Table 6 Definitions of seven behaviors observed in wintering whooper swans at Sanmenxia Wetland in western Henan Province, China61.
Behavior category | Behavior explanation |
---|---|
Vigilance | With a head-up posture, scanning or staring at the surrounding environment (looking at the source of strong interference); occasionally rotating the head |
Fighting | Chasing, spreading wings, and biting |
Preening | Using the beak to tidy up feathers around the body, flapping and spreading wings, rolling in water to bath, and cleaning the feet, etc. |
Resting | Standing still or taking a rest. When resting, the head usually turns back, and the front end of the beak hides underneath the wings. Occasionally raising the head when alerted, then continuing to rest |
Calling | Giving ‘hour’ or ‘ho-ho’ like calls |
Locomotion | Including flying, swimming in water, and walking on land or ice |
Foraging | Including foraging on land, filtering food with the beak on the water surface, and searching for food underwater |