Behavior Development of Captive Crested\nIbis Nestlings in Beijing Zoo,China

Abstract

We used scan and focal sampling methods to quantify the behavioral development of 10 nestlings of captive crested ibis(Nipponia nippon)in Beijing Zoo,China in May to August 2014 and May to August 2015.We summarized the ethogram of crested ibis nestlings,and recorded the time point that every behavior first occurred as nestlings grew.The proportion of resting was more than 46.87% as the main behavior of nestlings during their first 10-16 days.The time budget of resting was very significantly negative correlated with increasing age(P<0.01).The time budgets for standing,walking and preening were significantly positively correlated with increasing age(P<0.01).Groveling behavior increased during their first 7 days,and then declined with the increase of crouching and standing behavior.The nestlings could defecate outside the nest by groveling the upper body and raising their tails by 4 days of age.This behavior may be serve a hygienic function.We describe the hiding food behavior and washing food behavior of crested ibis nestlings,these behaviors could be hereditary or could be learned from other nestlings.