Nest Site Selection by Persian Ground Jay (Podoces pleskei) in Bafgh Protected Area, Iran

We studied the selection of nest sites by Persian ground Jay (Podoces pleskei), in a semi -desert central Iran. Habitat variables such as plant species number, height of plant species, vegetation percent and distance to water sources of nest sites were compared with randomly selected non- used sites. The results showed that the most important factors influencing nesting site selection were total vegetation percent and number of shrubs (Zgophyllum eurypterum and Atraphaxis spinosa). The mean vegetation percent of 20 area selected by Persian Ground Jay was (4.41+ 0.17), which was significantly larger than that of the non – selected area (2.08 + 0.06). The number of Zygophyllum eurypterum (1.13+ 0.01) and Atraphaxis spinosa (1.36+ 0.10) were also significantly higher compared with the control area (0.43+ 0.07) and (0.58+ 0.9) respectively.

Authors:

• S. Rasekhinia
• S. Aghanajafizadeh
• K. Eslami

Keywords:

• Persian Ground Jay
• Habitat variables
• Iran.

References:

[1] Dayanim, A., Baloutch, M. "Ecologie et répartition de Podoces pleskei
Iran". Iranian Journal of Natural Resources, vol 38, pp. 27-32, 1985.
[2] Hamedanian, A, "A preliminary survey of the Pleske's Ground Jay
(Podoces pleskei) ecology and biology in Yazd province". BSc thesis,
Natural resources faculty, Gorgan University of Agriculture and natural
resources. 1990.
[3] Hamedanian A. "Observation of leskes Ground Jay Podoces pleskei in central Iran". Sandgrouse vol 19, Issue 2, pp. 88-91, 1997.
[4] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, IUCN. http://www.IUCNredlist.org. 2011.
[5] Levene, H. I., Olkin, S., Ghurey, W., Hoefding, W., Madow, H., Mann(EDS), Contributions to probability and statistics: Essay in Honor
of Harold Hotelling. Stanford. pp. 278-292. 1960.
[6] Martin, T.E., Geupel , G.R. "Nest-monitoring plots: methods for locating nests and monitoring success". J. Field Ornithol. Vol 64, Issue
4, pp 507-519, 1993.
[7] Radnezhad, H., Satei, N, Kaboli., M et al . "Breeding ecology of the
Iranian ground jay (Podoces pleskei)". African Journal of Biotechnology
Vol 10, Issue 21, pp. 4494-4500, 2011.
[8] Satei, N., Kaboli, M., Cheraghi, S et al. "Breeding Activities and
Success of Pleske's Ground Jay Podoces pleskei in Touran Biosphere
Reserve, Semnan Province, Iran". Podoces, Vol 5, Issue 1, pp. 35-41,2010.
[9] Zar, j. H, Bio statistical analysis. New Jersey, 1996, 662pp.