Seasonal abundance and potential of Japanese encephalitis virus infection in mosquitoes at the nesting colony of ardeid birds,Thailand

Objective:To investigate the abundance and seasonal dynamics of mosquitoes,and to detect Japanese encephalitis virus(JEV)in these mosquitoes at the nesting colony of ardeid birds.Methods:Mosquitoes were collected bimonthly from July 2009 to May 2010 by Centers for Disease Control.Light traps and dry ice,as a source of CO_2,were employed to attract mosquitoes.Mosquitoes were first identified,pooled into groups of upto 50 mosquitoes by species,and tested for JEV infection by viral isolation and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.Results:A total of 20370 mosquitoes comprising 14 species in five genera were collected.The five most abundant mosquito species collected were Culex tritaeniorhynchus(95.46%),Culex vishnui(2.68%),Culex gelidus(0.72%),Anopheles peditaeniatus(0.58%)and Culex quinquefasciatus(0.22%).Mosquito peak densities were observed in July.All of 416 mosquito pools were negative for JEV.Conclusions:This study provides new information about mosquito species and status of JEV infection in mosquitoes in Thailand.Further study should be done to continue a close survey for the presence of this virus in the ardeid birds.

Nest-site fidelity and breeding dispersal by Common Tailorbirds in a tropical forest

Background:Information pertaining to nest-site fidelity and breeding dispersal over successive years can help to better our understanding of how birds respond to nest predation.Methods:By using mist nets and tracking the color banded individuals,we investigated nest-site fidelity and breeding dispersal by Common Tailorbirds(Orthotomus sutorius)throughout a year and between successive years in 2017–2018.Results:The present study showed that Common Tailorbirds could produce up to four clutches per breeding season.When multiple broods were produced within a year,breeding pairs remained together,and the nest rebuilding rate was up to 92.2%,with only four cases(7.8%)in which birds reused their old nests.The dispersal distance between the nests during multiple breeding was found to be 10.0±10.5 m,and nest-site fidelity within the same year was 90.0%.By the second year of breeding,76.2%of individuals remained in the original breeding pairs,while for those that did switch partners,the females remained in the nest from the previous year and paired with new males.The dispersal distance between years was 26.5±41.9 m,and nest-site fidelity between different years was 80.1%.There was no significant difference between within-year and between-year dispersal distances.Moreover,there was no significant difference in the dispersal distance of rebuilt nests between birds that had experienced nest predation and those that had not.Conclusions:Our findings suggest that Common Tailorbirds maintain a high degree of fidelity to mates and nestsites,and nest predation had no significant effect on territorial changes or breeding dispersal distance between each breeding attempt.

Birds’Diversity in Kalfou Forest Reserve and Its Peripheral Zone, Far North, Cameroon

The Far North Region of Cameroon is home to a great diversity of bird species, which unfortunately remains very little explored. This work was initiated to establish an inventory of birds and the factors affecting their diversity and distribution for sustainable management in the Kalfou Forest Reserve (KFR) and its periphery. Two methods were used for sampling, linear strip transects from which direct counts and indirect observations were made and the mist netting to complement the first. In total, 2525 birds were observed, including 149 species, belonging to 20 orders and 55 families. Accipitridae had the greatest number of species (11). The species richness was greater in the KFR (117 species) compared to the periphery (95 species). The specific richness was higher in wooded savannah compared to other habitats. Shannon index was significantly higher in the KFR (3.99) compared to that obtained in the periphery (3.80). The value of the Simpson index was higher on the outskirts of the KFR than on the periphery. The indices of species diversity were greater in the wooded savannah compared to other vegetation types. The seasons had no influence on bird diversity. Among the human activities encountered, the pressure indices were more important for grazing (7.3 contacts/km). Human activities have resulted in a significant decrease in specific richness. Six endangered species were encountered, four belonging to the Accipitridae family. The greater bird diversity in the reserve compared to the periphery shows that protected areas are a long-term solution for biodiversity conservation.

