• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.282-288
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• 2019

We investigated the changes in the population size and inter-specific space usage for breeding in mixed breeding sites of the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), grey heron (Ardea cinerea), great egret (Ardea alba modesta) and intermediate egret (Egretta intermedia) in Gammul-myeon, Goesan-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea, in 2016-2017. These species bred in two adjacent habitats (site A and site B). The number of breeding pairs of all species and the size of the breeding area at site B increased in 2017. In 2017, great cormorants at site B occupied the breeding sites previously occupied by the other species in 2016, while the grey heron and great egret occupied the sites around the great cormorant breeding site. The heights of nest trees and nests of great cormorant and grey heron did not differ temporally, but these heights in site B were significantly higher than those in site A for great cormorants. For great egrets, these greatly decreased in site B in 2017. Thus, the great cormorant either moved to favourable nest sites for breeding success or selected nest sites used by the herons in the previous year. Further studies of these two possibilities are necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.83-92
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• 2013

The present study documented the characteristics of habitats and nests of Goshawk [Northern goshawk] Accipiter gentilis breeding in Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do and Haepyung, Kyungsangbuk-do, Eumsung-gun, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do from April 2007 to August 2011. Breeding habitat includes of mixes and deciduous trees and ravine forest, ranging from small to large areas and it used make a new nest and fix up the old nest at Goshawk. Goshawk make nests on Japanese larch Larix leptolepis, Japanese red pine Pinus densiflora and Pitch pine Pinus rigidae of $15.8{\pm}2.36m$ (range=7.4~18.7m) in height and $34.6{\pm}7.38cm$ (range=20.8~47.4cm) in diameter-at-breast height (DBH). It has $135.8{\pm}3.37cm$ in outer diameter of nest, $26.2{\pm}2.39cm$ in inner diameter, $7.1{\pm}1.41cm$ of depth, and $3.1{\pm}0.40Kg$ of weight. Breeding habitat (n=13) has 5~7 nests. It has 7 (53.8%) nest in fix up the old nest and 4 (30.8%)nests in make a new nest.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 2012

This study was conducted from April 2012 to June 2012 to analyze breeding status of Black woodpeckers (Dryocopus martius) in the Gayasan National Park. Nest height, tree diameter which a nest built and altitude at the nest site of Black woodpeckers were 17.4 m, 63.8 cm and 587 m, respectively. A pair of Black woodpeckers completed a clutch in 4 eggs on 7 May and 3 of eggs hatched on 24 May 2012. Both female and male incubated eggs and never left eggs without one of parents. A male more contributed to build a nest than a female. Incubation duration was higher in a male than in a female. Nestlings made a begging call in a nest during the growing period. Begging frequency of nestlings increased from 11 days up to 20 days after hatching. After then, nestlings reduced begging and fledged a nest 24 days after hatching. This study provided information of breeding ecology to protect and manage population of Black woodpeckers which are endangered species in South Korea.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.415-424
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• 2015

This research was conducted to reveal the characteristics of breeding ecology of oriental scops owl (Otus sunia stictonotus) inhabiting in South Korea according to the nest types during the breeding season from march to October for two years (2011 and 2012). Oriental scops owl nested in woodpecker's nest holes (46.1%), natural tree holes (38.5%), and artificial wood boxes (15.4%). These nests were located on following trees: Zelkova serrata, Paulownia coreana, Celtis sinensis, Salix chaenomeloides, Salix babylonica, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Robinia pseudoacacia and Platanus occidentalis. The hatching success was 91.4%, fledging success was 83.0%, and breeding success was 75.9%. The factors of the breeding failure were falling (57.1%), abandonment (28.6%), hatching failure (7.1%), and others with unknown cause of death (7.1%). According to nest types, the fledging success (69.2%) of woodpecker's nest holes were low and the hatching success (79.2%) of natural tree holes were also low due to hatching failure and abandonment. However, hatching success, fledging success, breeding success were high in the artificial nests as all the eggs hatched and succeeded in fledging. Therefore, we suggested that artificial nests can cover the weaknesses of natural nests as well as increasing the breeding success. However, long-term research on installation place, height, and hole sizes of the artificial nest are required in order to clearly reveal the effects on the breeding success of oriental scops owl.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.119-126
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• 1985

