甘肃莲花山蓝马鸡孵卵节律的初步研究

A Preliminary Study on the Incubation Rhythms of the Blue-eared Pheasant at Lianhuashan, Gansu, China

2002～2003年5～6月,应用温度自动监测技术,在甘肃省莲花山自然保护区对蓝马鸡(Crossoptilon auritum)的繁殖及孵卵节律进行了初步研究.蓝马鸡的巢址位于海拔2 900～3 020 m的针阔混交林或灌木林中,蓝马鸡的窝卵数为9.5(n=4),孵卵期的主要天敌为哺乳类.根据对4个巢的监测,蓝马鸡雌鸟在孵卵期的平均日离巢次数在1.25～4.00次,平均日离巢时间在16.6～46.4 min之间.雌鸟的平均在巢率为97.0%(n=3).根据对4号巢雌鸟孵卵节律连续27 d的观测,发现雌鸟在每日离巢2次或3次时,其首次离巢时间要显著早于每日仅离巢1次的时间.

The Blue-eared Pheasant（ Crossoptilon auritum ）inhabits the conifer and conifer-deciduous mixed forest at Lianhuashan in Gansu Province, central China. During 2002 - 2003, five nests, all found in the forest at altitudes between 2 900 m to 3 020 m, were monitored by Gemini data-loggers. Nest predation was high, mostly by mammals, but was also caused by humans. One female in 2002 took 2 - 4 breaks from incubating per day, with the duration of such breaks lasting 46.4 ± 16.6 min （ n = 34）. This nest was close to a forest path, and the bird was very sensitive to disturbance, leaving her nest when people were still 20 m from the nest. Our three disturbances caused her to leave the nest for 144, 312 and 90 minutes. Another five extra-long breaks in incubation （486, 120, 234, 144 and 132 min） were monitored and were possibly also caused by disturbance. In 2003, two females usually took one or two breaks from incubation per day, however, the other took 4 breaks a day. Figure 1 shows the incubation rhythm of female No .4, on the last day before hatching, the female did not leave the nest. Of other 26 days of monitoring, the female took one breaks for 13 days, two breaks for 12 days, and 3 breaks for 1 day. When the female took only break per day, time of her first leaving the nest was significantly later than that when they took two or three breaks per day （Mann-Whitley Test, Z = 3.82, P = 0.000）, and the duration of breaks was longer. We monitored the hatching of two clutches; both females left the nests in the morning. Nest constancy from 3 females was averaged 97.0% . Clutch sizes and egg sizes are also presented.