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International Journal of Marine Science 2013, Vol.3, No.25, 193-200
http://ijms.sophiapublisher.com
198
Table 5 Population of breeding species in Khan (Morghu) 2008-2012 and 1975
Breeding Species
Scott 1975 pairs 2008pairs
2009pairs
2010pairs
2011pairs
2012pairs
Western Reef Heron
Egretta gularis
0
15
45
77
67
72
Spoonbill
Platalea lecurodia
12
0
0
0
0
0
Crab Plover
Dromas ardeola
0
5
0
0
0
0
White-checked
Tern Sterna repressa
65
65
35
12
0
12
Swift Tern
Sterna bergii
40
2,500
1,396
676
0
920
Lesser Cressted
TernSterna bengalensis
300
1,500
4,345
4,255
1,500
1,230
Bridled Tern
Sterna anaethetus
5,500
0
0
0
-
325
Caspian Tern
Sterna Caspia
0
150
0
35
145
15
Gull-billed Tern
Sterna nilotica
0
0
0
0
0
5
Total
5,917
4,235
5,821
5,055
735
2,579
Figure 7 Breeding population of birds in Khan (Morghu)
2008-2012 and 1975
Figure 8 Breeding places of Birds on Khan (Morghu) Island
2008-2012
population (Figure 7). Spoonbill bred in Khan in 1975
but it neither occurred nor bred in Khan or in the other
three islands in 2008-2012. There were only 5
breeding pairs of Crab Plover in 2008 in this island. In
1975, 4 species of terns and the Spoonbill bred there,
and in 2008-2012 six species of terns and the Western
Reef Heron bred in Khan, in fact, the Spoonbill was
replaced by the Western Reef Heron in 2008-2012.
The Caspian Tern breed only in Khan among the four
islands. The maximum breeding population of this
species was 145 pairs in 2011. The breeding
population of this species is low in the Persian Gulf
islands. May be an approximate number for the
species can be given, with a reference.
2.3.4 Breeding species on Tahmadon
Nine species of birds were observed in Tahmadon in
2008-2012. All species were waterbirds. There were
no breeding species of birds in Tahmadon since
2008-2012. There is not any official report of breeding
of birds in this island, but local people information
shows many tern species have nested in this island
before 2004. In 2004 a Pair of Golden Jackals
Canis
aureus
entered the island during low tide (this island
is located about 500 m from the mainland and water
depth during low tide is about 50 cm, and these
animals could swim and enter the island) and likely
disturbed the breeding birds. The game guard of the
Department of the Environment of Bushehr removed
the Golden Jackal in 2005, but the birds did not return
to the Tahmadon for breeding.
2.4 Breeding time table of birds in the islands
Breeding bird species arrival to the islands starts in
early April continuing to early May (except Western
Reef Heron, which arrives to the island on mid-March,
egg lying starts in late March), egg lying begins in
early May and all species leave the island on September.
There are a few migratory species of waterbirds in
autumn and winter in these islands (Table 6).
The colony of Terns is located in the three flowing
environment in these islands:
Sand dunes beaches facing the sea (Lesser Crested and
Swift Terns, Figure 2, 4 and 6).
Central part of islands covered by Halophyte
vegetation (more than 3 0% by Bridled Tern, Figure 1)
and without vegetation (White-cheeked Tern).
2.5 Species with important population proportions
(1% or more of population).
Table 7 shows the breeding species of birds with
populations at or over 1% (the threshold level of the