Bird Species Diversity of Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve in Spring

The study aimed at understanding bird diversity status and setting for a reasonably habitat management strategy in Helan Mountains during spring by transect lines methods from April to May in 2008. The results indicated that 43 bird species,which belong to 7 orders and 20 families,were recorded during this survey. These bird species contributed 3. 26% of the total number of national avifauna,and 14. 44% of the whole avian species of Ningxia Hui Autonomous region. Among them,32 species distribute in the Palaeartic realm,and 11 species distribute widely. We found no species that belong to Oriental realm in the survey. Our data suggested that 30 species are residents,7 species are summer migrants,3 species are winter migrants,2 species are passing migrants and 1 species is straggler bird. Species that inhabit the montane conifer forest( 24 species) were more abundant than montane woodland steppe( 22 species),montane grassland( 13 species),subalpine shrubland meadow( 11 species) and wetland( 7 species). Two bird species are listed as a categoryⅠspecies under the Wild Animal Protection Law by the Chinese government,and 7 species are listed as a category Ⅱspecies.