Wintering Ecology Of Ciconia Nigra At Napahai

Black Stork(Ciconia nigra) belongs to the Aves, Ciconiformes, Ciconiidae. The number is rare, It was protected strictly and ranked into the first class protecting wildlife in China and listed in the Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Little is known about its wintering ecology especially at overseas. Napahai wetland as an important wintering areas for Black Storks in Yunnan, has not conducted its wintering ecology research. To lack data on wintering ecology has not beneficial for Black Stork in wintering region. This observation collected comprehensive data for wintering habitat using, time allocation, behavior patterns and population of Black Stork at Napahai wetland. We hope to offer some basic data and methods for more in-depth research and remedied the lack of this bird wintering in southern of China in the future.The research was carried in Napahai Nature Reserve, where is located north of Zhongdian basin on Shangrila, Northwest Yunnan Province. The elevation is 3260m, coordinate 99°37′～99°43′E, 27°49′～27°55′N. The reserve area is 3435ha. and vegetation types include bush, lawn, grass and algal. Average air temperature is 5.4℃, rainfall is 620mm on average, humidity is 69.9%, sunshine time is 2189.4h on average.We have done preliminary work in October of 2005 to April of 2006 on the species, got familiar to the habit of Black Stork and distinguish the characteristics of Wintering behavior in different period and activity regularity on day. We conducted 2 Wintering data collection on continual from 2006 to 2008.With scan sampling method and focal animal sampling method, the data of daily behavior and habitat of Black Stork were collected in early, midterm, and late Wintering period. Investigate the food type of Black Stork by measuring diversity on foraging place; grasp the condition of habitat,moving line and area,community scatter. Had an analysis about wintering ecology and the reason which cause them happened.Watched foraging of Black Stork and investigated samples bio-diversity of foraging area. The results showed the bird main food is fish, then the corbicula aurea and snail. Black Stork has 2 foraging behaviors, standing and watching, then pecking it. Another kind foraging is walking and pecking. It has strong vigilance when foraging. Adult and younger are different in foraging successfully, adult is more efficient than younger, no feeding between them.Black Stork foraged at marsh and shoal. There was no foraging at other habitat. Resting happened at meadow which on side the marsh, it proved that the marsh and meadow were important habitat for wintering of Black Stork. In different wintering stage, Black Stork's activity area would change because the foraging efficiency and wetland environment.The migration statistics from 2002 to 2008 displayed that the quantity of Black Stork has a sustained growth at Napahai Nature Reserve. Napahai wetland has became the most important wintering target land and transfer station on southwest of China.The behaviors include foraging, standing, locomotion, preening, and resting so on. Foraging and resting were main wintering behaviors of Black Stork which existed in whole wintering period with high percentage. Another behavior, standing and preening occupied in stable, then, the others were not obvious. The activity time was affected by change of season and food's measure.In early time, the foraging began early and end quick, time of activity is long. In midterm and late time, foraging began late and end more latter 1～2 hour than early time. In early time, Black Stork foraged positively because the comfortable climate, adequate water, abundant food. But in midterm and late time, Black Stork delayed or reduced the foraging time for saving energy because low temperature and feeding became difficulty, lacked food, water dropped quickly.In wintering region, predators are not the threats to the survival of Black Stork, we summarize the main threats to the survival of the bird as the low carrying capacity of the habitat, human disturbance, and environment pollution. Base on our observation, we propose to carry out basic research, control water level, take care of tourism and control over-grazing and water pollution and .Meanwhile, to enhance propaganda to public.