• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.155-163
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• 2012

This study was carried out to monitor reproductive responses of great tits in 17 urban forests in Daegu metropolitan city. The reproductive perspectives of great tits were surveyed by using 106 artificial bird nests, of which five or seven nests were set up in every urban forest. A ratio of artificial nests used by great tits for their reproduction was 27.4%. It was showing that forests, where the reproductive response was higher, was located at the edge of the city, or was known as having a good vegetation structure in the urban area. The laying date of a great tit was a little earlier in forests in the middle of the city. It might be dependent on the density of artificial land uses including a residential area and an industrial complex, which are able to increase an urban micro-temperature. Otherwise, natural forests or forest patches nearby natural forests located at the edge of the city were showing that the laying date of great tits was relatively later than the oneee in the forest in the middle of the city. There was a big difference of reproduction perspectives of great tit between the 1st and 2nd reproduction. In the 1st reproduction, a clutch size was larger, while an egg volume was so low. Otherwise, the clutch size was shown so smaller in the 2nd reproduction than in the 1st reproduction, while the egg volume was larger in the 2nd reproduction. It might be due to the survival strategy of a great tit to prepare the winter season for a juvenile. Many variables, regarding to the problem of climate changes, have been linked to the environment of urban area and the bird habitats. Finally, Monitoring a bird reproduction is a valuable work for managing an urban forest as well as for conserving a natural forest.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.80 no.2
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• pp.162-176
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• 1991

For the purpose of contributing to wild birds protection and propagation, distribution characteristics and ecological breeding habitats were surveyed in Mt. Chiri from September, 1986 to December, 1989 by the use of the nestboxes installed in four study sites by the altitude. The results were as follows ; 1. During the study period, observed birds were 2,403 individuals belong to 59 species, especially, at the 1,400m above altitude the rare species, Falco tinnunculus and the protecting bird species such as Ninox scutulata, Strix aluco and Prunella collaris were observed. 2. In the inhabitation structure of birds by the altitude, Fringilla montfringilla was the highest dominance (41.33%) among the inhabitated birds in the surveyed area. 3. Phasianus colchicus and Streptopelia orientalis which were mainly inhabited in hilly area were observed until the altitude of 900m. 4. The 92.5% of nest boxes was mainly used by the small birds, Parus spp. and Sitta europaea. These species preferred the nest boxes installed at the edge or along the mountaineering path, because they could get food and water easily from those places. 5. The utilization rate of the nest boxes was showed 86% at 500m, 96% at 900m, 98% at 1,400m and 90% at 1,700m above the altitude, respectively. 6. The breeding rate of birds in the nest boxes was showed from 6% to 46% by altitude. Parus varius was the highest breeding species in the surveyed area. These birds inhabited above 500m laid eggs from 15th, April to 22th, May(n=22), but those above 1,700m laid eggs from 28th, April to 27th, May(n=13), that 13 days were delayed at high altitude. 7. Food items of the chicks of the 5 species collected by the collar method were animal matters ; 91.3% of the food was forest insects such as Phalera asiimilis and Pleuroptya batteata except 8.7% of spiders.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.566-574
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• 2022

Heavy metals are one of the dangerous pollutants that threaten urban biodiversity due to their accumulation over a long period without being decomposed in vivo. Accordingly, there is a need for biological monitoring to compare accumulation concentrations in living organisms according to the degree of heavy metal exposure to evaluate heavy metal contamination in the air in urban areas. This study aims to examine the possibility of using nesting materials as heavy metal monitoring samples and determine the effects of heavy metals on Paridae. We installed 54 artificial nest boxes in the research areas that included campus green spaces (14), urban forests (11), and urban parks (29) on a university campus in Cheonan City, Chungcheongnam Province. The birds' use rate of artificial nest boxes was 11/14 (78.57%) in campus green spaces, 8/11 (72.72%) in urban forests, and 6/29 (20.68%) in urban parks. Moss materials were collected from collected nests, and the heavy metal accumulation characteristics of each type of urban green space and the effects of heavy metals on the success of fledging of Paridae were compared through heavy metal analysis. The analysis showed that the average concentrations of zinc and lead were 228.08±209.62 ㎍/dry g and 17.67 ± 6.72 ㎍/dry g, respectively. There was no significant difference in zinc concentration for each type of urban green space (Kruskal-Wallis test, p-value=0.28), but lead concentration showed a significant difference (Kruskal-Wallis test, p<0.05^*). Of the 21 Paridae, nests analyzed for heavy metals, fledging of birds was observed in 11 nests (52.38%). Fledging of birds observed in each urban green space type was 7 campus green spaces (77.78%), 6 in urban forests (85.71%), and 1 in urban park (20%), mainly in urban forests and green spaces on campus. Heavy metal concentrations were compared to check the effect of heavy metal accumulation on the successful fledging of Paridae, but there was no statistically significant difference (Zn: W=44, p-value=0.74, Pb: t=0.64676, df =7.2422, p-value=0.54). This study is a basic study using the nesting materials of Paridae as heavy metal monitoring samples, and it is determined that it can be used as basic data for non-invasive biological monitoring.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.76 no.2
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• pp.109-118
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• 1987