Developing and validating a nestling photographic aging guide for cavity-nesting birds: an example with the European Bee-eater(Merops apiaster)

Background: Accurate estimation of nestlings’ age is essential in avian demography studies as well as in population ecology and conservation. For example, it can be useful for synchronizing nest visits with events of particular interest, such as the age at which young can be safely ringed, or in choosing the best period to attain the most accurate calculation of laying or hatching dates.Methods: We constructed a photographic guide for aging European Bee-eaters(Merops apiaster) nestlings to 3-day age classes and evaluated the aging method by performing a validation exercise with several observers with no previous experience in aging bee-eater nestlings.Results: The aging guide for bee-eater nestlings allowed estimating age to within 3 days with an average accuracy of 0.85. We found the optimal period for aging nestlings was between days 13-18(with accuracy between 0.94 and 0.99), during which the status of feather development was more easily distinguishable from the preceding and subsequent age classes. During the first 3 days after hatching, nestlings could also be aged with high accuracy(0.93). The small size of the nestling in relation to the eggs and the nestling’s inability to raise its head during these first days allowed for good discrimination from the subsequent age class. Between days 25 and 28, nestlings were correctly aged in only half of assignments(0.55 sensitivity) and nestlings belonging to class 7(days 7-9) were the least correctly identified(0.38 sensitivity). However, by visiting the nests at 12 days intervals it is possible to achieve the highest accuracy in age estimation with the smallest disturbance and logistic investment.Conclusions: This study highlighted how indirect methods and a simple protocol can be established and employed to quickly estimate nestling age in cases where handling nestlings is challenging or impossible, while minimizing disturbance in and around the nest.

Use of evergreen and deciduous plants by nocturnal-roosting birds:A case study in Beijing

With continually increasing urbanization,the land cover in urban areas continues to change,resulting in the loss of biodiversity.Birds are highly sensitive to changes in habitat.Most forest birds perch on plants that provide increased safety to reduce the risk of predation,and small birds may also consider insulation when using roosting plants in winter because of cold weather.Landscaping plants thus shape the nocturnal roosting environment of urban birds,and proper planting is essential for the survival of birds at night.The use of roosting plants by urban birds should therefore be studied to provide a reference for landscaping.In the current study,we observed 1865 nocturnal roosting birds in Beijing from 2021 to 2022,with 23 species of birds from 12 families and 45 species of plants from 22 families recorded.Juniperus chinensis exhibited the highest bird rarity-weighted richness,followed by Fraxinus pennsylvanica,Phyllostachys propinqua,Pinus tabuliformis,and Ulmus pumila.The diameter at breast height,tree height,and crown width of plants used by birds was largest in summer and smallest in winter,and the perch height of birds was the highest in spring and summer and the lowest in winter.Birds used the highest proportion of deciduous plants in summer and the highest proportion of evergreen plants in winter.A significant seasonal difference in the use of evergreen and deciduous plants by small birds was noted,with a preference for deciduous plants in summer and evergreen plants in winter,while this preference was not found in large birds.These findings indicate that evergreen plants provide a vital nocturnal roosting environment for small birds in winter.To provide a better nocturnal roosting habitat for urban birds,we recommend paying attention to the combination of evergreen and deciduous plants when carrying out landscape construction.

Can urban forests provide acoustic refuges for birds?Investigating the influence of vegetation structure and anthropogenic noise on bird sound diversity

