Observation on the behaviors of wintering waterfowls in artificial wetland at Chongming Dongtan

From the beginning of December 2006 to the end of February 2007, observations were made on the daytime (6:30-19:30) behaviors of 7 dominant species of wintering waterfowls in the secondary artificial wetland (fish-crab pond) at Chongming Dongtan. The results indicated that Egretta garzetta, Ardea cinerea and Anas poecilorhyncha mostly showed standing still behavior, accounting for 34. 09%, 45. 45% and 54. 55% of their whole daytime behaviors, respectively. Fulica atra and Phalacrocorax carbo preferred to feeding behavior (32. 58% and 35. 00%, respectively). Swimming was the major behavior of Tachybaptus ruficollis and Larus argentatus (44. 70% and 31. 82%, respectively). The waterfowls' activities were positively correlated with temperature and sunlight, but negatively correlated with wind speed. The relatively constant water level in the wetland had no significant effects on the behaviors of test waterfowls.