Locustella Pryeri Research Articles

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the Japanese marsh warbler Locustella pryeri.

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the Japanese marsh warbler Locustella pryeri.

Preferable Habitat Characteristics of Male Japanese Marsh Warblers Megalurus pryeri in Breeding Season at Hotoke-numa Reclaimed Area, Northern Honshu, Japan.

The Japanese Marsh Warbler Megalurus pryeri is an endangered grassland passerine species and their distribution is restricted to a few marsh lands in Japan. To collect information important to conservation of the species, habitat characteristics of male warblers in the breeding season was studied at Hotoke-numa reclaimed area, northern Honshu, Japan, in the summer of 1993. Vegetation structure was significantly different between areas available and unavailable for male warblers. Specifically, the density of sedges (Carex spp.) was higher, and the density of reeds (Phragmites communis) was lower, in available area. These results suggested that sedges may play an important role in breeding activities of Japanese Marsh Warblers and maintenance of such vegetation can be important for conservation of the species.

Some Notes on the Wintering Ecology of Japanese Marsh Warblers, Megalurus pryeri, at Two Sites around Lake Kasumigaura.

Some Notes on the Wintering Ecology of Japanese Marsh Warblers, Megalurus pryeri, at Two Sites around Lake Kasumigaura.

Survey of Japanese Marsh warbler Megalurus pryeri in Hachirogata reclaimed land, Akita Pref

1. The Japanese Marsh Warbler Megalurus pryeri is a very localized endemic relic species, known from Aomori to Pacific side of Honshu. In 1973, it was first found in Akita at an small reed area remaining at an uncultivated corner of Hachirogata reclaimed land. Its breeding ecology was investigated by the author during June to September 1973 and 1974.2. At present, the reclaimed farmland is about 2, 340ha and reed bed occupied about 62.6% of uncultivated area in 1973, decreasing to 11.7% in 1974.3. This Marsh Warbler had apparently been concentrated in the western half of the reclaimed land of Hachirogata. Its male count was 29 birds in 1973, increasing to 53 birds in 1974. It is to be noted that both its distribution area and density has increased in 1974 (than in 1973) inspite of the decrease of reed bed area.4. Within reed bed area, its favorite habitat is characterized by mixed undergrowth community of dead previous year reed, Mischanthus sinensis, Imperata cylindrica var. Koenigii and Scirpus triqueter, etc. The area of its highest density, where half of singing males were recorded, was about 80ha of uncultivated field at western part of the reclaimed land.5. The breeding observation was made in the above concentration area. The total of nests observed was 6 in 1973 and 14 in 1974. The nests were found, 1) 55% in the reed Phragmatis communis, 2) 25% in stumb of Eulalia Mischanthus sinensis, 3) 20% in the undergrowth, and most of its nests were located at about 10.5cm above the ground.6. The nest type could be classified into: 1) Typical bowl shape, constructed by placing nest material from the bottom (Type 1) 2) Elliptic shape, resembling the nest of bush warbler Cettia diphone 3) Globular shape made of fresh grass with dead grass base. The nest of any of these types was made coarsely and fragile.Egg was laid one per day and clutch size was 5-6 eggs (av. 5.3 eggs), the egg size being av. 16.6×12.4mm.8. Eggs were incubated by female only after completion of the clutch for average 11.3 days, with the hatching rate 98.1%.9. Chicks were fed 76.8% by the female with regular intervals and 23.2% by the male with unstable frequency.10. The feeding rate per 1 chick/hour was average 0.44 times/hour by the male and 1.54 times/hour by the female, with 1.98 times/hour by both parents. The nestling period was average 12.1 days.11. Number of chick's feces was 49.7% of the total number of food given and the frequency the parents carried off chick's feces was about 50% of feeding frequency.The main chick food items, in order of frequency, were adult moth of Pyralidae, lavae of crickets Conocephalus sp. and spiders. The Pyralid moth occupied about 14.3% of the total chick foods.

New Localities of the Pryer's Grass-Warbler, Bradypterus pryeri pryeri (Seebohm)

In 1952, Mr. Jack T. Moyer observed several Pryer's Grass-Warblers, Bradypterus pryeri pryeri (Seebohm) at a marsh of Tamatsukuri, northeast coast of the Lake Kasumigaura, Namekata-gun, Ibaraki Prefecture. One or two examples he then collected are now in his collection. Also in January, 1952, Captain (Surgeon) R. B. W. Smith, an ornithologist at Haneda Air-Base, has collected this species at the air-base field (not marshy place). The specimen, however, was taken by rat before being stuffed, and the sex is unclear. The above two localities, Tamatsukuri and Haneda (Tokyo), are new additions to the known records of the Preyer's Grass-Warbler.It was added that prior to Seebohm's description of 'Megalurus pryeri, n. sp.', the species was known to Blakiston and Pryer who made it a species of the Genus Cisticola, in their papers in Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, viii, pt. 2 (1880) and x, pt. 1 (1882), about which the readers will find the quotations in the text.