본 연구는 백로류 집단번식지의 보호 및 관리에 대한 기초자료를 제공하기 위하여 2005년도 번식기에 전라남도 전역을 대상으로 번식지의 분포, 번식조류 종류 및 개체수에 대한 센서스를 실시하고 백희류 생태에 중요한 번식지 특성을 파악하였다. 센서스 결과 집단번식지는 총 17개소, 번식종류는 6종이 확인되었으며 왜가리와 중대백로가 가장 많은 지 역(각각 92%)에서, 가장 많은 수(36.3%, 31.0%)가 번식하는 것으로 나타났다. 번식지 식생은 대나무 군락이 53.3%로 가장 많았다. 번식지 면적은 평균 $2,346m^2(500{sim}7,000m^2)$, 가까운 두 번식지간 거리는 평균 $18.1km(5.6{sim}40.4km)$, 번식지와 마을간 거 리는 평균 $297m(10{sim}2,000m)$, 번식지 경사도는 평균 $18^{circ}(2^{circ}{sim}40^{circ})$이었으며 번식지 사면방향은 동쪽이 40.0%로 가장 많았다.
To provide some ecological information on protection and management of the mixed heronries, their distribution, breeding species and individual numbers, and site characteristics, which may be important to heron ecology, were investigated in Jeollanam-do during the 2005 breeding season. As a result of this census, 17 mixed heronries, containing a total of six ardeid species were found. Among those species, Great Egret (Egretta alba) and Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) were found to breed in most sites (both 92%) and were most numerous (36.3%, 31.0% respectively). Many of the heronries (53.3%) were located within the bamboo forest. Other site characteristics were as follows: the mean area dimension of heronry was $2,346m^2$ with the range of $500{sim}7,000m^2$ the mean distance between the two nearest heronries was 18.1km with the range of $5.6{sim}40.4km$ the mean distance to the nearest village was 297m with the range of $10{sim}2,000m$ the mean gradient of the topography was $18^{circ}$ with the range of $2^{circ}{sim}40^{circ}$, and 40.0% of the heronries were located in the eastern slopes.