As a crucial component of terrestrial ecosystems,urban forests play a pivotal role in protecting urban biodiversity by providing suitable habitats for acoustic spaces.Previous studies note that vegetation structure is a key factor influencing bird sounds in urban forests;hence,adjusting the frequency composition may be a strategy for birds to avoid anthropogenic noise to mask their songs.However,it is unknown whether the response mechanisms of bird vocalizations to vegetation structure remain consistent despite being impacted by anthropogenic noise.It was hypothesized that anthropogenic noise in urban forests occupies the low-frequency space of bird songs,leading to a possible reshaping of the acoustic niches of forests,and the vegetation structure of urban forests is the critical factor that shapes the acoustic space for bird vocalization.Passive acoustic monitoring in various urban forests was used to monitor natural and anthropogenic noises,and sounds were classified into three acoustic scenes(bird sounds,human sounds,and bird-human sounds)to determine interconnections between bird sounds,anthropogenic noise,and vegetation structure.Anthropogenic noise altered the acoustic niche of urban forests by intruding into the low-frequency space used by birds,and vegetation structures related to volume(trunk volume and branch volume)and density(number of branches and leaf area index)significantly impact the diversity of bird sounds.Our findings indicate that the response to low and high frequency signals to vegetation structure is distinct.By clarifying this relationship,our results contribute to understanding of how vegetation structure influences bird sounds in urban forests impacted by anthropogenic noise.

Deterministic processes drive turnover-dominated beta diversity of breeding birds along the central Himalayan elevation gradient

Beta diversity,the variation of community composition among sites,bridges alpha and gamma diversity and can reveal the mechanisms of community assembly through applying distance-decay models and/or partitioning beta diversity into turnover and nestedness components from functional and phylogenetic perspectives.Mountains as the most natural experiment system provide good opportunities for exploring beta diversity patterns and the underlying ecological processes.Here,we simultaneously consider distance-decay models and multiple di-mensions of beta diversity to examine spatial variations of bird communities,and to evaluate the relative importance of niche-based and neutral community assembly mechanisms along a 3600-m elevational gradient in the central Himalayas,China.Our results showed that species turnover dominates taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic beta diversity.We observed strongest evidence of spatial distance decays in taxonomic similarities of birds,followed by its phylogenetic and functional analogues.Turnover component was highest in taxonomic beta diversity,while nestedness component was highest in functional beta diversity.Further,all correlations of assemblage similarity with climatic distance were higher than that with spatial distances.Standardized values of overall taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic beta diversity and their turnover components increase with increasing elevational distance,while the standardized values of taxonomic and phylogenetic nestedness decreased with increasing elevational distance.Our results highlighted the niche-based deterministic processes in shaping elevational bird diversity patterns that were determined by the relative roles of decreasing trend of environmental filtering and increasing trend of limiting similarity along elevation distances.

Structural effects of reedbed grazing and its cessation on reed-nesting songbird densities

Reedbeds are crucial breeding habitats for vulnerable songbird species.Irrespective of their protection status,these habitats may be threatened by organic matter accumulation,progressively leading to structural homoge-nization and habitat succession towards woodland.Managers prevent excessive litter build-up with various in-terventions opening-up the reedbeds,such as grazing,which may be detrimental or suitable for some reed bird species.We assessed the effects of extensive grazing by horses and its cessation in the medium and long terms on reedbed structure,and the consequences on reed-nesting songbird densities in Estagnol Nature Reserve,a pro-tected wetland near the French Mediterranean coast.We compared reedbed structural features between grazed,newly ungrazed and old-ungrazed plots.During nine years,we censused four songbird species in spring and collected water level data in the same survey plots.Grazing reduced reedbed extent,rejuvenated the vegetation with more short green stems on a thinner litter,and produced higher structural heterogeneity and discontinuity compared to long-lasting non grazing.Newly ungrazed plot showed intermediate effects.All surveyed songbird total densities were similar among plots while species numbers and densities differed.Grazed reedbed was more attractive to Moustached Warblers(Acrocephalus melanopogon)and Great Reed Warblers(Acrocephalus arundi-naceus),likely due to the large edges and the high vegetation structural heterogeneity.However,Moustached Warblers were more negatively affected by higher water level in grazed reedbed,presumably because flooding prevents litter foraging.The newly ungrazed reedbed was not preferred by any species.All warbler species were found under low density in the old-ungrazed reedbed,where Reed Buntings(Emberiza schoeniclus)were exclu-sively found.Food availability related to thick litter layer may explain this predilection.Common Reed Warblers(Acrocephalus scirpaceus)were found everywhere in similar densities.We conclude that reedbed management by extensive horse grazing and also its long-term cessation may benefit several songbird species.Within a context of wetland degradation and disappearance,both management strategies are useful to establish and maintain suitable habitats for reed-nesting songbird communities.

