, and the reason for this behaviour is often unclear. In the Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa, nest abandonment before egg‐laying is very common. Fantails will build up to seven nests within a breeding season, and pairs abandon up to 71% of their nests before egg‐laying. We describe multiple nest‐building behaviour in the Grey Fantail and test four hypotheses explaining nest abandonment in this species: cryptic depredation, destruction of nests during storm events, and two anti‐predatory responses (construction of decoy nests to confuse predators, and increasing concealment to ‘hide’ nests more effectively). We found support for only one hypothesis – that abandonment is related to nest concealment. Abandoned nests were significantly less concealed than nests that received eggs. Most abandoned nests were not completely built and none received eggs, thus ruling out cryptic predation. Nests were not more likely to be abandoned following storm events. The decoy nest hypothesis was refuted as abandoned nests were constructed at any point during the breeding season and some nests were dismantled and the material used to build the subsequent nest. Thus, Grey Fantails are flexible about nest‐site locations during the nest‐building phase and readily abandon nest locations if they are found to have deficient security.     

The effect of investigators on the breeding success of royal,Eudyptes schlegeli,and rockhopper penguins,E. chrysocome,at Macquarie Island

The impact on reproductive success of investigators studying the breeding biology of royal and rockhopper penguins was assessed. Control and experimental transects were established in a colony of each species and the number of active nests, from egg laying to creche stage, were compared. Experimental nests were those used in breeding biology work, where birds were measured and banded, and nest checks were carried out at least once per week. Control nests were in equivalent locations but birds were not handled, and no contact was made with the nests once breeding had begun. There were no significant differences in the number of active nests between the control and experimental transects (and, therefore, breeding success) in either species. It is concluded that, provided care is taken when working with these species, no impacts on the short-term (up to creche stage, in one breeding season) breeding success of these populations will occur.     

Predators at bird nests in a northern hardwood forest in New Hampshire

ABSTRACT.   Nest predation is the primary cause of nest failure in most passerine birds, and increases in nest predation associated with anthropogenic habitat disturbance are invoked as explanations for population declines of some bird species. In most cases, however, the identity of the nest predators is not known with certainty. We monitored active bird nests with infrared time-lapse video cameras to determine which nest predators were responsible for depredating bird nests in northern New Hampshire. We monitored 64 nests of 11 bird species during three breeding seasons, and identified seven species of predators during 14 predation events. In addition, we recorded two instances of birds defending nests from predators and, in both cases, these nests were ultimately lost to predation. These results contrast with other studies in terms of the relatively high proportion of nests depredated by raptors and mice, as well as the absence of any predation by snakes. The diverse suite of predators in this and other studies is likely to confound our understanding of patterns of nest predation relative to fragmentation and habitat structure.     

Nest site selection and efficacy of artificial nests for breeding success of Scarlet Macaws Ara macao macao in lowland Peru

Psittacidae (parrots) have the most threatened species of any bird family in the world. Most parrots are obligate secondary cavity nesters, and can be limited in their breeding success by the availability and quality of nest hollows. However, nesting opportunities for parrots can be increased by provision of artificial nest boxes. The Tambopata Macaw Project has been studying the breeding ecology and natural history of the Scarlet Macaw Ara macao macao in the south-eastern Peruvian Amazon for over 20 years by monitoring natural nest hollows and two types of artificial nest (wooden and PVC). We present data for breeding success in natural and artificial nests over 12 consecutive breeding seasons. The aims of this study were to: (a) determine the nesting requirements and reproductive success of breeding macaws; and, (b) compare the efficacy of the two types of artificial nests and natural nest cavities. Our data showed a high rate of reoccupation of successful nests in consecutive years and that nests in artificial and natural nests had very similar reproductive parameters. Our results indicate that artificial nest types can be used by conservation managers seeking to assist A. macao populations where nest hollows are in short supply, and that artificial nests can contribute important data to natural history studies of species where access to natural nests is limited.     

Fostering orphan Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) as a successful conservation technique: A first for the species

For many species, the artificial raising of orphaned nestlings is a time and cost-prohibitive task, usually accompanied by low survivability. The introduction of orphaned nestlings to other natural nests was found to be a successful technique wherein fostered nestling(s) developed better in the wild and imprinting on humans is avoided. To date, the number of diurnal species in which induced alloparenting has been conducted is limited to several eagle species, falcons, buzzards, and vultures. In the owls, it has only been demonstrated to work in two species, but the eagle owl has not been studied in this aspect. Eagle Owls, amongst the largest of the owls with a geographic distribution stretching across Europe and Asia, are a favored species in the wildlife trade, and many a nestling is removed from the nest. In Israel, when reported or rescued, the nestlings are removed to the wildlife hospital where they are rehabilitated and then introduced into a wild nest with similarly aged nestlings. From 2009 to 2021 we conducted 44 successful adoptions of Eagle Owl orphans into active, wild nests. This success stresses the importance of our work as a conservation tool for the preservation of an apex predator across its breeding range.