Study On Habitat Selection And Influence Factors Of The Blue-crowned Laughingthrush(Garrulax Courtoisi)

We investigated the breeding sites and count its population size of the Blue-Crowned Laughingthrush from April 2012 to June 2015in Wuyuan Jiangxi Province.9 breeding plots were found, and at least 250 individuals were recorded. The Blue-crowned Laughingthush prefered to breed in the broad leved forest or trees in or near the villages along the LeAn River..Principal component analysis was done through 10 habitat factors, the result showed that altitude, tree species, nesting tree characters (height and DBH) and the canopy density under nest were the main factors influencing the habitat selection of the Laughingthrush in microhabitat scale. However, the results of the Step wise discrimination analysis extracted three factors, grass density, grass height and tree species. When we compared the 10 factors in nesting area with the control area in SM, the three fators were also significantly different with the control group, but not the other factors which might be caused by the less habitat heterogeneity in SM. In conclusion, the Laughingthrush prefered to nest in the area with better herbage coverage, chose trees with more canopy density, no obvious preference on the species. The patch scale analysis showed that, Laughingthrush prefered to nest in area with low altitude, small area and nearly square but variation plaque scale, habitat selection in shape in plaque scale. And low herbaceous highly in nest area related to human disturbance.The food composition results showed that the Laughingthrush prefered Lepidoptera larvae, the insect investigation resutls indicated that the abundance of Lepidoptera was higher in breeding site (SM) than control site (Shiling). There was also difference in family composition of Lepidoptera in SM and Shiling. However, the Red-bellied Squirrels were more in amount in breeding site (SM) than control site. The habitat selection of the Laughingthrush might be influenced by the food resources, but no evidence drived by the predators. The high nest positon of the Laughingthrush might be an response for the pressure from predator on the ground.Human disturbance was common in each breeding sites in different degree. Disturbance from photographer was mainly persist in SM, the breeding birds in which showed more requirements in nesting trees compared with other sites. The tree height was similar in SM and other sites (t=0.314, df=89, p=0.754), however, the DBH was significantly smaller. It was caused by the fact that nesting trees were always isolated old trees in the other sites. The nest position was quite higher in SM compared with other sites (t=5.214, df=87, p<0.001), indicating the Laughingthrush response to disturbance from photographers in increase the nest position. The results also indicated that disturbance from photographers might impact the Laughingthrush in population distribution and breeding success.