| Citation: |
Djamel Bensizerara, Haroun Chenchouni. 2019: Are diurnal time-budgets and activity patterns density-dependent in the Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) wintering in Algeria? An analysis across multiple temporal scales. Avian Research, 10(1): 12. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-019-0152-y
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The Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) is a characteristic waterbird species of inland wetlands in northeastern Algeria. Its wintering behavior in relation to changes of local abundances and foraging group density is poorly known.
This study aims at monitoring patterns of diurnal activities and the variation of behavioral time-budgets in relation to numbers of wintering Shelducks. We investigate temporal variations of diurnal activities across multiple-time scales and consider their interrelationships.
Assessments of local population abundance were weekly surveyed during two wintering seasons (2010-2012), whereas diurnal activities (feeding, sleeping, swimming, preening, loafing, flying, courtship, and antagonism) were studied three times a month during seven hours (08:00-16:00) using the Scan method. Time budget variations of each behavioral activity were tested using nested ANOVAs following multiple time scales. Generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM) tested whether variations in diurnal activities were density-dependent.
During the wintering season, Shelduck's numbers followed a bell-shaped trend, which indicated that the species was typically a wintering migrant in Sabkha Djendli. The first individuals arrived onsite in October-November then numbers reached a peak in January (up to 2400 individuals in 2012) with steady density during December-February, afterward individuals left the site progressively until late April when the site is deserted. During both wintering seasons, diurnal activities were dominated by feeding (60%), followed by sleeping (12%) then swimming and preening with 9% and 8%, respectively. The rest of the activities (loafing, flying, courtship and antagonistic behaviors) had low proportions of time budget. ANOVAs showed that activity time budgets varied significantly following multiple time scales (year, season, month, day, semi-hour). Time budgets of diurnal activities during each wintering season were significantly interrelated. Correlations patterns between the two seasons were similar. GLMMs revealed that the variations of diurnal activities were not density-dependent, except for preening and swimming.
During the wintering season, habitats of Sabkha Djendli are important for waterbirds, including the Shelduck that used the lake mainly for food-foraging and resting. The 2400 individuals censused in mid-winter are important locally and at the North African scale. This stresses the need to strengthen the protection status of this wetland and mitigate degradation sources that threaten wintering waterfowl.
An adult Asian Open-billed Stork (Anastomus oscitans) was observed in the Longjing reservoir of Baise City, northwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on 3 October 2010. It is the first record of this big stork in Guangxi, southwestern China. The Longjing reservoir is located in the Youjiang district of Baise, with a total area of about 200 ha. This reservoir, surrounded by Masson pines (Pinus massoniana), is also a fishpond for local people. The reservoir was draining water to net fishes when we detected this stork. The stork foraged snails and fishes at the edge of the reservoir every noon. It also picked up dead fishes from the net. Sometimes it even bit at the dobbers of fishing nets. Many waterbirds, including the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), the Chinese Pond-Heron (Ardeola bacchus) and the Grey-headed Lapwing (Vanellus cinereus) foraged for food with this stork. It was the most cautious among these waterbirds. It often stayed on high branches of Pinus massoniana trees. Only after other birds foraged for a long time, did it came down to the reservoir. This stork stayed in the Longjing reservoir for about three days and we never saw it after 6 October.
The Asian Open-billed Stork is a waterbird not difficult to identify, commonly appearing in southeastern Asia, in countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and India (Zheng et al., 2002; Robson, 2005; BirdLife International, 2009). The first record of the Asia Open-billed Stork was prepared by a Chinese birdwatcher, Yitian Wang, in Xihu lake, Dali City, Yunnan Province in October 2006. Since its first occurrence in China, the Asian Open-billed Stork had not been recorded during the following four years. The stork has, since then, been recorded three times in southwestern China this year. Six Asia Open-billed Storks appeared in Jinggu County, southwestern Yunnan Province in July 2010 and two were observed in Anshun County, southwestern Guizhou Province in September 2010. Baise City is adjacent to China's Guizhou and Yunnan provinces and Vietnam. The distance from Baise City to Anshun County is about 300 km, as the stork flies. Although the Asian Open-billed Stork is a colonial breeder, resident in India, it usually leaves its breeding place every December (Pramanik et al., 2009). Is it an occasional event for the Asia Open-billed Stork to migrate in exceptional weather, or is southwestern China a potential overwintering area? The questions need more surveys of this bird to be answered.
