Breeding and nest-site preference of common kingfishers (Alcedo atthis) in Donggang River

• Main Authors: Pan Yu Ting, 潘鈺婷
• Other Authors: Dr. Sun, Yuan-Shun
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/96260566017646548068

碩士 === 國立屏東科技大學 === 野生動物保育研究所 === 102 === The Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) uses vertical and bare banks to reproduce. However, many rivers are devoid of these natural banks due to flood control work, leading to a reduction in the number of available breeding sites. And there is a shortage of kingfisher's research in Taiwan. Hence, this study set the width of the artificial slope along the Donggang River, soil samples are collected to analysis from the artificial slope, and breed of observation. In 2012, 10 artificial slopes were set, 2 of them were used. In 2013, 8 out of 16 artificial slopes were used. In 2013, the highest usage frequency among the 1m, 2m and 3m slopes are the 3 m slope. The usage count are 3m 7 times , 1m 4 times , and 2m 3 times. That confirms the previous observation of the larger the slope area, the higher the reproductive opportunities. The soil samples were collected from 40 artificial slopes. Samples were sieved to analyze the composition of particle size and compare the differences between the slopes with kingfisher nesting (n=10) and the slopes without nesting (n=30). We discovered that the slopes with nesting, the particle size of 1-0.5 mm weight percent lower than the slopes without kingfisher nesting (P＝0.019). The weight percentage of particle size 0.25-0.104 mm in the nesting slopes are higher than the slopes without kingfisher nesting (P＝0.022). Other particle size differences was not significant. The kingfisher used soils with sandy clay loam and sandy loam. The selection of soil texture may be affected by it drainage and cohesion. Kingfisher produced 4-7 eggs of each nest, with an average clutch size at 5.1 ± 1.5 eggs (n=16). The recorded hatchling are 3-7 chicks, the average number of hatching is 3.8 ± 2.9 (n=11). The reproductive success rate is 62.4%. The kingfishers incubation period is 26 days (n=15), brooding takes about 20 days (n=12), after the fledgling leaves the nest, the fledgling will live close to the nest for about two weeks. In the future, this study can provide management of the riparian or wetland and preserve the bank to breed for the kingfisher or Plain Martian (Riparia paludicola) in Taiwan.