The first breeding study for a mysterious resident of Taiwan: Scaly Thrush (Zoothera dauma dauma)
Date Issued
2018-08-19
Author(s)
Abstract
Scaly Thrush (Zoothera dauma) is a common species of East Asia but the resident population of Taiwan, Z. d. dauma, was widely confused with a common wintering population of White’s Thrush (Z. aurea) . Therefore, its population status and life history were ignored for decades . We have found three active nests belonging to different breeding pairs in Xitou Nature Education Area (XNEA, a .s .l . 1,200m) since 2015 . The characteristics of each nest were measured and one of them was continuously monitored with a video system to record the feeding frequency, nestling diets, and breeding behavior during nestling stage in 2016 . The breeding season of Z. d. dauma in XNEA was from March to August . They directly used the epiphytic ferns, e .g ., Rock-ginger Fern (Pseudodrynaria coronans), or the branch-trunk recesses of Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) as their nests and the average nest height was 11 .9±2 .9m (n=3, mean±SD) . The range of brood size was two to three and the nestlings fledged on the 13th day after hatching . The mean daily brooding time was 80 .8±0 .1% (n=10) . Earthworms were the major nestling dietary items (92 .6%) . On average, the parents carried 4 .3±2 .4 earthworms (n=176, maximum = 11) at a time . Small vertebrates, slugs, and arthropods were also recorded in nestling diets . We suggest that the breeding population of XNEA might be stable . XNEA could be a suitable study area to conduct further research on Z. d. dauma.
Event(s)
27th International Ornithological Congess
Publisher
International Ornithologists' Union
Description
Vancouver, Canada
Type
conference paper