Abstract: Abstract: The acclimation of captive Crested Ibises was conducted in a reintroduction experiment station in Yangxian County of Shaanxi Province during July and October of 2004 and 2005 before the birds were released to the natural habitat. A big cage was built in the release site for the acclimation, and in the cage there were feed and roost habitats for wild ibis. The birds displayed fear, and couldn't roost in trees and feed in the rice field on the first day after they were transferred into the cage. In the acclimation process, the ibises could gradually adapt to roosting and foraging habitats, and improve flight and alert abilities. The ibises exhibited significant difference in selecting rice field or marsh for feeding, and different rhythm of diurnal behaviors between early and late period of the acclimation. Parent-rearing juveniles, puppet-rearing juveniles, and captive adults exhibited no significant difference in selecting feeding habitats. However, adults showed better adaptation to rice field while young birds shifted more smoothly from perch to tree roost sites. Moreover, it was also important to properly mount transmitter and reduce disturbance for the successful acclimation of Creasted Ibis.

Key words: Crested Ibis, reintroduction, acclimating, Yangxian, parent-rearing, puppet-rearing