One nest of the Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis bengalensis Gmelin breeding in the area of Mt. Bangu, Mugye-ri, Jangye-ri, Jangyu-myon, Gimhae-gun, Gyongnam province, was observed for 43 days from July 18 to August 29, 1984. The nest was found at a height of 71cm in a steep mountain side. It was tunnel-shaped, with a size of 53cm(length), 5.5*6.4cm (the diameter of entrance) and 16.1*10.5cm (the diameter of incubation seat). The cluth size was 5 eggs. The eggs were white in color, the average size of 5 eggs being 20mm (length)*17.9mm(width). The incubation period was 18 days, the parent birds stayed in the nest at on average of 494 minutes and the rate of incubation was 82.20%. The incubation time increased gradually. The nesting period of 3 chicks was 25 days, and the average feeding frequency was 5, 50 times per day with the highest frequency of 10 times on the 14th days after hatching. The time and frequency of attendance gradually decreased as their chicks grew up. Total increase length in body was; body length 45.35longrightarrow147.80mm, wing 6.95longrightarrow63.40mm, bill 1.73longrightarrow29.36mm and body weight 2.93longrightarrow41.00gr. The prey for the 3 chicks of the nest was entirely fish. The main food item was the fry of Gobiobotidae. The home range of the nest was 0.43ha. and the territory size was 0.05ha. Their feeding ground were outside of their territory.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.648-657
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• 2008

This research was conducted to investigate the breeding density and seasonal food items of the magpies in Jeju Island and the near-manned islets. The examination of nest distribution to determine breeding density was performed during breeding season from February 2006 to April 2008, and that of food items from May 2006 to February 2008. A total of 2,113 nests were found across Jeju Island, the average density was $1.33\;nest/km^2$, and the magpies were distributed up to 600 meters above the sea level. The nest density was the highest in the central areas of Jeju Island, with 688 nests at $3.61\;nest/km^2$, while that in the eastern areas was the lowest, with 214 nests at $0.66\;nest/km^2$. In terms of the number of nests depending on the height above the sea level, 1,172 nests, which was equivalent to the density of $1.85\;nest/km^2$, was observed below 100m and highest among the intervals of height, but 16 nests found at 500-600m were the lowest, corresponding to $0.20\;nest/km^2$. The number of nests found in the manned islets near Jeju Island was eight in Biyang-do with the density of $15.38\;nest/km^2$, nine in U-do with $1.49\;nest/km^2$, and one in Gapa-do with $1.15\;nest/km^2$, whereas none of nests were observed in Mara-do. The contents of stomach consisted of 17 types of prey sources including countless bones, eggshells, plants, and seed, most of which were the individuals of the order Coleoptera. In spring and summer, the foraging frequency for invertebrate animals such as insects was high, but less than 30% in winter. In contrast, the magpies preyed upon plants and seeds at the frequency of 10% and 30%, respectively, in spring, while the foraging frequencies for both of them were 100% in winter and higher than any of other seasons. Eggshells and bones of birds were also detected infrequently. If the density of the magpies, which may play role as the upper predator within the ecosystem, increases, it would be expected to affect directly the reduction of the number of the species and population of endemic animals such as small birds and reptiles, etc. Therefore, it is considered that long-term monitoring for the density of the magpies and precaution is prerequisite to minimize adverse effects on ecosystem.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.341-346
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• 2007

Nest density was determined and tree and soil characteristics around Nycticorax nycticorax breeding sites and non-breeding sites on Bamsum Island in Seoul were analyzed from May 2005 to October 2006 to identify breeding site preferences of N. nycticorax and the effects of N. nycticorax nesting density on nesting tree structure and soil characteristics. N. nycticorax preferred trees of low height ($3.5{\sim}6$ m) and small diameter at breast height in high density Salix communities. Excrement of heron juveniles was dropped on the soil under the nests. The soil nutrient content under nests (P: 126.0 mg/kg, N: 202.8 mg/kg, EC: 549 ${\mu}S/cm$, pH 4.7) was much higher than that of control soils from Bamsum Island not enriched by heron excrement (P: 41.5 mg/kg, N: 42.0 mg/kg, EC: 342 ${\mu}S/cm$, pH 5.1). Formation of Salix communities on the shores of Bamsum Island is ongoing, and their structure has been directly influenced by annual flooding. After flooding, the nutrient content differences between heron-affected soils and control soils were not significant. This might be the reason that Salix communities on Bamsum were not affected by nesting herons as in other terrestrial communities where herons nest. This result indicates that flooding plays an important role in sustaining Salix communities on Bamsum Island where herons nest. The results of this study may increase understanding of N. nycticorax breeding behavior which may be useful for conservation planning.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.850-857
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• 2015

