The breeding and flock ecology of Grey-cheeked Fulvetta (Alcippe morrisonia)

• Main Authors: Ruey-Shing Lin, 林瑞興
• Other Authors: Yao-Sung Lin;Liea-Siang Chou
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 1996
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/01792594366918388530

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 動物學系 === 84 === Grey-cheeked Fulvetta (Alcippe morrisonia) is the most abundant species in the avian fauna of Fu-shan forest. The breeding and flock ecology of Grey-checked Fulvetta were studied in Botanical Garden from January 1994 to March 1995. The breeding season began from mid-April and ended in mid-August with breeding peak in May-June. Mating system could be monogamous. Both parents shared the duties of building, incubation, brooding and feeding. However, the effort of female and male parents varied among nests or stages. Nest-building usually took 3-4 days. The clutch size was 3-4 per nest and each egg weighted 2.3 g when fresh. The incubation period was 12-14 days, and the young could fledge 9 days later after hatching. The young were fed for 40-65 days after fledgling. The feeding frequency and the size of the food positively correlated with the age of the young. The most common food type was the nymphs of the Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera (79.2%). During the non- breeding season, Grey-checked Fulvetta form large flocks.The largest sizes of two monitored flocks were 49 in August and 62 in November. The smallest size (27 and 37) occurred just before the breeding season. The averaging decreasing rate was 41.9%. The natural death rates of flock members were 33.8% majorly due to the cold weather in January and February. The compositions of the flocks became stable after August or September. Home ranges of the flocks were 17.8-31.8 ha according to grid cells counts. Flocks had no preference for different habitat within its home range. The home range of neighboring flocks overlapped with no obvious territory defense behaviors. The extent to which the overlappings were different between different areas.