Integrity and Size of Green Spaces Are Critical for the Functional Di-versity of Birds:Evidence from the Eastern and Northwestern Regions of China

Urbanization often changes bird species richness and affects the functional diversity.Therefore,understanding these changes helps city planners improve green space design and land use planning.Our study used multiple datasets to explore the effects of land-scape patterns and natural environments on the functional diversity of birds in urban parks and campuses in the eastern and northwest-ern regions of China.Firstly,we used the data to calculate birds of the functional richness(FRic),functional evenness(FEve),and functional divergence(FDiv)of 68 urban spaces in the eastern and northwestern regions of China.Further,we established generalized linear models of natural factors,human factors,and functional diversity.Results showed more bird species with unique traits were in the north-western region.This may be because the earlier urbanization in the eastern region filtered out urban-sensitive species,leaving behind urban adapters.Moreover,we found that the fractal dimension index was the most significant positive factor of FRic in the eastern region but the most significant negative factor of FDiv.Elevation was the most significant negative influence factor of FEve in the eastern region,but it was the most potent positive influence factor of FRic in the northwestern region.Population density had a significant positive effect on FDiv in the northwestern region.However,green space areas significantly negatively impacted FEve in the northwestern region.In addition,birds in parks in both regions had more functional traits than those on campuses,possibly because of the larger green space in parks,which may contain more fragments of native vegetation and reduce human interference.Our study suggests that preserving more original vegetation and reducing human disturbance in cities can increase the functional diversity of urban birds and im-prove urban ecosystem functions.

Review of the Cretaceous avian diversity of Antarctica:a changing scenario for the evolution of early Neornithine birds

The worldwide record of Cretaceous Neornithes and Neornithine-like birds is both controversial and poorly understood.However,in recent years,the Antarctic continent has yielded a substantial number of Maastrichtian avian specimens,contributing significantly to our understanding of the early evolution of this group.Simultaneously,the keen interest and collaborative efforts of various paleornithologists have resulted in a wealth of knowledge,which we have thoroughly reviewed,updated,and discussed in the context of recent discoveries.

Investigating how different classes of nest predators respond to the playback of the begging calls of nestling birds

Begging brings benefits and costs for nestling birds:it can indicate their needs to their parents,but it can also be a cue used by predators to find the nest.The costs,like many variables related to nest predation,can be specific to what kinds of predators are present and their auditory capabilities.These costs and benefits could also be affected by human noise,as noise could disrupt communication to parents and eavesdropping by predators,although human-produced noise might be easily ignored if predators can hear high-frequency components of the begging.We studied nest predation on a generalist bird,the Red-whiskered Bulbul(Pycnonotus jocosus),in a tropical forest in which there are many kinds of nest predators,including birds,mammals and reptiles.In 20 natural nests in which artificial eggs were placed,and subsequently in 140 artificial nests,we broadcast recordings of begging nestlings,with and without traffic noise,at two volume levels.We hypothesized that playback would increase predation relative to a silent control,and that mixing in traffic noise with the begging would decrease predation,as the begging signal was masked.However,we hypothesized that some predators,particularly small mammals with sensitive high-frequency hearing,might ignore the traffic noise.We found that predation was lowest for the control treatment,and lower for treatments mixed with traffic noise than for those without it.Small mammals,however,showed an unexpected pattern,displaying less nest predation in the treatments with traffic noise.Our results demonstrate the human-associated noise can disturb nest predators and influence which kinds of predators use begging to locate nests.

