A habitat model for the Japanese Night Heron Gorsachius goisagi in the West Mikawa area of Aichi Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

In order to conserve the threatened Japanese Night Heron Gorsachius goisagi, a habitat model was established based on surveys in the West Mikawa area of Aichi Prefecture. Using presence or absence data as an objective variable, we generated a logistic regression model with seven environmental variables as explanatory variables. The best model revealed that precipitation and the number of abandoned rice fields were positively related with occurrence. Such habitat was considered to provide large amount of food resources such as crabs and earthworms, and preferable nesting trees such as broad-leaf trees. The same model showed that forestry plantations were negatively related with occurrence.