An unusual homing behavior found in the Sichuan Partridge during the early brooding period

Yiqiang Fu; Shufang Wang; Benping Chen; Simon Dowell; Zhengwang Zhang

doi:10.1186/s40657-020-00233-6

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Letter to the Editor | Open Access

An unusual homing behavior found in the Sichuan Partridge during the early brooding period

Yiqiang Fu^{¹^,²}(), Shufang Wang^¹, Benping Chen^³, Simon Dowell^⁴, Zhengwang Zhang^⁵()

College of Life Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu, 610101, Sichuan, China

College of Life Sciences, Leshan Normal University, Leshan, 614004, Sichuan, China

Laojunshan National Nature Reserve Administration, Pingshan, 645350, Sichuan, China

North of England Zoological Society, Chester Zoo, Upton by Chester, Chester, CH2 1 LH, UK

Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

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Abstract

In this study, we report an unusual homing behavior of the Sichuan Partridge (Arborophila rufipectus) at the Laojunshan National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China. Hen Sichuan Partridges led the chicks back to the nests where they hatched in the evening and roosted there over night. This behavior lasted 6.7 ± 4.3 nights (range = 1–15; n = 13) after the chicks hatched. At this stage, the hens became very vigilant to predators and human disturbance. If disturbed, they often abandoned the nests immediately and no longer returned thereafter. The ambient temperature at night during the early brooding period of Sichuan Partridge at our study site was ~ 12.4 ℃. Our findings suggest that hen Sichuan Partridges may make trade-offs between nest predation risks versus the thermoregulatory needs of their young.

Keywords

Arborophila rufipectusEarly brooding period Homing behavior Predation risk Thermoregulation

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Avian Research

Volume 11 Issue 1,
January 2020

Article number: 47

DOI: 10.1186/s40657-020-00233-6

Cite this article:

Fu Y, Wang S, Chen B, et al. An unusual homing behavior found in the Sichuan Partridge during the early brooding period. Avian Research, 2020, 11(1): 47. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40657-020-00233-6