A Comparative Study of Chinese Translations of Tagore’s Stray Birds From the Perspective of the“Three Beauties Theory”

For more than 60 years,Mr.Xu Yuanchong has been devoted to education.He has not only made remarkable achievements in translating from and into Chinese,English,French and other languages,but has also developed his own unique concept of translation.Since 1950,he has always adhered to the“Three Beauties Theory”,believing that translation should not only rely on the original text,but also realize the“beauty of meaning”,“beauty of sound”,and“beauty of form”.Based on Xu Yuanchong’s“Three Beauties Theory”,this paper takes Zheng Zhenduo’s and Feng Tang’s Chinese translations of Stray Birds as an example to explore in depth the specifics of poetry translation theory.The study summarizes the similarities and differences between these two translations in embodying the“three beauties”,providing insights into the Chinese translation techniques of philosophical prose poems.This endeavor seeks to offer valuable insights for the comparative study of Stray Birds translations。

Negative effects of artiffcial nest boxes on birds:A review

Artificial nest boxes are placed to attract birds to nest and breed in a specific location,and they are widely used in avian ecology research and in the attraction of insectivorous birds.There is evidence that artificial nest boxes can adversely affect breeding fitness but no great focus has been placed on this issue by researchers.Therefore,we retrieved 321 research papers regarding artificial nest boxes published from 2003 to 2022 and used the'Biblioshiny'program to extract and integrate keywords;we then summarized the adverse effects of artificial nest boxes on avian breeding success.The studies highlighted many drawbacks and misuses in the designing and placement of nest boxes;furthermore,bird attraction was decreased by their inappropriate selection,thus reducing breeding success.Regarding nest box production,there were shortcomings in the construction material,color,smell,and structural design of the boxes used.Nest boxes were also placed at inappropriate densities,locations,orientations,heights,and managed incorrectly.Finally,we propose suggestions for more efficient and safer artificial nest boxes for future use in avian ecology research and bird conservation.

Exotic parrots breeding in urban tree cavities: nesting requirements, geographic distribution, and potential impacts on cavity nesting birds in southeast Florida

Background:Exotic parrots have established breeding populations in southeast Florida,including several species that nest in tree cavities.We aimed to determine the species identity,nest site requirements,relative nest abundance,geographic distribution,and interactions of parrots with native cavity-nesting bird species.Methods:We searched Miami-Dade County,Florida,and nearby areas for natural cavities and holes excavated by woodpeckers,recording attributes of potential nest trees.We inspected all cavities with an elevated video inspection system to determine occupancy by parrots or other birds.We mapped nearly 4000 citizen science observations of parrots in our study area corresponding to our study period,and used these to construct range maps,comparing them to our nesting observations.Results:Not all parrots reported or observed in our study area were actively breeding.Some parrots were observed at tree cavities,which previous studies have suggested is evidence of reproduction,but our inspections with an elevated video inspection system suggest they never initiated nesting attempts.Several parrot species did successfully nest in tree cavities,Red-masked Parakeets(Psittacara erythrogenys)and Orange-winged Parrots(Amazona amazonica)being the most common(n=7 and 6 nests,respectively).These two parrots had similar nesting requirements,but Orange-winged Parrots use nests with larger entrance holes,which they often enlarge.Geographic analysis of nests combined with citizen science data indicate that parrots are limited to developed areas.The most common parrots were less abundant cavity nesters than the native birds which persist in Miami’s urban areas,and far less abundant than the invasive European Starling(Sturnus vulgaris).Conclusions:Exotic parrots breeding elsewhere in the world have harmed native cavity-nesting birds through interference competition,but competitive interference in southeast Florida is minimized by the urban affinities of parrots in this region.The relative abundance and geographic distribution suggest that these parrots are unlikely to invade adjacent wilderness areas.

