Nest site characteristics and nest loss of Marsh Grassbird at Zhalong National Nature Reserve, China

Qiang Wang,Feng Li,Xuehong Zhou,Fengshan Li,Yuming Zhang

doi:10.1007/s11676-015-0055-7

Abstract

The Marsh Grassbird Locustella pryeri is an uncommon songbird endemic to East Asia. Suitable nest- site selection can minimize nest loss, especially for open- cup and ground nesting passerines. We located and mon- itored 66 Marsh Grassbird nests during 2004-2006 in Zhalong National Nature Reserve, northeast China, to identify characteristics of preferred nest sites. Marsh Grassbird nested mainly at sites with dense vegetation cover, high undergrowth and dry standing reed stalks, as well as small shallow ponds or rivers. Nests were more successful when they were placed higher above ground in patches with greater litter thickness. Predation and flooding were the leading causes of nest failure, accounting for at least 33 and 25 % of 24 nests lost, respectively. We ad- vocate retention of some unharvested reed patches and implementation of irrigation strategies that avoid increas- ing water levels during the breeding period (May-July) of Marsh Grassbirds.

Highlights

Endemic to East Asia, the Marsh Grassbird Locustella pryeri is strongly associated with wetlands with emergent vegetation (Zheng 1987)
Based on yearly bird surveys in Zhalong, we found Marsh Grassbird only at Laomachang and Mantougang
Random points were assessed at the breeding sites, and these did not overlap with the nest site samples

Summary

Introduction

Endemic to East Asia, the Marsh Grassbird Locustella pryeri is strongly associated with wetlands with emergent vegetation (Zheng 1987). Its current status is Near Threatened (BirdLife International 2012). About 20–25 males were recorded at Zhalong National Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, in June 1987 (Shigeta 1991; BirdLife International 2001). Kanai et al (1993) counted 15 birds at Shuangtaihekou National Nature Reserve, Liaoning Province, in June 1993 and estimated a maximum of 60 breeding birds in the reserve. In 2007, 5000 breeding pairs occurred in the south part of Poyang lake (He et al 2008). Their population in Japan was estimated at 1000 individuals in the 1990s (Kanai and Ueta 1994, Nakamichi and Ueda 2003)

Methods

Results

Conclusion