Nest Success and Brood Habitat Selection of the Northern Bobwhite in Southeast Iowa

Nest Success and Brood Habitat Selection of the Northern Bobwhite in Southeast Iowa PDF Author: Lisa M. Potter
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ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 238

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Book Description
The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is one of the most popular upland games species in North America, and in turn has been a focus of game management and research from as early as the 1920s. However, bobwhite populations continue to decline throughout their geographic range. The cumulative effects of advanced succession and monoculture farming are often cited as a primary cause of range wide declines. As productivity may be one of the most important factors associated with changes in population size, identifying and managing quality nesting and brood habitats is vital to reversing the steady downward trend in bobwhite populations. In 2003 and 2004, we compared nest success and brood habitat selection of radiotagged bobwhite between a managed and unmanaged (private) landscape in southeastern Iowa. Using program MARK, we estimated daily nest survival with the best approximating model that included an area and year effect only. The daily survival rate in 2003 was higher within the managed area (managed: 1.00, SE = 0.00; private: 0.953, SE = 0.023), whereas 2004 daily survival rates were similar between sites (managed: 0.969, SE = 0.011; private: 0.964, SE = 0.011). Microhabitat characteristics, landscape composition and configuration within 210 m of a nest, and applied management techniques did not have a measurable effect on nest success. At both the home range and patch scale, broods on the managed and private study areas used habitat types differently. At the home range scale, broods on the private area simply selected for all habitat types not in row crop production, while broods on the managed area selected for habitats with early successional habitat characteristics and showed an avoidance of timber patches. At the patch scale, broods 2-weeks of age on the managed area selected for early successional habitats. At 4 weeks of age, broods showed only an avoidance of timber patches. There was no statistical evidence for brood habitat selection at the patch scale on the private study area. The percent of forb canopy cover within a habitat patch was a significant predictor of brood use, as were fields burned the previous year.

Nest Success and Brood Habitat Selection of the Northern Bobwhite in Southeast Iowa

Nest Success and Brood Habitat Selection of the Northern Bobwhite in Southeast Iowa PDF Author: Lisa M. Potter
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 238

Get Book Here

Book Description
The northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is one of the most popular upland games species in North America, and in turn has been a focus of game management and research from as early as the 1920s. However, bobwhite populations continue to decline throughout their geographic range. The cumulative effects of advanced succession and monoculture farming are often cited as a primary cause of range wide declines. As productivity may be one of the most important factors associated with changes in population size, identifying and managing quality nesting and brood habitats is vital to reversing the steady downward trend in bobwhite populations. In 2003 and 2004, we compared nest success and brood habitat selection of radiotagged bobwhite between a managed and unmanaged (private) landscape in southeastern Iowa. Using program MARK, we estimated daily nest survival with the best approximating model that included an area and year effect only. The daily survival rate in 2003 was higher within the managed area (managed: 1.00, SE = 0.00; private: 0.953, SE = 0.023), whereas 2004 daily survival rates were similar between sites (managed: 0.969, SE = 0.011; private: 0.964, SE = 0.011). Microhabitat characteristics, landscape composition and configuration within 210 m of a nest, and applied management techniques did not have a measurable effect on nest success. At both the home range and patch scale, broods on the managed and private study areas used habitat types differently. At the home range scale, broods on the private area simply selected for all habitat types not in row crop production, while broods on the managed area selected for habitats with early successional habitat characteristics and showed an avoidance of timber patches. At the patch scale, broods 2-weeks of age on the managed area selected for early successional habitats. At 4 weeks of age, broods showed only an avoidance of timber patches. There was no statistical evidence for brood habitat selection at the patch scale on the private study area. The percent of forb canopy cover within a habitat patch was a significant predictor of brood use, as were fields burned the previous year.

