Foraging and Day-roosting Sites Selection by the Endangered Brown-eared Pheasant Crossoptilon mantchuricum during Autumn in the Huanglong Mountains, Shaanxi Province, China

A study on the endangered brown-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) in Huanglong Mountains, China, revealed distinct habitat preferences for foraging and day-roosting during autumn. Foraging sites were characterized by broadleaved forests at mid to upper slopes with gullies, featuring higher altitude, steeper terrain, taller trees, less shrub cover, and lower herb height. In contrast, day-roosting sites favored ridges on sunny upper slopes, with higher altitude but smaller tree cover, lower shrub and herb height, and proximity to wooded areas while being distant from households. A classification model distinguished foraging (90.2% accuracy) and day-roosting (88.9% accuracy) sites based on these variables, indicating that water sources were not critical for habitat selection in this season. The findings underscore the need for conservation strategies that account for daily activity shifts in habitat requirements.

Li, H., Liu, X., Han, Z., Wu, S., & Cao, C. (2021). Foraging and Day-roosting Sites Selection by the Endangered Brown-eared Pheasant Crossoptilon mantchuricum during Autumn in the Huanglong Mountains, Shaanxi Province, China. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 53(2). https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.pjz/20191130101121