Breeding ecology of the fulvous parrotbill (Paradoxornis fulvifrons) in Wawushan Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China

Abstract

We studied the breeding ecology of the fulvous parrotbill (Paradoxornis fulvifrons) and provide the first description of nests, eggs, fledglings, nesting behaviour and nest sites from China. Nests were bowl-shaped built by both sexes mainly of bamboo leaves, fibrous roots and mosses. They were located within dense bamboo clusters, about 0.70–1.90 m above the ground. The clutch size averaged (mean ± SD) 3.38 ± 0.72 (n = 16) and eggs were oval, pale blue in colour, weighing 1.24 ± 0.10 g (n = 13). Both pair-bond members incubated eggs and shared nestling care. Compared with control sites, the nest sites (n = 33) had smaller canopy closure (73 ± 12% vs 84 ± 16%). Overall nesting success was 18.18% (6/33). We concluded that human disturbance (i.e. tourist hiking on paths close to nest sites) might prompt nest desertion causing the low reproductive success of fulvous parrotbill in the reserve.

Keywords:

• fulvous parrotbill
• Paradoxornis fulvifrons
• breeding biology
• nest-site selection
• reproductive success

Acknowledgements

We thank the staff of the Wawushan Nature Reserve for their assistance in the field. Our study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 31270468), and the British Petroleum (BP) Conservation Programme.