Biodiv Sci ›› 2008, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (4): 332-338.  DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1003.2008.07230

• Original Papers • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The roosting behavior and roost-site selection of Temminck’s tragopan (Tragopan temminckii) in Laojunshan Natural Reserve, Sichuan, China

Cong Peihao, Zheng Guangmei()   

  1. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875
  • Received:2007-08-27 Accepted:2007-12-20 Online:2008-07-20 Published:2008-07-20
  • Contact: Zheng Guangmei

Abstract:

The roosting behavior and roost-site selection of Temminck’s tragopan(Tragopan temminckii) in Laojunshan Natural Reserve of Sichuan Province were studied using radio-telemetry and field observations between April and August 2005 and between March and August 2006. Nineteen tree-roosting and two ground-roosting individuals were recorded. Adults and sub-adults roosted in trees individually. The average diameter of the roost branch was 4.6 cm and the average height was 6.8 m. The roosting behavior began at 0.5-1 hour before sunset and ended at about 0.5 hour after dawn. The roosting duration was related with season and weather: shorter in summer (615.7 ± 15.7 min) than in spring and autumn (658.3 ± 5.9 min) with fine weather; and shorter in fine weather than overcast, heavy fog or rain (661.5 ± 6.8 min) in summer. Nineteen roost trees belonged to 6 species of 2 families (Fagaceae and Magnoliaceae). The mixed deciduous-evergreen broad-leaved forest and bamboo-shrubs mixed forest were the most frequently used roosting habitats. The ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U test showed that Temminck’s tragopans prefered roosting in trees with abundant canopy on steep upper slopes of dense bamboo-shrubs. Principal component analysis showed that the vegetation and roost branch direction accounted for most variations of the habitat variable.

Key words: Temminck’s tragopan, roost site, roost tree, habitat variable, Laojunshan