Studying Breeding Bird Densities in Meifeng Area by Territory Mapping

• Main Authors: Chen-Wei Lin, 林貞瑋
• Other Authors: Tzung-Su Ding
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/53654031825975833140

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 森林環境暨資源學研究所 === 94 === Territory mapping has been viewed as the most accurate method to estimate avian abundance and density. It provides detailed, unbiased data for ecological research and is suitable to study the relationships between breeding birds and their habitats. I conducted territory mappings in an area of around 40 ha in Meifeng Highlands Experiment Farm of National Taiwan University for a period of consecutive 20 weeks, 40 census days in total, from early-March to late-July, 2005. The objectives of this study were to establish field protocols of territory mapping that are suitable for terrestrial breeding bird communities in mid-elevation of Taiwan and to analyze bird community composition of the study site. Fifty-seven bird species from 5719 registrations were recorded during the 40 field censuses. Among them, 29 species were local residents and 4 were summer breeding species of the study site. Sixteen species had definite evidences to breed at the study site. After eliminating species that were unsuitable for territory mapping, territories of 21 species were compartmentalized. Steere''s Liocichla (Liocichla steerii) (73 territories), Formosan Yuhina (Yuhina brunneiceps) (35 territories), White-tailed Blue Robin (Cinclidium leucurum) (29 territories), Taiwan Sibia (Heterophasia auricularis) (23 territories), Strong-footed Bush Warbler (Cettia fortipes) (21 territories), Red-headed Tree Babbler (Stachyris ruficeps) (17 territories) and Chinese Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola thoracica) (15 territories) were the dominant bird species in the study site. The results suggest that the optimal period for territory mapping in the study site is from early-April to early-June since this period contained the highest registrations recorded and all local breeding species. In addition, repeatedly playing two repetitions of identical syllables of each species’ territorial song did not have any significant effect on total number of species and total number of registrations recorded on each day. On the other hand, every point in the study site was within 40 m to the census route and most bird species can be well detected at this distance. In general, I consider that territory mapping is a suitable method to census bird community at mid-elevated of Taiwan.