The Study On Microhabitat Selection And Utilization Of Breeding Nest And Feeding Grounds Of Blue Eared Pheasant In Helan Mountains,China

We studied the habitat selection and utilization of blue eared pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum) by using trace test and quadrate investigation during reproduction period in Helan Mountains National Nature Reserve, from April to Augest,2014. The results showed that the food and concealment were the most important factors determing blue eared pheasant’s habitate selection during reproduction period. Distance to human interference also affected the habitate selection of blue eared pheasant. We also investigated habitate utiliazation of blue eared pheasant during the mating period, nest site selection and feeding period, and finding that:In Mating period, blue eared pheasant selected 10 habitat factors, preferred the shady slope in the forest dominated of Picea crassifolia, higher altitude, higher density of trees, taller trees, lower shrubs density, lower shrubs, more far from human interference, and higher hiding cover.When choosing the nest site, blue eared pheasant selected 11 habitat factors, preferred in the low and middle position of the shady slope in the forest dominated of Picea crassifolia, higher altitude, higher density of trees, taller trees, higher density of shrubs, closer to shrubs, more far from human interference, and higher hiding cover.In feeding period, blue eared pheasant selected 10 habitat factors, preferred in the middle and top position of the shady slope in the forest dominated of Picea crassifolia, higher altitude, higher density of trees, taller trees, lower shrubs density, lower shrubs, far from human interference, and higher hiding cover.Stepwise discriminant analysis showed that the order of the contribution value of the habitat factors in the utilized quadrats and controlled quadrats during the mating period from big to small was the distance of human interference, distance to trees, the density of shrubs, altitude, hidding cover, the density of trees, and as in choosing the nest site, the order was density of trees, density of shrubs, trees height, slope, altitude, hidding cover, distance to human interference, and as in feeding period, is the order was altitude, trees height, density of shrubs, hidding cover, distance to human interference.The comparison of 12 ecological factors between mating period and feeding period by the Mann-whitey U inspection was that there was a significant difference for blue eared pheasant on the choice of altitude, tree density, tree height and trees distance, vegetation coverage, slope, distance to human interference and hidden level.Habitat choice of nidification:we found six nests of blue eared pheasant in the field investigation, the hidden degree was highest (82.62%) in the behind, followed by the upward side, the left side, the right side, and the front. The nest egg number was 8.27 ±1.39 (n=5), the diameter of the nest was 31.10±2.68 cm,and the nest deep was 4.64±0.54 cm.the hight of nest covering was 0.79±0.20 cm,distance from nest to the above cover was 45.57±16.26 cm.