Breeding Observations of White-Eared Night-Herons (Gorsachius magnificus) in Artificial Forests of Southern China

White-eared Night-Herons (Gorsachius magnificus) have been observed throughout their range, but their life history is still poorly understood, especially breeding parameters prior to 2007. This study was conducted on the breeding parameters of White-eared Night-Herons, from April 2009 to July 2015, in two artificial forests of southern China. All nests were located on two crossing branches of Masson's pine (Pinus massoniana) with altitudes ranging from 123-248 m. Most (88.9%; n = 18) White-eared Night-Heron pairs began breeding in March and completed breeding in July. They consistently laid three eggs, hatching on average 2.88 +/- 0.49 (n = 17; Range = 1-3) nestlings and fledging on average of 2.17 +/- 1.38 (n = 18; Range = 0-3) fledglings per nest. Tree felling and human disturbance were the two most important factors influencing the breeding success of White-eared Night-Herons in the artificial forests. These results suggest that White-eared Night-Herons have a strong adaptability in breeding behavior in pine trees of artificial forests.