Habitat select of brooding blue-eared Pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum) in gannan forest, Northwest China

The brood habitat of Blue-eared Pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum) was investigated in Gahai-zecha Nature Reserve in Gansu Province from 2007 to 2008. Total of 33 sites used by the pheasant were located. Twelve habitat factors associated those used sites and 52 random plots were examined in the whole study area. Comparing with random plots, Mann-Whitney U and Independent Sample t-test indicated that usage sites were characterized by denser tree and moss, higher tree, wider trunk, and lower height and cover of grass. By principle components analysis, tree diameter, moss cover, slope aspect and grass height were critically factors to discriminate usage sites and random plots. Our results indicated habitat selection of this pheasant was mainly related to concealment and food resource.