Population density estimation and microhabitat selection of Golden Pheasant in Baishuihe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province

Abstract:

To ascertain the population and habitat status of Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) in Baishuihe National Nature Reserve and its surrounding areas in Sichuan province, transect surveys and call counting method were used to investigate the population density of Golden Pheasant, quadrat sampling method was performed to study their microhabitat selection during breeding season of 2018. The results showed that: the average population density of Golden Pheasant was 5.300±1.086 individual/km2 during the breeding season. It was estimated that there were about 402 in study area, of which about 209 were in reserve area. Golden Pheasants preferred to select microhabitat with lower altitude, lower slope position, closer to water resource, more primitive vegetation, better developed arbor and shrub stratum, and lower coverage of rock and bare soil. The survey found that Golden Pheasant was mainly distributed in the experimental area of the reserve with low altitude in protected area and its surrounding region, where was under intense human disturbance including tourism, herb medicine collection and so on. Therefore, to protect Golden Pheasant and its habitat, it is necessary to control human activities and develop tourism resources reasonably in low-altitude areas.