This study was aimed to identify the characteristics of nest and breeding site conditions of Chinese Egret (Egretta europhotes) that breed in the uninhabited islets of the western coast of South Korea. It is expected that the information collected through this study can contribute to providing basic information required when building and managing artificial nests in their natural breeding habitats. Chinese Egrets make their nests in the shrub layers of Long Leaf Elaeagnus (Elaeagnus macrophylla), Arrow Bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica), and Baby Brier (Rosa multiflora). A total of 50 breeding nests of Chinese Egret were investigated in June and July 2013, with area-wise distribution as follows: Seomando (11 nests), Hwangseodo (14 nests), Mokdo (10 nests), and Napdaekiseom (15 nests). Vegetation coverage (cover, %), height from the ground to the top (height, cm), thickness from top to bottom of the nest (thickness, cm), reuse period, major axis (cm), minor axis (cm), and depth (cm) of each nest were measured. According to the results of the study on the nest characteristics of 4 breeding groups, the nests in Hwangseodo had the highest coverage, the nests in Mokdo were built in the highest places, the nests in Napdaekiseom showed the longest reuse period, and the nests in Mokdo had the greatest depth. The differences in height and reuse period were significant between Mokdo and Napdaekiseom. Moreover, there were significant differences in reuse period and depth between Seomando and Hwangseodo. There were significant differences in cover, minor axis, and depth between breeding groups that built nests on Arrow Bamboo (Mokdo and Napdaekiseom) and Baby Brier (Seomando and Hwangseodo). Nest characteristics of Chinese Egret were generally similar, while some variables showed different values for different breeding groups.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2017

This study was conducted to identify nesting habits and breeding biology of barn swallow in Gwangju, Korea, for the breeding season 2012 to 2014. All nests were attached to vertical walls and roofs of buildings and situated at mean height $2.9{\pm}0.3m$ above ground with nest diameter $18.2{\pm}3.2cm$, nest depth $9.8{\pm}3.1cm$, nest cup diameter $11.2{\pm}1.5cm$ and nest cup depth $3.27{\pm}0.80cm$. Nests were attached to cemented walls (44.9%), wooden materials (23.1%), bricks (21.8%) and lighting (6.4%). The average clutch size was 4.5 and ranged 2~5. Mean egg length was $18.23{\pm}0.73mm$, breadth $13.11{\pm}0.25mm$, volume $1.60{\pm}0.11cm^3$, shape index $1.39{\pm}0.05$ and weight $1.69{\pm}0.15g$. Hatching and fledgling success rate were 89.1% and 84.5%. Main causes for reproductive failures were unhatched eggs, predation, nest destruction and desertion. These results are expected to be widely used as data for habitat preservation and species management of barn swallows.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.666-675
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• 2013

This research was carried out from March 2009 to July 2012 to explicate the height change based breeding-ecological characteristics of Titmice that were breeding in the artificial nests installed in the Halla Mountain. The first egg-laying day was delayed as the height of the area under investigation increased, and it turned out that the decrease in temperature due to the elevated height had influence on that delay (p<0.05). Generalizing the annual results of the analyses, we see that there was no significant correlation occurring between the average temperatures and egg-laying days in the breeding season (April~June) (p>0.05). The rate of artificial nest use was not different among areas and among year, but between the species, Parus major and Parus varius. There were differences in clutch sizes among species (p>0.05), but no differences in heights and years (p<0.05). The hatching-, fledging-, and breeding-success rates were 67.3%, 99.5%, and 67.0% respectively in 2011, and 71.3%, 96.8%, 69.0% respectively in 2012, from which we can tell that the fledging-success rate was high but the hatching- and breeding-success rates were similar. Though we confirm that temperature changes due to height differences had influence on breeding periods, but we cannot identify a significant correlation with other breeding-ecological characteristics. Thus, in order to more precisely explicate the influence of temperature changes due to heights on Titmice's breeding, long-term research is needed in terms of the investigation of microclimatic factors and food resource.