1996; Hardcover;185x260mm;546
The Series is compiled by the comprehensive scientific expedition to the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Chinese academy of Sciences.
During the expedition, 3472 specimens were collected combined with the literature records. The bird fauna of this area totaled up to 585 species and 55 subspecies belonging to 61 families, 19 orders. Among them, 474 species accounting for 81.8% of all the species are breeding birds (356 resident birds 118 summer migrants); the other 18.2% birds of the area are migrants and wintering migrants.
The fauna of breeding birds, for instance, are composed of 271 oriental species, 73 palearctic species, 101 endemic species and 84 species, which is distributed in both palearctic and oriental realm, these account for 57.2% in this area, More than half of the species in the area are the oriental ones that cans the overall bird fauna of the Henduanshan Mountainous Area shoud be considered as the component of oriental realms.
This book is classified as two parts: general account and systematic account. General account: Natural environment; Geographic distribution specified by habiat distribution and vertical distribution in the area. Characteristic analysis of the specific composition in bird, the complexity of fauna, also the aspects of the obviously vertical distribution, the mingling of the birds from south, north Dan the differentiation center of the subspecies in some species. The origin and formation of the fauna from the abounded ancjent components due to the relatively stable geologic history, we pay more emphasis on the remaining phenomenon of the Palearctic components in this Area. All these reveal the fact that no severe zoological changes in glacial epoch, therefor; this area became the shelter for some groups of birds. Meanwhile this area may be the originative place for the Tertian ancient tropical animals and southeastern animals. It can be classified geologically as five subregions: northwestern Sichuan; western Sichuan and eastern Tibet, southwestern Sichuan; northwestern Guizhou, Chayu and Tengchong. This part also discusses the conversation and assessment of the bird resources.
Systematic account: species are described in detail, including scientific names, original literatures, synonymous, morphological characterizes, localities, ecology and habitats measurements, taxonomic discussions and finally the geographical distribution etc. All the descriptions are made from the specimens collected by the authors. An investigative table of birds and plates in color or black-white are also given in the book This book will be served as the base of the further research of the birds in Hengduanshan mountainous Area.
