Abstract: To understand the dynamic changes of bird species and numbers and the habitat status of birds in Guangdong Nanling National Nature Reserve, we surveyed 11 bird monitoring lines in April, July and October 2017. The results are: 1) 89 species were recorded (11 orders and 27 families), of which 61 species of 15 families in the passeriformes. The frequency of discovery was 888 times, and the number of records was 3367. Hemixoscastanonotus, Alcippemorrisonia, Dendrocittaformosae and Leiothrixlutea were in the top five. 2) The majority were resident birds, a total of 61 species, accounting for 68.5%; 15 species were summer migrants, accounting for 16.9%; 7 species of migrant birds, accounting for 7.9%; and 6 species of winter migrants, accounting for 6.7%. The composition of the bird fauna was dominated by Oriental-boundary bird species, totaling 62 species, accounting for 69.7%; 19 species widely distributed, accounting for 21.3%; and 8 species of ancient north species, accounting for 9.0%. 3) April is the active period of bird breeding in the Nanling Mountains, and it was also the month that recorded the most bird species and the largest number of birds. Among the 11 sample lines, Xiangsikeng, Lutian, Hengshui, Nanmu, Zeziping, Dianshitai and Diyifeng have a higher Shannon Wiener index compared to Yikeng, Xiandong, Danganchong and Zhuao. 4) According to altitude and vegetation type, bird communities can be divided into four categories: coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests (low elevation), evergreen broad-leaved forests, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forests (high elevation) and mountaintop trollies. In the 300~1 500 m coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest and the evergreen broad-leaved forest, there was no great difference in the habitat of the bird community. The dominant species were Hemixoscastanonotus, Alcippemorrisonia and Dendrocittaformosaeetc. However, the habitat of high-altitude hilltop coppice (1300~1800 m) was obviously different, the common species were Leiothrixlutea, Stachyrisruficeps, Trochalopteronmilnei, Garrulaxmaesi and Alcippemorrisonia of Timaliidae and Phyllergatescuculatus, Seicercusvalentini, Seicercuscastaniceps and Phylloscopusreguloides of Sylviidae. It is recommended to establish a Nanling bird diversity monitoring network and evaluation system to use long-term bird monitoring data, such as species changes and population fluctuations, as indicators for evaluating the ecological environment quality of protected areas.

Key words: the Nanling Mountains, bird diversity, nature reserve