Abstract: From March to October 2009, an investigation was made on the characteristics of nests and eggs as well as the nestling growth pattern of Egretta alba alba in Ebinur (Aibi Lake) of Xinjiang. The thickness of E. alba alba nest fundus was greater than nest depth (t=6.06, P<0.01), and the outside diameter of the nests was greater than inside diameter (t=21.53, P<0.01), which guaranteed the nest stability and reduced the probability of nestling falling off the nests. The clutch size was 3-5 eggs (3.86±0.69), with the egg weight and cubage being 44.00-60.00 (53.94±3.96) g and 47.18-62.00 (55.19±4.09) cm³, respectively. Two parent birds were responsible for the incubation (26-28 d) and parents care (55-60 d). Gompertz equation was used to fit the 26-day-old growth pattern of 13 nestlings in 4 nests, which showed that the nestling growth could be divided into three phases. First, the organs of nestling came into being and the growth rate was going to increase. Second, as a phase of matter accumulation, the growth rate had a great increase and gradually transited to mid-rate. Third, matter consumption gradually exceeded matter accumulation, and young birds began to fly.

Key words: Forest landscape boundary, Changbai Mountain, GIS, RS