The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123 ( 4 ): 755 — 760 , 2011 
REEDBED MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING OF THE MARSH 
GRASSBIRD IN THE YALU RIVER ESTUARY WETLANDS, CHINA 
MING GAO, 13 XIUQIN YIN, 1 - 4 AND FUXIANG LI 2 ’ 3 
ABSTRACT.—We studied Marsh Grasshirds {Locustellapryeri sinensis) and reedhed management from 2006 to 2009 in 
the Yalu River Estuary Wetlands National Nature Reserve. China. Common reed (Phragmites australis) management was 
monitored and habitat data for 11 variables from 53 nests were collec ted over a 4-ycar period. Calanuigrostis epigejos was 
replaced by aquatic vegetation, none of the nests existed in 2008. and 10 of II habital variables differed between before 
deep irrigation (>30 cm depthj (2006 and 2007) and after (2009) due to deep water. Mean r SD clutch size was 4.5 ± 
0.83. the daily survival rate was 92.3%, and overall nest success was 12.5%. Cover of total grasses accounted tor 17.7% of 
the changes in nest height. Reed cutting and irrigation influenced the local breeding population of Marsh Grasshirds. Sound 
management practices could benefit Marsh Grasshirds and other grassland passerines. Received 29 December 2010. 
Accepted 6 June 2011. 
The Marsh Grassbird ( Locustella pryeri) breeds 
on the island of Honshu in Japan (nominate 
pryeri) and in northeast China (race sinensis), and 
possibly in neighboring parts of Russia and 
Mongolia with records of migrants from the east 
coast of China and South Korea (BirdLife 
International 2001). The species is listed as 
globally vulnerable or near threatened (BirdLife 
International 2010). It breeds in Eastern Liaoning 
Province near Chao Yang and in northeast Hebei 
Province near Qinhuangdao in China, and winters 
in reedbeds in Hubei Province along the Lower 
Yangtze River near Hankou (De Sehauensce 
1984), 
Marsh Grasshirds breed in common reed 
(Phragmites australis) marshes and sedge beds 
in the Far East (Fujila and Nagata 1997). 
Population sizes are typically small and the 
species is considered to be declining as a result 
of wetland destruction in breeding and wintering 
areas (BirdLife International 2009). Reedbeds 
have high conservation value in Europe, southern 
France, and are the major breeding habitat lor five 
passerine species (Poulin et al. 2002). Manage¬ 
ment of reedbeds is primarily through water 
control to serve socio-economic rather than 
conservation interests (Poulin et al. 2002): cut 
reedbeds have low bird abundance (Poulin and 
College of Urban and Environmental Science. Northeast 
Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 
130024, China. 
College of Urban and Environmental Science, Liaoning 
Normal University, 850 Huanghe Road, Dalian 116029, 
China. 
Current address: College of Urban and Environmental 
Science, Eastern Liaoning University, 325 Wcnhua Road, 
bandong 118003, China. 
4 Corresponding author; e-mail: yinxq773@nenu.edu.cn 
Lefebvre 2002). The null hypothesis in our study 
was that reed-grass harvest and irrigation do not 
influence breeding of Marsh Grasshirds. Thus, 
nests should be well distributed in all reedbeds, 
and irrigation should not increase reed productiv¬ 
ity while decreasing grasses. Nest height should 
be an important variable to reveal the response of 
Marsh Grasshirds to irrigation. Our objectives 
were to describe: (1) changes in Marsh Grassbird 
abundance, and (2) nest variables to test the 
alternative hypothesis. 
METHODS 
Study Area .—The study was conducted in the 
Dayang River Estuary (39" 52' N, 123 36' E) of 
the Yalu River Estuary National Nature Reserve, 
China (Fig. 1). Dry-grass areas were selected as 
research sites after being abandoned by reed 
farmers due to low reed productivity and dense 
grasses. 
We monitored reed production from 2006 to 
2009, including liming of irrigation, irrigation 
water depth, and dry grass and reed cutting. 
Data Collection.—Reedbeds were examined for 
dry-grass patches, and patch boundaries were 
recorded with a Global Positioning System (GPS) 
during winter after reed harvest. We searched for 
nests in all reedbeds during the breeding season 
along parallel lines at 2-m intervals, and recorded 
the number of male Marsh Grasshirds observed 
from late April to mid August. Nest locations 
were noted with a handheld GPS. The orientation 
of the entrance of nest-cover was recorded with a 
compass. Detailed vegetation sampling and hab¬ 
itat measurements were taken after nesring was 
completed. 
Nests were inspected every 3-4 days to check 
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