A Study Of Four Galliform Species' Population Densities In Laojunshan Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province

Galliformes is one group of birds which has a close relationship with human beings. They face increasing threats and their conservation has received widespread attention from many international conservation organizations. As one of the countries rich in Galliformes, to strengthen the conservation of Galliformes is not only an important aspect of wildlife conservation in China, but also plays a significant role in global biodiversity conservation practice.Estimating abundance of Galliformes is essential to their conservation, so a call count method was used to survey Galiformes of Laojunshan Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province from April to May 2006. Calling males of four Galliform species were encountered using the call count method: Chinese Bamboo-partridge Bambusicola thoracica, Lady Amherst's Pheasant Chrysolophus amherstia, Sichuan Hill-partridge Arborophila rufipectus, and Temminck's Tragopan Tragopan temminckii. Distances were estimated to calling males from points positioned in three broad habitat types: primary forest, secondary forest, and replanted forest. The distance data collected from survey points were analyzed using Distance software to produce overall and habitat-specific density estimates (mean±se). The main results are as follows:(1) Overall densities of calling males were estimated to be 20.19±6.07/km~2 (Chinese Bamboo-partridge), 1.48±0.46/km~2 (Lady Amherst's Pheasant), 4.24±0.60/km~2 (Sichuan Hill-partridge), and 11.19±2.97/km~2 (Temminck's Tragopan). Habitat-specific density estimates were in some cases limited by small sample sizes, although we still present estimates for these galliform species. It appears that the highest densities of calling male Chinese Bamboo-partridge (26.89±8.92) and Lady Amherst's Pheasant (2.92±1.42) are found in replanted forest, while the lowest densities of these two species seemed to be in primary forest (7.19±4.19, 1.19±0.58). Calling male Sichuan Hill-partridge was recorded at highest density in primary forest (7.94±0.99), which was significantly different to densities in secondary (3.06±0.60/km~2). The estimated density of calling male Temminck's Tragopan was significantly higher in primary (17.66±5.98/km~2) and secondary forests (12.58±4.85/km~2) than in replanted forest, in which no birds were recorded.(2) The density estimates, based on data from 20 min after the first call for each Galliform species was heard in 1 h listening period, were no significantly different to densities based on data from the whole 1 h listening period. By comparing the density estimates result of distance sampling to those of fixed-radius point counts method, it was found that Sichuan Hill-partridge's densities (except in replanted forest) and Lady Amherst's Pheasant's densities were almost same, but fixed-radius point counts method under estimated Chinese Bamboo-partridge's densities and Temminck's Tragopan's densities.