測試以一種簡單且非侵入性的方式監測台灣高雄市區的家燕繁殖

Testing a simple and non-intrusive method for monitoring the breeding season of barn swallows in an urban area in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

包括台灣在內，公民科學家對生物多樣性的監測在世界各地不斷增加。我們提出了一種簡單且非侵入性的方式監測城市的燕子生態，非常適合全國學生或公民科學計畫。在2019年，我們持續監測了台灣高雄市區57個家燕（Hirundo rustica）巢穴的繁殖物候和成功情況。在整個繁殖季節，我們使用最少的設備（黏在長棍上的鏡子、手電筒、筆和紙）來調查巢內的蛋、雛鳥和幼鳥。在46個活躍巢穴中，分別有21個和25個巢穴與一次或兩次繁殖嘗試相關。兩個產蛋高峰期分別發生在4月和5月上旬至6月上旬。第1次和第2次繁殖嘗試的平均窩卵分別為4.1枚蛋和3.8枚蛋，平均幼鳥數量分別為1.8隻和1.3隻。整體幼鳥離巢成功率為40.8%。雛鳥數量與幼烏數量呈正相關（r2 = 0.46）。這項前導研究的主要結果顯示，但凡燕巢可接近，硏究人員只需極少的訓練和最少的設備；並且投入適度的時間和精力，就可以對城市裡的燕子族群進行長期監測。根據上述結論，我們建議實施全國性城市燕子監測網絡。其益處有許多，例如產生有關繁殖物候和繁殖成功的有用數據，並且還可以吸引更多人成為公民科學家，並教育人們有關舄類生態系統服務的知識。

Monitoring of biodiversity with citizen scientists is increasing worldwide, including Taiwan. We present a simple and non-intrusive method for monitoring urban swallows that is ideal for nationwide student or citizen science monitoring projects. In 2019, we continuously monitored the breeding phenology and success of 57 barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) nests in an urban district in Kaohsiung City, southern Taiwan. We used minimal equipment (mirror on stick, flashlight, pen, and paper) to survey the eggs, nestlings, and fledglings inside the nests during the entire breeding season. Among the 46 active nests, 21 and 25 nests were associated with one or two breeding attempts, respectively. The two peaks of egg-laying occurred in April and from early to mid- May until early June. The mean clutch size for the first and second breeding attempt was 4.1 eggs and 3.8 eggs, respectively, and the mean fledgling number was 1.8 and 1.3 fledglings, respectively. The overall fledgling success rate was 40.8%. The number of nestlings correlated positively with the number of fledglings (r2= 0.46). The main result of this pilot study is that it is possible to conduct long-term monitoring of urban swallow populations with little training and minimal equipment and only a moderate investment of time and effort as long as the nests are accessible. We suggest that the implementation of a nationwide monitoring network of urban swallows would have several benefits, such as useful data on breeding phenology and breeding success, but also to entice more people to become citizen scientists and to educate people about the ecosystem services of birds.