The Breeding Ecology of the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus beickianus) in Gansu Province, China | [Pakistan Journal of Zoology • 2024]

Author(s):

1. Yongke Zhu: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

2. Yun Fang: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing, 100101,China

3. Songhua Tang: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing, 100101,China

4. Yuan Gu: Department of Zoology,Tianjin Natural History Museum, Tianjin 300201,China

5. Jinming Zhao: School of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University,Huaibei 235000,China

6. Wolfgang Scherzinger: Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald,Guntherstrasse 8, D94568 St. Oswald,Germany

7. Yue-Hua Sun: Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing, 100101,China

Abstract:

The boreal owl (Aegolius funereus) has a circumpolar distribution, typically inhabit extensive conifer forest of higher age classes in the northern hemisphere. Breeding biology, reproductive strategies, and behavioural ecology of these nocturnal birds are well studied in Europe and North America. However, the knowledge of the subspecies of boreal owl (A. f. beickianus) in the coniferous forests at high mountainous altitude of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is still limited. We spent 10 years studying the breeding biology of A. f. beickianus in Lian Hua Shan Nature Reserve (Gansu Province), where we could first confirm the occurrence of this small forest dwelling owl in 1995. During breeding seasons (2003-2009, 2017-2019), we checked nest boxes and recorded the basic breeding data. Thereby a total of 51 broods were found with an average of 5.1 ± 1.7 broods per year. The mean egg mass and volume was 12.42 ± 1.36 g and 12.85 ± 0.79 mm3, respectively. Mean clutch size per brood was 2.61 ± 0.64. The mean number of fledglings was 1.25 ± 0.31 per nesting attempt and 2.07 ± 0.38 per successful brood. Nestling period lasted 35.75 ± 2.80 days in total, but was divided in two stages: in the first stage, which lasted 16.75 ± 1.48 days, the female stood in the breeding hole with its nestlings. In the second stage, which lasted 17 ± 4.34 days until the fledglings left their nest, the female stood outside the hole. The individual fledglings left the nesting site in intervals of 2.55 ± 1.92 days.

Page(s): 533-541

DOI: 10.17582/journal.pjz/20220210080258

Published: Journal: Pakistan Journal of Zoology, Volume: 56, Issue: 2, Year: 2024

Keywords:

incubation period , Breeding success , Clutch size , Boreal owl A , Nestling period , beickianus

References:

References are not available for this document.

Citations

Citations are not available for this document.

Citations

Downloads

Views