Zoological Studies

Vol. 44 No. 4, 2005

Habitat Selection of the Cooperative Breeding Taiwan Yuhina (Yuhina brunneiceps) in a Fragmented Forest Habitat

Pei-Fen Lee1, Sheng-Feng Shen1,2, Tzung-Su Ding3, Chyi-Rong Chiou3, and Hsiao-Wei Yuan3,*

1Institute of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106. E-mail: leepf@ntu.edu.tw
2Present address: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. E-mail: ss456@cornell.edu
3School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106. E-mail: ding@ntu.edu.tw (TSD), esclove@ntu.edu.tw (CRC)

Pei-Fen Lee, Sheng-Feng Shen, Tzung-Su Ding, Chyi-Rong Chiou, and Hsiao-Wei Yuan (2005) We used multilevel analyses (individual habitat selection and population structure) to study edge effects on the Taiwan Yuhina (Yuhina brunneiceps), an endemic subtropical species at Meifeng, central Taiwan. The 95% kernel home range area was used to study habitat preferences, and the source-sink threshold was calculated to determine whether this yuhina population is self-sustainable. Within the study site, woods, open spaces, orchards, buildings, and pond habitats were preferred in that order. Within the home ranges, orchard habitats were preferred to open spaces. Larger breeding groups had larger home ranges with more trees and open spaces. Nest sites were closer to forest edges than random points were. The density of Taiwan cherry trees was significantly higher within home ranges than available areas, especially near edges, suggesting the fruit, s potential value to breeding yuhinas. Although the yuhinas suffered high rates of nest failure at Meifeng, this population still seemed to be self-sustaining due to the long breeding season with multiple broods and a cooperative breeding strategy.

Key words: Edge, Fragmentation, Home range, Source-sink population dynamics.

*Correspondence: Tel: 886-2-23660235. E-mail: hwyuan@ntu.edu.tw