| Zhijun Ma, Chi-Yeung Choi, Xiaojing Gan, Jing Li, Yang Liu, David S. Melville, Tong Mu, Theunis Piersma, Zhengwang Zhang. 2023: Corrigendum to "Achievements, challenges, and recommendations for waterbird conservation in China's coastal wetlands" [Avian Res. 14 (2023) 100123]. Avian Research, 14(1): 100133. DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100133 | |
| Zhijun Ma, Chi-Yeung Choi, Xiaojing Gan, Jing Li, Yang Liu, David S. Melville, Tong Mu, Theunis Piersma, Zhengwang Zhang. 2023: Achievements, challenges, and recommendations for waterbird conservation in China's coastal wetlands. Avian Research, 14(1): 100123. DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100123 | |
| Guangyao Wang, Jinming Zhao, Weiqiang Li, Xiangrong Song, Yong Zhang, Chunlin Li, Willem F. de Boer. 2023: Responses of breeding waterbird communities to environmental changes in subsidence wetlands in the North China Plain. Avian Research, 14(1): 100110. DOI: 10.1016/j.avrs.2023.100110 | |
| Kang Luo, Zhaolu Wu, Haotian Bai, Zijiang Wang. 2019: Bird diversity and waterbird habitat preferences in relation to wetland restoration at Dianchi Lake, south-west China. Avian Research, 10(1): 21. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-019-0162-9 | |
| Qing Zeng, Qian Wei, Guangchun Lei. 2018: Contribution of citizen science towards cryptic species census: "many eyes" define wintering range of the Scaly-sided Merganser in mainland China. Avian Research, 9(1): 6. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-018-0098-5 | |
| K. M. Aarif, Aymen Nefla, S. B. Muzaffar, K. K. Musammilu, P. K. Prasadan. 2017: Traditional fishing activities enhance the abundance of selected waterbird species in a wetland in India. Avian Research, 8(1): 16. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-017-0073-6 | |
| China Coastal Waterbird Census Group, Qingquan Bai, Jianzhong Chen, Zhihong Chen, Guotai Dong, Jiangtian Dong, Wenxiao Dong, Wing Kan Vivian Fu, Yongxiang Han, Gang Lu, Jing Li, Yang Liu, Zhi Lin, Derong Meng, Jonathan Martinez, Guanghui Ni, Kai Shan, Renjie Sun, Suixing Tian, Fengqin Wang, Zhiwei Xu, Yat-tung Yu, Jin Yang, Zhidong Yang, Lin Zhang, Ming Zhang, Xiangwu Zeng. 2015: Identification of coastal wetlands of international importance for waterbirds: a review of China Coastal Waterbird Surveys 2005-2013. Avian Research, 6(1): 12. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-015-0021-2 | |
| Mengsi Wu, Yuchao Xiao, Fang Yang, Limeng Zhou, Weihong Zheng, Jinsong Liu. 2014: Seasonal variation in body mass and energy budget in Chinese bulbuls(pycnonotus sinensis). Avian Research, 5(1): 4. DOI: 10.1186/s40657-014-0004-8 | |
| Chen YANG, Yinxu HOU, Lizhi ZHOU. 2013: Behaviors of the Oriental White Stork (Ciconia boyciana) in a semi-natural enclosure. Avian Research, 4(2): 161-169. DOI: 10.5122/cbirds.2013.0013 | |
| Guogang ZHANG, Wei LIANG, Dongping LIU, Fawen QIAN, Yunqiu HOU, Wenba SU, Kilburn MIKe, Holmes JEMI, Kwok Shing LEE. 2010: Species abundance and conservation of coastal wintering waterbirds in Hainan Island, China. Avian Research, 1(3): 204-210. DOI: 10.5122/cbirds.2010.0014 |
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