Composition and characteristics of understory bird communities in monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest of Mengyang, Xishuangbanna in the dry season

Abstract

Understory birds in monsoon evergreen broadleaved forest of Mengyang, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan were sampled using mist nets from October 2008 to March 2009. A total of 1423 individuals of 90 species belonging to 28 families and 7 orders were captured, among which there are 8 dominant bird species, i.e., Sliver-breasted Broadbill (Serilophus lunatus), Brown-cheeked Fulvatta (Alcippe poioicephala), White-throated Bulbul (Alophoixus pallidus), Golden-spectacled Warbler (Seicercus burkii), White-tailed Robin (Cinclidium leucurum), Black-breasted Thrush (Turdus dissimilis), Streak-Breasted Jungle Babbler (Pellorneum ruficeps), and Buff-breasted Jungle Babbler (Trichastoma tickelli). Resident birds, the major composition of the understory birds, accounted for 89.3 percent of total captures. The mean capture rate was 9.0+-3.7 individuals/(100 net-hours) and it differed significantly between months, highest in December 2008 (12.5+-1.3)individuals/(100 net-hours), lowest in February 2009 (5.2+-0.6) individuals/(100 net-hours). The most significant characteristic of understory birds in Xishuangbanna is more species abundance and lower species density compared to understory bird composition of South China. Another characteristic is that no obvious dominance pattern was observed in Babbler species. We also noticed that silver-breasted Broadbill, National Key Protection Bird, is the most abundance species in our captures, thus their habitat require further protection.