1 research outputs found
[[alternative]]Territorial behavior and habitat use in plumbeous water redstart (Rhyacornis fuliginosus affinis)
No full text[[abstract]]From November 2001 to April 2003, the behavior and the habitat use of 13 plumbeous water redstart (Rhyacornis fuliginosus affinis) were observed in Wulai, Taipei. Playback and male model were used to test the relationship between habitat selection and territorial maintenance by the male owners. The result of habitat measurement showed that the available habitat of stream bank (81.00%) was far greater than that of stream surface (19.00%). However, that the species spent equal amount of time in both types of habitat indicated that the birds preferred surface to bank. Male birds also had higher foraging activity (66.82%) in the surface area. The use of microhabitat showed that male birds spent 52.96% of the total time on big stones , which composed of 20.81% of the total area, indicated that male favored this microhabitat type (p<0.001). Furthermore, male singings were also observed more frequently on big stones (57.46%). We suspected the use of big stones was related to territorial maintenance. When using playback, big stones were used most frequently (68.79%) by the male birds, and 82.28% of the type matching were also performed on big stones. Comparing to these randomly selected sites, big stones had wider viewing area (1872.35㎡, n=39 vs. 373.82㎡, n=29). Such character of big stone may help male owner to detect intruder earlier. The result of searching for male model showed that model was found more easily on big stones than those of other microhabitats by a group of tested persons. This implied that when male owner perches on big stone, it will be easier for the intruder to detect the owner’s presence. Thus, we concluded that the big stone microhabitat was an important microhabitat for the male species in territorial defence.
