Preliminary Observation on Lophophorus scalateri in Mountain Gaoligongshan

With the methods of call-listening,and counting feces in fixedwidth transects,and food plants in fixedsize quadrats,we tried to collect data on call patterns,range,and diet in Lophophorus scalateri at Mt.Gaoligongshan at west Yunnan in a period from April to June,or its beeding season.The species is endemic to the Eastern Himalayas,poorly known,and highly threatened.The elevation-belt of 3400-3600,where the cover was dominated by the bamboo,Fargesiu orbiculata,(sometimes mixed with few Rhododendron sinogande) with a few patches of grass-lands set in,was freguently used by the pheasant in the seacon according to its calls produced by males.Only one male was found in each valley-branch.A female appeared with fledglings in 23 May.The peak period of calls was between 11:00-17:00 h.The bird fed mainly on Frotillaria cirrhossa,Allium wallichii,Aralia apioides,Notopteryum forrestii,Lilium sou-liei,and Climtonia udensis etc.,both the parts above and under the ground.This observation is the first step for a proposed long-term project of ecological monitoring in the reserve known as one of the richest area in biodiversity in China.