Differentiating nest sites characteristics of four sympatric cavity-nesting birds

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1003.2012.09068

Abstract

Abstract:

Diverse group of cavity-nesting birds inhabit secondary forests of northeastern China, accounting for about one-third of breeding avian species. We examined differences in nest-site characteristics among four cavity-nesting birds, including two cavity excavators (i.e., great spotted woodpecker [Dendrocopos major] and grey-headed woodpecker [Picus canus]) and two secondary cavity-nesters (i.e., yellow-rumped flycatcher [Ficedula zanthopygia] and Eurasian nuthatch [Sitta europaea]) in Dagang Forestry Farm, Jilin Province, China. We detected total 160 active hole nests in the breeding season of 2008, including 58 nests of cavity excavators and 102 of secondary cavity-nesters. Secondary cavity-nesters tend to prefer Salix pierotii for nestingtrees, but the excavators not. Picus canus used south-facing cavities, which may have been due to thermal advantages. Nest tree and nest-site quadrat characteristics were different between the two excavator species. Specifically, there were significant differences in the entrance diameter and cavity inner diameter between the nest sites of Dendrocopos major and Picus canus, and the entrance length and canopy height of nest tree between Ficedula zanthopygia and Sitta europaea. The characteristics at the scale of nest tree were important for distinguishing nest sites for cavity excavators as well as secondary cavity-nesters. Discriminant analyses illustrated that Ficedula zanthopygia and Sitta europaea used cavities excavated by Dendrocopos major and Picus canus, respectively. Differences in size of nesting holes excavated by different woodpeckers could affect the usage of nest sites by secondary cavity-nesters, which may have an impact on avian community structure in secondary forests.

Key words: great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), grey-headed woodpecker (Picus canus), yellow-rumped flycatcher (Ficedula zanthopygia), Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea), nest sites characteristics

Chunfa Zhou, Daqing Zhou, Xiangkun Kong, Wenhong Deng. Differentiating nest sites characteristics of four sympatric cavity-nesting birds[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2012, 20(6): 716-724.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.3724/SP.J.1003.2012.09068

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2012/V20/I6/716

Figures/Tables 6

References 44

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利用鸟种 Species	数量 N	每种乔木利用的洞巢数 Number of nests in each tree species					卡方值 χ²	显著性 P
利用鸟种 Species	数量 N	白皮柳 Salix pierrotii	蒙古栎 Quercus mongolica	山杨 Populus davidiana	核桃楸 Juglans mandshurica	其他^a Other tree species^a	卡方值 χ²	显著性 P
初级洞巢鸟 Excavators
大斑啄木鸟 Dendrocopos major	24	6	10	4	0	4	4.000	0.261
灰头绿啄木鸟 Picus canus	21	5	10	3	0	3	6.238	0.101
次级洞巢鸟 Secondary cavity-nesters
白眉姬鹟 Ficedula zanthopygia	38	29	1	0	2	6	54.842	0.000**
普通? Sitta europaea	45	23	11	1	4	6	33.111	0.000**

利用鸟种 Species	数量 N	每种乔木利用的洞巢数 Number of nests in each tree species					卡方值 χ²	显著性 P
利用鸟种 Species	数量 N	白皮柳 Salix pierrotii	蒙古栎 Quercus mongolica	山杨 Populus davidiana	核桃楸 Juglans mandshurica	其他^a Other tree species^a	卡方值 χ²	显著性 P
初级洞巢鸟 Excavators
大斑啄木鸟 Dendrocopos major	24	6	10	4	0	4	4.000	0.261
灰头绿啄木鸟 Picus canus	21	5	10	3	0	3	6.238	0.101
次级洞巢鸟 Secondary cavity-nesters
白眉姬鹟 Ficedula zanthopygia	38	29	1	0	2	6	54.842	0.000**
普通? Sitta europaea	45	23	11	1	4	6	33.111	0.000**

利用鸟种 Species	数量 N	南 South	东 East	北 North	西 West	R	卡方值 χ²	显著性 P
初级洞巢鸟 Excavators
大斑啄木鸟 Dendrocopos major	24	6	7	7	4	0.110	1.000	0.801
灰头绿啄木鸟 Picus canus	21	10	3	1	7	0.326	9.286	0.026*
次级洞巢鸟 Secondary cavity-nesters
白眉姬鹟 Ficedula zanthopygia	38	13	11	10	4	0.147	4.737	0.192
普通? Sitta europaea	45	17	10	8	10	0.193	4.156	0.245

利用鸟种 Species	数量 N	南 South	东 East	北 North	西 West	R	卡方值 χ²	显著性 P
初级洞巢鸟 Excavators
大斑啄木鸟 Dendrocopos major	24	6	7	7	4	0.110	1.000	0.801
灰头绿啄木鸟 Picus canus	21	10	3	1	7	0.326	9.286	0.026*
次级洞巢鸟 Secondary cavity-nesters
白眉姬鹟 Ficedula zanthopygia	38	13	11	10	4	0.147	4.737	0.192
普通? Sitta europaea	45	17	10	8	10	0.193	4.156	0.245

变量 Variable	大斑啄木鸟 Dendrocopos major	灰头绿啄木鸟 Picus canus	t 值^a t-value^a	Z值^b Z-value^b	显著性 P
胸径15.1-23.0 cm 乔木的数量 Number of trees which DBH in 15.1- 23.0 cm	9.25±1.40	5.00±0.95	2.507		0.016*
巢树树冠半径 Canopy radius of nest tree (m)	2.38±0.24	3.18±0.18	-2.611		0.012*
巢树胸径 DBH of nest tree (cm)	89.48±4.83	105.33±3.55	-2.584		0.013*
洞巢内径 Cavity inner diameter (cm)	10.13±0.29	12.43±0.47		-3.867	0.000**
洞口深度 Entrance length (cm)	6.02±0.39	8.07±0.64	-2.834		0.007**
洞口直径 Entrance diameter (cm)	4.72±0.12	5.82±0.09	-7.391		0.000**
洞口处巢树直径 Tree diameter at cavity entrance (cm)	24.94±1.15	31.77±1.31	-3.939		0.000**