Abstract: By the method of line transect, a bird survey was conducted in the Caohai Nature Reserve of Guizhou Province from December 2010 to January 2011. Habitats were classified into six catalogues, i.e. farmland, vegetable land, grassland, low water area, deep water area and woods. A total of 88 bird species was recorded, which belonged to 33 families and 13 orders. Among the bird species recorded, 1 species was in the GradeⅠnational key protected birds and 6 species was in the Grade Ⅱ, respectively. The overall density (D), 〖WTBX〗α 〖WTBZ〗diversity index (H′), predominant index (〖WTBX〗C〖WTBZ〗) and evenness (〖WTBX〗J〖WTBZ〗) of the avian communities were 12.14 ind·hm-2, 2.98, 0.91 and 0.67, and the species, 〖WTBX〗D〖WTBZ〗, 〖WTBX〗H′〖WTBZ〗, 〖WTBX〗C 〖WTBZ〗and 〖WTBX〗J〖WTBZ〗 were 27～35 species, 3.93～33.76 ind·hm-2, 1.61～2.78, 0.41～0.91 and 0.48～0.79, respectively. The Jaccard similarity index(〖WTBX〗Cj〖WTBZ〗) of low water area-deep water area was the highest (0.667) while that of deep water area-woods was the lowest (0.016), and the Bray-Curtis index (〖WTBX〗CN〖WTBZ〗) of woods-vegetable land was the highest (0.006 8) while that of low water area-deep water area was the lowest (0.001 4). Increment from population and urbanization development brought about the loss of avian habitats in Caohai, and disturbance from human had impacts on the avian diversity. Eco-compensation measures were recommended to practice for better management in Caohai.

Key words: avian community composition, avian community structure, diversity, nature reserve