The purpose of this study was to investigate the inhabiting ecology of wild birds using artificial nests in Gyeongnam province. The sort of birds, the utilization of artificial nests by the materials, by the sites and by the forest type, and other inhabiting ecology of birds were investigated from 1984 to 1986. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Wild birds in surveyed areas were classified into 20 families and 35 species. Among them the birds inhabiting the artificial nests were 6 species and those using them most frequently were Parus ater (17.2%), P. major (16.7%) and P. palustris (12.2%). 2. The artificial nests installed on the top and at the toot of the mountain were chiefly utilized by P. ater and P. major, but the artificial nests in park area were mostly used by Passer montanus and Sturnus cineraceus. 3. Sixty-one percent of the artificial nests were utilized by the birds; 45.5% were used for breeding and 15.6% were inhabitation only. 4. When different nest materials and shapes were tested, mixed nests (sawdust and cement) were used most frequently, and C type. (Diamond shape) of wood nests was used more frequently compared with the A (Roof shape) and B (Box shape) types of wood nests. Meanwhile, the birds prefered the 3cm hole size (81.1% of utilization) to 4cm of hole (57.8%) and 5cm of hole (24.4%). 5. The artificial nests constructed in mixed forest were more frequently inhabited (73.3%) by the birds than coniferous forest (68.3%) and broad-leaved forest (63.3%). 6. The period of egg-laying in Parus species was from late April to early May, while Eophona migratoria, Lanius bucephalus, Motacilla alba and Passer montanus laid eggs generally in the middle of May. 7. Parus species, Passer montanus and Motacilla alba laid one egg every day for 5-10days, but Eopphona migratoria laied 4 eggs in 7 days and Lanius bucephalus laid 5 eggs in 4 days. The incubation period of Parus species was 16-18 days, while the others were about 11 to 14 days. 8. Thirteen days after the hatch of Parus major, chicks reached 13.9g of body weight, 72.0mm of wing-length and 20.9mm of tarsus length. P. montanus chicks reached 20.3g of weight, 66.2mm of wing-length and 20.2mm of tarsus length during the same period. 9. Food item of feeding chicks almost consisted of creatures (98.2%) with following composition; 55.2% of insect larvae, 37.2% adult insects, 2.8% of pupae and 2.8% of spiders. Vegetable items were 2% only. Among those creature food items, 95.2% were insect pests to forest.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2012

Yellow bitterns (Ixobrychus sinensis) are a small wetland bird common to Asian countries including South Korea, Japan, and China. The aim of this study is to describe diet of yellow bitterns during the breeding season in artificial wetland of northeastern South Korea between May to August 1999-2001. For the purposes of this paper, we observe the frequency of nest visiting by parents during the chick rearing period. A total of 98 boluses regurgitated by 52 chicks aged 1 day to 11 days after hatching form the sample and are shown to contain 323 food items. A bolus contained mean 3.8 items and weighs 0.2 g to 7.7 g. The most regularly occurring food items recorded are fish (63%) and insets (33%). In terms of fish, top mouth minnows (Pseudorasbora parva) and crucian carps (Carassius auratus) are frequently observed. In terms of insects, there are mosquitoes (Diptera), instars of dragonfly (Libelluidae), damselflies (Coenagrinonidae) and water bugs (Diplonychus japonicus). Yellow bitterns were also shown to feed on bull frogs (Rana catesbeiana), shrimp (Palaemonidae), and spiders (Araneae). The size of fish in a bolus ranged from 15.56 mm to 93.73 mm (mean, 37.08 mm). The amount of food can be observed to increase with the age of chicks (r = 0.279, P = 0.025, N = 64) but parents did not provide larger fish as chicks grew. Parent birds visited nests more frequently when they have a larger brood ($F_{1,21}$ = 14.529, P = 0.001). Our results suggest that fish is the most important prey during the breeding season and that age of chicks is related to amount of diet in yellow bitterns.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.96 no.1
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• pp.77-82
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• 2007

This study was conducted to clarify the differences in egg-laying characters of Varied tit (Parus varius) as elevation in the Mt. Jirisan. We set up 144 artificial nest-boxes at three sites located in 300, 900, 1400m in elevation and checked egg size, clutch size and first date of egg-laying. At a result, There was no difference in egg size as elevation. But clutch size at high elevation was lower than at low elevation. Also, first date of egg-laying at high elevation was later than at other sites. In this research, we think that difference of clutch size at three sites result from 'individual adjustment hypothesis' and difference of first date of egg-laying have relation to sprouting date of leaves and distribution of insects.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.183-192
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• 1995

