Biodiv Sci ›› 2008, Vol. 16 ›› Issue (6): 539-546.  DOI: 10.3724/SP.J.1003.2008.08098

• Original Papers • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Foraging sites selection of green peafowl (Pavo muticus imperator) in different seasons in Shiyangjiang Valley of upper Yuanjiang drainage, Yunnan

Zhao Liu1, Wei Zhou1,*(), Rengong Zhang2, Yichang Xie3, Qingwen Huang3, Yunyan Wen3   

  1. 1 Faculty of Conservation Biology, Southwest Forestry College, Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control in Yunnan Higher Education Institutions, Kunming 650224
    2 Nature Reserve Management Bureau of Chuxiong Prefecture in Yunnan Province, Chuxiong, Yunnan 675000
    3 Konglonghe Nature Reserve of Shuangbai in Yunnan Province, Shuangbai, Yunnan 675107
  • Received:2008-04-24 Accepted:2008-11-20 Online:2008-11-20 Published:2008-11-20
  • Contact: Wei Zhou
  • About author:* E-mail: weizhouyn@163.com

Abstract:

From March to April and October to November in 2007, we investigated foraging site selection of green peafowl (Pavo muticus imperator) using line transect bird survey and quadrant habitat sampling in Shiyangjiang Valley of upper Yuanjiang drainage in Yunnan Province, China. We measured twenty one habitat and landscape variables at used and random plots. The results suggested that distance to road, tree type, and liana density were different between used and random plots in spring, but were not different in autumn. The logistic regression analysis showed that green peafowl chose locations with abundant fruits, close water resource, gentle slope, higher degree of trees coverage, and larger trees as their foraging sites in both seasons. Foraging sites in spring and autumn could be discriminated by coverage of trees and grasses and distance to road, residential area, and forest edge. The map of distribution probability and spatial analysis indicated that the foraging sites tended to be clumped with partially overlap between spring and autumn. The results from principal component analysis showed that human disturbance affected foraging site selection.

Key words: Pavo muticus imperator, green peafowl, foraging behavior, habitat selection, spatial distribution