An Observation of Feeding Behavior of Bamboo Partridge in Captivity

This work deals with the feeding behavior of Bamboo Partridge (Bambusicola fytchii fytchii) in captivity from Feb.-June,1989.Their daily feeding activities occur all day,but there are two peaks of feeding one day,one is from 7 AM to 11 AM,the other is from 5 to 7 PM.In later one,the highest peak appears from 5-6 PM.The daily feeding activities are related to temperature,humidity and illumination.When it is clouded,raining or cold birds start to feed obviously late.The frequence of feeding activity decrease when luminance is strong and temperature is high at noon of sunny day.The statistics analysis of attacking index shows that there is a peck order in the group of one male and three females.The social hierarchy is corresponded with the peck order,the male is the first,three femals are separatly the second,third and fouth.The feeding order in a food trough is the same as the peck order.and the amount of time spending in feeding is no remarkable difference with the feeding order.It has been estimated that the reason is that the food is available enough to all birds in captivity.The results of regression analysis indicate:The time which the birds spend in countship feeding is related positivly to the total time of birds spending on the ground,the time of preening and other countship behaviors,and is related negativly to the time which the birds spend in attackig.The main factors which affect the daily feeding activities of Bamboo Partridge are the total time birds spending on the ground,the time of resting,walking and drinking.The longer time the Bamboo Partridge spends on the ground,the more time the birds spend in feeding.This sltuation corrosponds to the ecological habits that Bamboo Partridge feeds mainly on the ground.