This study was conducted to investigate bird community and to suggest a proper way how to manage and protect wildbirds in Chuwangsan National Park. The survey was carried out over two survey sections by the line transect method in spring, summer and autumn in 1994. Total number of observed birds were 42 species(33 species in spring, 32 species in summer, and 26 species in autumn), and the result was the same with the typical pattern of temperate bird communities. Total number of natural monument and rare birds were 7 species, which included Golden Eagle(Aquila chrysaetos), Chinese Sparrow Hawk(Accipter soloensis), Eagle Owl(Bubo bubo), etc. In breeding season, species richness was high in canopy nesting guild, and density(ea/ha) was high in hole nesting guild. Canopy foraging guild was dominated in spring and summer, ratio of bush(or ground) foraging guild was increased in autumn. Since the habitats of observed natural monuments and rare species were roughly overlapped with the nature preservation area, it is necessary to preserve the area completely and to investigate and protect these species continuously. For the protection of the bush(or ground) foraging guild, it needs to plant bushes around trails and to control users. Food plants, artificial food planting of bushs, and artificial nest are needed for the habituation of wildbirds, and as the damage of wild cats is increasing lately, it needs to control these cats.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.70-80
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• 1989

This study was conducted to investigate the user's effects on the avifauna in Kaya Mountain National Park. The survey was carried over 3 districts which were divided with main trail(valley), subtrail(valley), unused trail(ridge) by line transect method from April to October 1989. The observed birds were 29 species and 527 individuals. these consist of 20 species for residents, 7 species for summer visitor 1 species for winter visitor, 1 species for passage migrant. The average density of birds was 2.44 ea/ha, and main dominant species were Parus major minor, Garrulus gtandarius brandtii, Parus palustris hellmayri, Parus varius and Sitta europaea amurenis in order. The observed frequency of wild birds was 8.42 times/km in average. No. of species, no. of individuals, density, species diversity and observed frequency of summer were lower than spring in 3 survey routes. Therefore, from now, in Kaya Mountain National Park management, the enjoyment oriented activities will be regulated and control of trail use on main trail are necessary during breeding periods for wild birds protection, especially in summer. To investigate the use or not of artificial nests, 35 artificial nests were selected. The results of this survey showed that many wild birds prefered mixed nest in column shaped to wooden nests. The rightful installation and manegement for invitation and increase of wild birds was necessary.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 1996

This study was conducted to investigate the avifauna and to suggest the management discipline for the protection of bird community in Odaesan National Park. Field survey was carried over 2 main trails by line transect method from mid June to early December in 1996. The 1st section included the area from Woljongas to Sangwonsa 7km distance. The 2nd section survey started from Sangwonsa via Bukdaesa and the summit of Odaesan to Sangwonsa 9.8 km distance. The study results were as follows ; The observed birds belonged to 9 orders 22families 52species, they also had Black Woodpecker(Dryocopus martius)designated as natural monument No. 242, Chinese Sparrow Hawk(Accipiter soloensis) and Kestrel(Falco tinnunculus) as natural munumet No. 323, Scops Owl(Out scops)and Korean Wood Owl(Strix aluco) as No. 324. These birds also were classified into 25 species for residents, 16 species for summer visitors, 8 species for passage migrants, 3 species for winter visitors, respectionely. The 2nd section showed a high species richness and individuals in every season, however, had a difference in species composition with 1st section. Nesting guild of breeding bird community used highly in order of bush, hole, and canopy as a nest resources. It is suggested that high bush-nesting guild had a deep relationship with bush layer located in the ecotone of 1st section and that located in the high elevated zone in 2nd section. Hole-nesting guild such as Black Woodpecker(Dryocopus martius), Gray-headed Woodpecker(Picus canus) and Great Spotted Woodpecker(Dendrocopos major) were surveyed only in 2nd section, so it could be attribute to the small fragmentation and the growing of high diameter at breast height(D.B.H) tree in 2nd section. It is urgent that the management of camping ground and people for the conservation of brook in 1nd section, trail protection for the prevention from trail enlargement in 2nd section for the bird protection. Artificial food in snowy winter will provide the good breeding condition with the residents and migrants. And, the endeavor to lessen the habitat fragmentation will be beneficial to the birds who have a large home range such as Black Woodpecker(Dryocopus martius) and Korean Wood Owl(Strix aluco). For the control of Domestic Dove(Columba livia) populations, it could be recommended that the elimination of their nesting resources by net.