Diversity, Habitat Utilization and Nesting Characteristics of Waterbirds in and around Maduru Oya Reservoir in Maduru Oya National Park, Sri Lanka

Maduru Oya National Park (MONP) including its largest reservoir, Maduru Oya Reservoir (MOR), has been identified with a high waterbird density. However, a limited number of researches have been conducted on waterbirds in MONP. In this study, diversity, habitat use of waterbirds at MOR and their nesting characteristics were analyzed. Bird survey was carried out using the point count method and block count method. A common ethogram was constructed to identify the behavior categories. Percentage cover of habitat types was estimated by quadrat method. A total of 30 species belonging to 15 families were recorded, including two globally threatened species and three winter visitors. Year around Shannon-Weiner index for MOR was 1.491. Little Cormorant had the highest relative abundance. Percentage coverage of grass had increased gradually from March to September with the highest in September (69.27%) while open water had the highest coverage in the other months. Significantly high number of individuals used areas of grass, open water and mud for feeding and exposed rocks, dead trees/logs for resting (One-way ANOVA, p ≤ 0.05). Four waterbird species were observed building nests. Occupied nesting tree species were Senna spectabilis (Kaha Kona), Dymorphocalyx glabellus (Weliwanna) and Alstonia scholaris (RukAththana). The number of nests observed in three layers of canopy was significantly different (p ≤ 0.05). The highest average number of nests was observed in middle layer (8.90 ± 2.67). Black-headed Ibises had high preference to nest in Dymorphocalyx glabellus (p ≤ 0.05, 3.30 ± 1.32) while Great Cormorants (p ≤ 0.05, 2.38 ± 0.74) and Grey Herons (p ≤ 0.05, 4.27 ± 2.12) in Alstonia scholaris. Little Cormorants had no significant difference in their preference for nesting trees. As a preliminary study, this can be used for future research on waterbirds and to compose management and conservation plans.

Identification of tree groups used by secondary cavity-nesting birds to simplify forest management in subtropical forests

In tropical and subtropical forest ecosystems,cavities formed by decay processes are a key but scarce resource for birds that nest and roost in them,which makes them a highly sensitive group to logging.The piedmont forest of northwestern Argentina is a complex ecosystem with 113 tree and 120 bird species.It has high logging pressure on the few,well-conserved forest remnants,complicating the delineation of sustainable management guidelines for each tree or bird species in a short time.Our objective was to reduce the complexity of subtropical forests by grouping tree species according to the characteristics used by secondary cavity-nesting birds(i.e.non excavators).In the piedmont forest,50 plots of 0.25 ha were sampled to record cavity trees and cavity characteristics.These were then used in a cluster analysis to form tree groups.Additionally,cavities were searched to identify the bird species using the decay-formed cavities.A total of 187 cavity trees,comprising 23 tree species,were recorded,and these formed four tree groups or clusters.We recorded 86 cavities that were used by secondary cavitynesting bird species.The four tree groups were unequally used by secondary cavity nesters.The tree group that included valuable timber species(Myroxylon peruiferum,Anadenanthera colubrina and Calycophyllum multiflorum)and had the greatest cavity availability represented 71%of total cavity use.Another tree group with valuable timber species(Cedrela balansae and Amburana cearensis),measured>73 cm DBH and>21 m tall,had cavity entrances>0.10 cm2,and contributed 14%of all cavity use by birds.A third group had no highly economically valuable tree species,and included the snag category(i.e.standing dead trees)as well as a 15%of cavity use.The fourth tree group had a DBH<0.40 cm,only one highly economically valuable tree species(Cordia trichotoma),and supported no cavity use.The clustering of subtropical trees can reduce the complexity of these forests,hence easing their management by focusing on those groups with tree species showing similar characteristics and providing suitable nesting sites for secondary cavity-nesting birds.

