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Breeding biology of two sympatric Aegithalos tits with helpers at the nest

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Abstract

Although knowledge of breeding biology is fundamental for investigating the variation and evolution of avian reproductive strategies, research on Asian Aegithalos tits remains limited. The breeding biology of sympatric populations of Black-throated Bushtits (Aegithalos concinnus) and Silver-throated Bushtits (A. glaucogularis) was studied in the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve in central China from 2007 to 2010. Both species produced one brood annually. Clutch sizes, brood sizes and nesting success were not different between species. Parents of both species participated in all breeding activities, except for the male Silver-throated Bushtits, which were not involved in incubation. Cooperative breeding behaviours were observed in the studied populations of both species. Most helpers were found at the provisioning stage, during which time 1–2 helpers were present at 20% of Black-throated Bushtit nests (n = 50) and 30% of Silver-throated Bushtit nests (n = 40). All marked and confirmed helpers of both species were males. Compared with other Aegithalos species and populations, differences in either the occurrence of helpers or the proportion of nests with helpers indicate that the breeding strategies may vary with species and populations, and therefore, more efforts focusing on their basic biology and ecology are required.

Zusammenfassung

Brutbiologie von zwei sympatrischen Aegithalos-Meisenarten mit Helfern am Nest

Obwohl die Kenntnis der Brutbiologie fundamental für eine Untersuchung der Variation und Evolution von Fortpflanzungsstrategien bei Vögeln ist, liegen über asiatische Aegithalos-Meisen nach wie vor relativ wenige Forschungsergebnisse vor. Die Brutbiologie sympatrischer Populationen von Schwarzkehl-Schwanzmeisen (Aegithalos concinnus) und Silberkehl-Schwanzmeisen (A. glaucogularis) wurde im Dongzhai National Nature Reserve in Zentralchina von 2007 bis 2010 untersucht. Beide Arten produzierten eine Brut pro Jahr. Gelegegrößen, Brutgrößen und Bruterfolg unterschieden sich nicht zwischen den beiden Arten. Die Elternvögel beider Arten beteiligten sich an allen Brutaktivitäten, mit Ausnahme der männlichen Silberkehl-Schwanzmeisen, die nicht an der Bebrütung der Eier beteiligt waren. Kooperatives Brutverhalten wurde in den untersuchten Populationen beider Arten beobachtet. Die meisten Helfer wurden im Fütterungsstadium beobachtet, wenn 1–2 Helfer bei 20% der Schwarzkehl-Schwanzmeisen-Nester (n = 50) und 30% der Silberkehl-Schwanzmeisen-Nester (n = 40) vorhanden waren. Bei beiden Arten waren alle markierten und als Helfer bestätigten Tiere Männchen. Verglichen mit anderen Aegithalos-Arten und -Populationen deuten Unterschiede im Brutstadium, in dem Helfer auftreten, oder im Anteil von Nestern mit Helfern darauf hin, dass die Brutstrategien zwischen Arten und Populationen variieren können. Daher ist mehr Forschungsaufwand, der sich auf ihre grundlegende Biologie und Ökologie konzentriert, vonnöten.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Key Project of Scientific and Technical Supporting Programs Funded by Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2008BAC39B05) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30570234). Yong Wang’s research in China was partially supported by funds from the US National Science Foundation (HRD-0420541), Fudan University, Beijing Normal University, and Alabama A&M University. We are most grateful to Ben J. Hatchwell for his suggestions at the beginning of the work. We also thank Songtao Lin, Qi Li, Yang Qiu, Canwei Xia, Jiajun Ying, Junyong Ning, Ning Wang, Yingying Liu, Langyu Gu, Hua Xiao, Ting Ji, Qiang Ma, Fuguo Liu and the staffs of the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve for assisting the research. We appreciate Yang Liu, Lijin Zeng, Dong Lu, Lisa M. Gardner, Andrew Cantrell, Matthew Lerow, Matthew Slaymaker, the editors, and three anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions and comments, which greatly improved this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

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

    Jianqiang Li, Lei Lv, Yong Wang & Zhengwang Zhang

  2. Center for Forestry, Ecology, and Wildlife, School of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL, 35762, USA

    Yong Wang

  3. Dongzhai National Nature Reserve, Segang, Luoshan County, 464236, Henan, China

    Bo Xi

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  1. Jianqiang Li
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Correspondence to Zhengwang Zhang.

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Communicated by T. Friedl.

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Li, J., Lv, L., Wang, Y. et al. Breeding biology of two sympatric Aegithalos tits with helpers at the nest. J Ornithol 153, 273–283 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-011-0740-z

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