The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123 ( 1 ): 93 — 96 , 2011 
NESTING BEHAVIOR OF SZECHENYI’S MONAL-PARTRIDGE IN 
TREELINE HABITATS, PAMULING MOUNTAINS, CHINA 
KAI ZHANG, 1 NAN YANG, 1 YU XU, 1 JIANGHONG RAN, 1 - 3 
HUW LLOYD, 3 AND BISONG YUE 1 
ABSTRACT—We report nesting behavior of Szechenyi’s Monal-Partridge ( Tetraophasis szechenyii) in treeline habitats 
of the Pamuling Mountains, Sichuan Province, China. Szechenyi’s Monal-Partridge used both ground and tree nests. 
Ground nests were scrapes in the soil, positioned at the base of a tree or scrub, and occurred in all habitats except Sichuan 
kobresia ( Kobresia setchwanensis) meadow. Tree nests were cup shaped and placed 1.9-12.0 m above ground level, 
distributed proportionally in all habitats except scrub hollyleaf-like oak ( Quercus aquifolioides ) and Sichuan kobresia 
meadow habitats. The proportion of nest types between first and re-nesting attempts did not vary significantly. Only 54% of 
ground nests and 33% of tree nests survived until hatching with predation being the principal cause ol ground nest failure. 
Hatching success was 97%. We recorded six re-nesting attempts, four of which were tree nests, but all were unsuccessful. 
Preserving a mosaic of treeline habitats that include ground vegetation, and fir/oak woodland habitat will be essential for 
maintaining suitable nesting habitats for Szechenyi’s Monal-Partridge in the Pamuling Mountains. Received 4 March 2010. 
Accepted 14 August 2010. 
Most Galliformes are typically ground-nesting 
species. Two exceptions to this general rule have 
been discovered among Tragopan and Tetraophasis 
(Li 1996). Species of Tragopan typically nest above 
the ground in trees (Johnsgard 1999, Deng et al. 
2005), whereby members of Tetraophasis use two 
types of nests, either on the ground or at some 
height in trees (Lu and Lu 1991, Wu et al. 1994). 
Few data exist regarding many aspects of the 
breeding ecology of members of the genus Tetra¬ 
ophasis (Lu and Lu 1991, Potapov 2002, Yang et al. 
2009). This genus is endemic to China and consists 
of two species: Verreaux’s Monal-Partridge (T. 
obscurus), which is largely restricted to rhododen¬ 
dron ( Rhododendron spp.) scrub and alpine mead¬ 
ows in west central China, and Szechenyi’s Monal- 
Partridge (T. szechenyii) which occurs in a number 
of montane habitats in southwestern China, includ- 
ln g hr {Abies spp.) forests, rhododendron scrub, and 
a lpine meadows (MacKinnon and Phillipps 2000). 
describe the nesting behavior of Szechenyi’s 
Monal-Partridge in treeline habitats of the Pamuling 
Mountains, Sichuan Province, China. 
METHODS 
Study Area— Our study was conducted over a 4- 
Y ear Period in the Pamuling Mountains (30° 06' N, 
IP E), Yajiang County, Ganzi Tibetan 
College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 
610064, China. 
World Pheasant Association, Close House Estate, 
eddon on the Wall, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 0HT, 
UK. 
Corresponding author; e-mail: rjhong-01@163.com 
Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. 
The study area ranges in elevation from 3,900 to 
4,200 m and is dominated by a variety of different 
habitat types. The most dominant habitat type is 
hollyleaf-like oak ( Quercus aquifolioides) forest 
(covering ~50% of the study area), distributed 
along the southern-most slopes of the region. This 
forest eventually grades into scrub along the western 
slopes, accounting for 9% of the study area. Flaky 
fir (Abies squamata) and Masters larch ( Larix 
mastersiana) coniferous forest (covering 39% of 
the study area) is the second most widespread 
habitat. Violet-purple rhododendron ( Rhododendron 
nitidulum) scrub (covering 11% of the study area) is 
the third most widespread habitat, while Sichuan 
kobresia ( Kobresia setchwanensis) meadow makes 
up a smaller proportion (~1%) of the Pamuling 
Mountains treeline habitats (Xu et al. 2008). 
Nest Surveys.—We searched for nests from 
April to June 2006, between March and May in 
2007 and 2008, August 2008, and also between 
March and June 2009. Nests were found by 
locating nesting birds (n = 8) previously captured 
by drop-netting and fitted with radio transmitters 
(19-g necklace-type, Holohil Systems Ltd., Carp, 
ON, Canada), and by systematically searching 
suitable areas of habitats. Each nest was checked 
regularly at intervals of 1-2 days. Each covey 
(consisting of a mixed group of I adult breeding 
pair, up to 3 helpers of either gender and a single 
brood) from all located nests was observed after 
incubation to assess chick survival and to monitor 
any subsequent nesting attempt. Nests discovered 
either early in the breeding season or in the middle 
of the season with > three eggs were categorized as 
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