Habitat selection by nestbox-breeding birds and Roe Deer are incongruent within a heterogeneous woodland landscape

Conserving species relies upon acquiring an understanding of their use of habitat,yet our understanding of the use of habitat by co-existing species of different guilds at microgeographic scales remains poor.In particular,the use of habitat by woodland species is of conservation concern because of widespread declines in woodland biodiversity.Woodland bird declines have been ascribed,in part,to high deer densities because their browsing reduces the availability of nesting sites and food.We quantify the microgeographic use of habitat by Roe Deer(Capreolus capreolus)and of Great Tits(Parus major),Blue Tits(Cyanistes caeruleus)and Pied Flycatchers(Ficedula hypoleuca)in a heterogenous woodland landscape.We examined the use of habitat at microgeographic scales by the deer and the three bird species in relation to whether the local habitat was flat or wet or had a path,fence or wall within a 25-m radius of 206 randomly selected locations.We first examined if the occupancy rates of nestboxes in those locations were correlated with the number of Roe Deer lays and second,examined if the use of habitat by the Roe Deer and the bird species were associated with each of the habitat features that we quantified.We begin by showing that the use of habitat by Roe Deer is incongruent with the use of habitat by Great Tits,Blue Tits and Pied Flycatchers during the breeding season.Also,whilst all three bird species showed no,or weak,habitat preferences,the Roe Deer preferred daytime lay sites that were in flat areas of wet woodland close to paths,whilst there were no significant effects of the presence of fences and walls.These findings show that the Roe Deer and the three bird species differ in the use of habitat within a heterogenous woodland landscape,meaning that their use of habitat did not overlap at microgeographic scales.Meanwhile,the deer showed preferences for flat areas of wet woodland,whilst none of the bird species exhibited such preferences,and we discuss the implications of our findings for the management of woodlands.

A Review of Impacts of Climate Change on Birds:Implications of Long-term Studies

It is generally accepted that climate has changed greatly on a global scale, and that the earth＇s climate has already wanned by some degrees over the past century. Ample evidence shows that there have been apparent changes in avian population dynamics, life-history traits and geographic ranges in response to global climate change. This paper briefly reviews the possible effects of climate change on avian biology and ecology all over the world, with emphasis on new findings from several long-term studies in Europe and North America, which provide unique opportunities to investigate how long-term changes in climate affect birds at both individual and population levels. The implications of such long-term studies for future bird studies in China is discussed with hope that this review can contribute to the preparation and plan for studies of climatic effects on birds in China in the future.

An Updated Checklist of the Birds of Jiangxi,China

Complete checklist records are essential to understand regional bird diversity.We update the checklist of the bird species of Jiangxi,China based on numerous reported documents.The updated checklist of the bird species of Jiangxi shows that there are 536 bird species in Jiangxi,which belong to 21 orders,74 families,246 genera.And 48.7% of them are Passeriformes species and 12.3% are Charadriiformes species.Fifty species are classified as threatened.Fourteen of these species are grade I nationally protected wild animals,and 72 species are grade II nationally protected wild animals.In addition,fauna analyses indicate that the Palearctic realm（47.7%） is dominant.As for distribution type,the Oriental type is dominant.Considering the fauna of resident birds,the Oriental realm is dominant.Additionally,the distribution of several species was revised in the checklist.

Nestedness of bird assemblages in the karst forest fragments of southwestern Guangxi, China

The limestone region in southwestern Guangxi contains the most typical karst landforms in the world. Due to their destruction, the original forests mainly survive in nature reserves in the form of fragmented areas. From June 2009 to September 2010 we conducted an investigation of 13 relatively isolated habitats or sites, selected from each of the 13 nature reserves in southwestern Guangxi, with the least amount of anthropological activity and the largest presence of the original vegetation, in order to study the distribution of birds on forest fragments. The distribution patterns of the birds and the factors which affect them were analyzed by using the 'BINMATNEST' software and the Spearman’s rank correlation analysis, to determine: 1) whether nested patterns of birds in the karst area of southwestern Guangxi exist or not and 2) which factors are correlated with the nested patterns and the effect of these factors on forming nested patterns. The results show that the birds had statistically significant nested patterns in the karst area and the specificity of the habitat of the birds had a significant effect on the nested patterns. We suggest possible reasons for these results, based on the characteristics of the seasonal tropical rain forests in the study area and on neutral theory. We also urgently recommend that close attention be paid to the protection of the diversity of the environment for birds in all fragmented habitats.