Nest plant selection of the Andaman Crake Rallina canning, Andaman Islands, India

Abstract

A study was conducted on the nesting preference of Andaman Crake, a rare and endemic bird of the Andaman Island, on 151 plants belonging to 21 species and 12 families during the year 2004-2005, at Pathilevel, North Andaman. A total of 155 nests was recorded. Four plant species contributed 72.12%of the nest trees, the rest 27.88%. The Andaman Crake preferred five species, namely Tetrameles nudiflora (E = 0.84), Pterocarpus dalbergioides (E = 0.63), Terminalia bialata (E = 0.53), Pterygota alata (E = 0.83), and Celtis timorensis (E = 0.68), of which the first two were most preferred. It is possible that the Andaman Crake may prefer the architectural disposition of the trees with large buttresses to locate their nests.