南非克鲁格斯多普禁猎区珠鸡的社群组织

1982年3月至1984年2月,在南非豪登省的克鲁格斯多普禁猎区(Krugersdorp Game Reserve),通过翼标观察对珠鸡(Numida meleagris)的社群组织进行了研究.珠鸡必须以社群的方式才能在野外存活,而集群(7-10只珠鸡)并非随机组成.地位最高的雄鸟(雄鸟A)是群体日常活动的核心,例如决定觅食方向等.地位较高的雄鸟(雄鸟A和B)密切协作以驱赶闯入者.在繁殖期,繁殖雌鸟与高地位雄鸟的结合更为紧密.尽管雄鸟中存在明显的等级差异,但群内争斗频率很低,这些争斗只是在维系群体稳定时才发生.雌性成鸟始终位于优势雄鸟和亚成体之间,以免受天敌伤害.但优势雄鸟与其配偶暂时离开群体进行繁殖时,次优势雄鸟(雄鸟B)成为集群中心,其余个体聚集在其周围以保持集群的稳定.大多数成鸟都协助抚育优势雄鸟的雏鸟.珠鸡的集群具有监视天敌的作用,以保障其在地表植被有限的环境中觅食并在冬季最大限度地获得食物.

Social organization of a flock of Helmeted Guineafowl(Numida meleagris)at the Krugersdorp Game Reserve,South Africa

The social organization of marked Helmeted Guineafowl(Numida meleagris)was studied in the Krugersdorp Game Reserve(Gauteng Province,South Africa)during March 1982 to February 1984.Flock members(7-10 guineafowl)did not associate randomly.Helmeted Guineafowl must live in a sociable flock to survive in the wild.The highest ranking male(male A)formed the pivot of the daily activities of the flock,such as determining foraging direction.High ranking males(males A and B)associated closely to repulse conspecific intruders.Breeding females associated more often with the high ranking males during the breeding season.Although a pecking order was established among males,the frequency of agonistic actions within the flock was very low,which suggests that agonistic interactions are limited to maintain cohesion.Adult females remained between the dominant male and the juveniles to minimize victimization.The second highest ranking male(B)took center stage while the dominant male and his female left temporarily to breed and then the rest of the flock clustered around him to maintain the cohesive nature of the flock.Most adults assisted with the brooding of the chicks of the highest ranking male.Flocking is,among other functions,a predator surveillance strategy that enables the Helmeted Guineafowl to forage under conditions with very limited ground cover and to maximize food finding during winter.