The Range Of Movement And Factors Affecting Breeding Dispersal Of Elliot's Pheasant

Between October 2002 and April 2005, the studies of the factors affecting dispersal of Elliot's Pheasant, its habitat selection in both dispersal and non-dispersal period and the size of range of movement were carried out in Gutianshan National Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province of China, using methods of radiotelemetry, GPS, SAW model and sampling. The results showed that both males and females dispersed in spring, and their dispersal distance was about 1.5-2.1 km with a duration of 16-23 days. Elliot's Pheasant had selectivity on the movement route when its dispersal occurred in spring. The variables of herb coverage, number of tree species, number of shrub species, canopy height of shrub, abundance of shrubs and abundance of herbs had highly significant differences between used patch and unused patch. Five additional variables, including distance to water, slope, number of trees, canopy height of tree and number of herb species also had significant differences between used and unused patches. The result of analysis of Conditional Logistic Regression suggested that the major factors affecting dispersal of Elliot's Pheasant in the spring were number of shrub species, canopy height of shrub, slope and abundance of shrubs. The size of monthly range of movement varied from 0.095-0.243km2. The range of movement was biggest in March and smallest in June. The species' range size increased from February to March and decreased from March to June. The activity pattern of Elliot's pheasant was aggregate. The aggregation degree of activity was biggest in January and smallest in March. The size of range of movement was different between habitats dominated by coniferous species and that by broad-leaved species. The daily average and daily farthest distance of movement of Elliot's Pheasant were about 0.3262~0.4362km and 0.3865~0.5934km separately and its biggest distance occurred in March and smallest in June. The broad-leaved forest was the major habitat used by Elliot's Pheasant in our study area. Elliot's Pheasant had obvious selectivity on the habitat type and preferred the broad-leaved forest and the coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest in all seasons and the bamboo forest in late winter and early spring. Elliot's Pheasant had not selectivity on coniferousforest. The seasonal pattern on the habitat selection of Elliot's Pheasant was also found.