Nesting tree selection based on concealment of nest affecting breeding success:A case study of Red-billed Leiothrix in Daweishan of Liuyang City,Hunan Province
The selection of suitable nesting tree is an important strategy for birds'nest site selection of microhabi-tats,because nesting tree could increase breeding success by providing high concealment of nest site.To investigate nesting tree selection preferences and the effects on breeding fates for Red-billed Leiothrix(Leiothrix lutea),the nest tree characteristics,nest site concealment and breeding outcome of 185 nests were investigated in Daweishan Nature Reserve,Liuyang,Hunan,China,from 2019 to 2021.Correlations between nesting tree selection prefer-ences,nest concealment and breeding success of Red-billed Leiothrix were analyzed.The results showed that:(1)Red-billed Leiothrix had a significant preference for life-form and species of nesting tree.The selection frequency was the highest for shrub and small-diameter bamboo species,including Yushania farinosa,Stephanandra chinen-sis,and Symplocos paniculata.(2)Red-billed Leiothrix had different requirements for different location conceal-ments,who preferred nesting locations with higher concealment of the up-side(Mean=63.14％±1.65％)and the around-side(Mean=51.89％±1.53％).(3)The mean of combined concealment of the nest was 45.23％±1.65％,with a positive correlation with breeding success.The nesting tree selection preference of Red-billed Leiothrix was well explained by the"total-foliage"hypothesis.The results can provide scientific reference for the conservation and restoration of the breeding habitats of Red-billed Leiothrix.
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