The bird communities of a natural secondary forest and a Lophostemon confertus plantation in Hong Kong, South China

The avifaunas of a 30-40-year-old secondary forest and a 25-30-year-old Lop hostemon confertus plantation were compared using the point count method ov er 1 year. Similar total numbers of bird species were recorded in the secon dary forest (44 spp.) and the plantation (46 spp.) but many of those in the plantation were typical of non-forest habitats in Hong Kong and the number of forest-associated species was higher in the secondary forest. The mean total bird density in the secondary forest (44.5 ha(-1)) was much higher th an in the plantation (12.4 ha(-1)). The Great Tit Parus major, Light-vented Bulbul Pycnonotus chinensis and Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonica were the three most abundant species at both the sites but their mean annual de nsities were all much higher in the secondary forest. There were relatively more granivores and insectivores and fewer insectivore-frugivores in the p lantation. Twelve species were confirmed breeding in the secondary forest a nd none in the plantation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.