金門栗喉蜂虎營巢地復育及生殖生態學研究
我們於2004年在金門地區進行「金門栗喉蜂虎 (Merops philipennus) 營巢地復育及生殖生態學研究」。今年的生殖族群數量估計約有2,300隻，昔果山仍為全島最大的營巢地，然其中有43%是使用過去的舊巢洞。在2月蜂虎尚未抵達金門之前，我們於2003年在乳山地區營造的蜂虎新營巢棲地進行整建，並於4月下旬放置假蜂虎及播放鳥音等來吸引蜂虎，可能因為蜂虎的棲地忠誠性而習慣使用舊營巢地，今年仍沒有蜂虎前來生殖，但已有蜂虎可能因為鳥音的吸引而在此地出現。而其他舊營巢地在整理後，較未整理坡面有顯著較高密度的巢洞。
我們於新整理的坡面觀察研究蜂虎群聚在空間與時間上的形成與分布，發現巢位的選擇是以坡面上層為先，且巢洞數也顯著較中下層多，但選擇坡面邊緣或中心的個體在生殖成功上沒有顯著差異。我們並發現單獨築巢的個體開始生殖時間較早，其體型也要比群體築巢的個體來得大。今年生殖季中我們同樣觀察到有合作生殖及托卵寄生的現象。在田埔營巢區所完整觀察的32個巢洞中，有3個具有合作生殖（9.3%）。比較所有有幫手的巢和沒有幫手的巢，其巢成功率沒有顯著差異。我們將拾獲之托卵寄生36個棄蛋進行人工孵化，發現23個有受精，然僅一隻孵化出幼雛後死亡。今年首度運用無線電追蹤技術，計算並繪出田埔水庫巢區蜂虎在育雛期的覓食活動範圍（14.7 ± 6.3 ha）。本研究成果將提供國家公園在蜂虎解說教育及訂定保育策略時的參考。
關鍵詞：合作生殖、地理資訊系統、金門、栗喉蜂虎、棲地忠誠性
Abstract
We conducted the study of ‘Colony habitat restoration and breeding ecology of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters (Merops Philippinus) on Kinmen Island’ in 2004. We estimated the breeding population as 2,300 individuals. The colony in ShiGou Mt. was still the biggest one. However, 43% of the nesting holes were used from previous years. In February before bee-eaters’ arrival, the man-made RueShen nesting site was cleaned and weeded; Further more, in April we set bee-eater decoys and played flocking sound on the slope to attract them. Even though some bee-eaters did show up on the slope, but maybe because of the effect of site fidelity, bee-eaters did not use this newly established habitat to nest this year. The nesting colonies which were cleaned had a significantly higher nest density than the controlled ones. We observed the colony formation and distribution in terms of time and space and found that bee-eaters would use the upper parts of the slope first than the lower parts. The nest density on the upper parts was also significantly higher than the lower parts. The breeding success was not significantly different for the central and peripheral nests in the colonies. We found the solitary breeders, with a significantly bigger body size, started to nest earlier than the colonial ones. We thoroughly observed 32 nests at TanPu colony and found 3 nests (9.3%) with extra helper(s). However, there was no difference in terms of breeding performance between the nests with and without helper(s). We used an incubator to incubate 36 abandoned eggs due to nest parasite, 23 were fertilized and 1 hatched but died later on. We used radio transmitter to track 4 bee-eaters’ foraging home range and calculated the area as 14.7 ± 6.3 ha. Results from this study would be useful to provide the Kinmen National Park for public education materials and conservation strategy plan.
Keywords: blue-tailed bee-eaters, cooperative breeding, GIS, Kinmen,
site fidelity
我們於新整理的坡面觀察研究蜂虎群聚在空間與時間上的形成與分布，發現巢位的選擇是以坡面上層為先，且巢洞數也顯著較中下層多，但選擇坡面邊緣或中心的個體在生殖成功上沒有顯著差異。我們並發現單獨築巢的個體開始生殖時間較早，其體型也要比群體築巢的個體來得大。今年生殖季中我們同樣觀察到有合作生殖及托卵寄生的現象。在田埔營巢區所完整觀察的32個巢洞中，有3個具有合作生殖（9.3%）。比較所有有幫手的巢和沒有幫手的巢，其巢成功率沒有顯著差異。我們將拾獲之托卵寄生36個棄蛋進行人工孵化，發現23個有受精，然僅一隻孵化出幼雛後死亡。今年首度運用無線電追蹤技術，計算並繪出田埔水庫巢區蜂虎在育雛期的覓食活動範圍（14.7 ± 6.3 ha）。本研究成果將提供國家公園在蜂虎解說教育及訂定保育策略時的參考。
關鍵詞：合作生殖、地理資訊系統、金門、栗喉蜂虎、棲地忠誠性
Abstract
We conducted the study of ‘Colony habitat restoration and breeding ecology of Blue-tailed Bee-eaters (Merops Philippinus) on Kinmen Island’ in 2004. We estimated the breeding population as 2,300 individuals. The colony in ShiGou Mt. was still the biggest one. However, 43% of the nesting holes were used from previous years. In February before bee-eaters’ arrival, the man-made RueShen nesting site was cleaned and weeded; Further more, in April we set bee-eater decoys and played flocking sound on the slope to attract them. Even though some bee-eaters did show up on the slope, but maybe because of the effect of site fidelity, bee-eaters did not use this newly established habitat to nest this year. The nesting colonies which were cleaned had a significantly higher nest density than the controlled ones. We observed the colony formation and distribution in terms of time and space and found that bee-eaters would use the upper parts of the slope first than the lower parts. The nest density on the upper parts was also significantly higher than the lower parts. The breeding success was not significantly different for the central and peripheral nests in the colonies. We found the solitary breeders, with a significantly bigger body size, started to nest earlier than the colonial ones. We thoroughly observed 32 nests at TanPu colony and found 3 nests (9.3%) with extra helper(s). However, there was no difference in terms of breeding performance between the nests with and without helper(s). We used an incubator to incubate 36 abandoned eggs due to nest parasite, 23 were fertilized and 1 hatched but died later on. We used radio transmitter to track 4 bee-eaters’ foraging home range and calculated the area as 14.7 ± 6.3 ha. Results from this study would be useful to provide the Kinmen National Park for public education materials and conservation strategy plan.
Keywords: blue-tailed bee-eaters, cooperative breeding, GIS, Kinmen,
site fidelity