Effects of Prescribed Fire on Northern Bobwhite Nest Success and Breeding Season Habitat Selection

Effects of Prescribed Fire on Northern Bobwhite Nest Success and Breeding Season Habitat Selection PDF Author: Sarah Byrnes Rosche
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 64

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Annual Report

Annual Report PDF Author: Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Fisheries
Languages : en
Pages : 62

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Nesting and Brood Ecology of Northern Bobwhite in Northern Bobwhnite Conservation Areas of Central Arkansas

Nesting and Brood Ecology of Northern Bobwhite in Northern Bobwhnite Conservation Areas of Central Arkansas PDF Author: Jacob A. Cowan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Birds
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
I radio collared and monitored 90 bobwhites on 15 privately-owned fields in Searcy County in 2008 and 2009. Twenty nests were located and nest success was compared between nests located in hayfields and non-hayfields. Vegetation was compared between nest sites and reference locations to characterize nesting habitat. Vegetation and invertebrate abundance were compared between sites in which broods foraged and reference sites in order to characterize brood-rearing habitat. Finally, I compared thermal characteristics between sites in which bobwhites foraged and reference sites. I intended to assess the ability of bobwhite restoration lands to supply nesting and brood-rearing habitat. I developed models which described nesting and brood-rearing habitat and used this model to classify vegetation samples from restoration areas as either one of the two habitat types or as unsuitable for either activity. A discriminant function used to discriminate between nest sites, foraging sites and unusable habitat correctly classified 68% of foraging sites, 75% of nest sites, 50% of transit sites, and 12% of reference sites. Sixty-five percent of restoration area samples were classified as foraging sites, 10% as nest sites and 25% as unusable. Although the discriminant function identified foraging and nesting habitat on restoration areas, bobwhite seldom used any of the restoration areas during the breeding season. Thus, restoration efforts appear to be ineffective in providing suitable habitat for breeding bobwhites. Low invertebrate biomass and abundance on restoration areas may play a role in lack of use by bobwhite. In restoration areas, habitat similar to nesting habitat was produced 2-4 years after burning of disking. Breeding habitat for bobwhites should contain both nesting and foraging habitat. Thus, management practices should provide both nesting and foraging habitat, with a majority of foraging habitat. As many of the fields that were heavily used by bobwhite were lightly to moderately grazed, I conclude that grazing at that level may be an appropriate management tool for bobwhite.

Northern Bobwhite Survival, Nesting Success, Home Range and Habitat Use in a Center Pivot Dominated Agricultural Landscape

Northern Bobwhite Survival, Nesting Success, Home Range and Habitat Use in a Center Pivot Dominated Agricultural Landscape PDF Author: Daymond Wayne Hughes
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bobwhites
Languages : en
Pages : 78

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Commencement

Commencement PDF Author: Iowa State University
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Commencement ceremonies
Languages : en
Pages : 488

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Nesting, Brood Habitat, and Utilization of Planted Food Plots by Northern Bobwhite in East Texas

Nesting, Brood Habitat, and Utilization of Planted Food Plots by Northern Bobwhite in East Texas PDF Author: David Scott Parsons
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Birds
Languages : en
Pages : 232

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Wildlife Abstracts

Wildlife Abstracts PDF Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Animals
Languages : en
Pages : 826

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Master's Theses Directories

Master's Theses Directories PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Dissertations, Academic
Languages : en
Pages : 306

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"Education, arts and social sciences, natural and technical sciences in the United States and Canada".

Lesser Prairie-chicken Reproductive Success, Habitat Selection, and Response to Trees

Lesser Prairie-chicken Reproductive Success, Habitat Selection, and Response to Trees PDF Author: Joseph Mark Lautenbach
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) is a species of prairie grouse native to the southwest Great Plains. Population declines and threats to populations of lesser prairie-chickens led U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the species as "threatened" under the protection of the Endangered Species Act in May 2014. Lesser prairie-chickens are found within three distinct ecoregions of Kansas and Colorado and portions of the species' range are affected by tree encroachment into grasslands. The effect of trees on lesser prairie-chickens is poorly understood. I evaluated habitat selection and reproductive success and across the northern portion of the species' range. I captured female lesser prairie-chickens within the three different ecoregions in Kansas and Colorado to track nest and brood survival and measure nest and brood habitat. My findings show that there are regional and annual variations in nest and brood survival. Mean nest survival during 2013 and 2014 was estimated to be 0.388 (95% CI = 0.343 - 0.433) for a 35-day exposure period. Brood survival during 2013 and 2014 was estimated to be 0.316 (95% CI = 0.184 - 0.457) for 56 days. Chick survival was the lowest during the first week of life and is probably a limiting factor for population growth. Chick and brood survival decreased as Julian hatch date increased. Across the northern portion of the species' range, females consistently select visual obstruction between 2-3 dm. Vegetation at the nest changes between regions and years to reflect environmental and regional conditions. Broods consistently selected habitats with greater percent cover of forbs than was expected at random across all study sites. Broods also selected against areas of bare ground. The threshold of lesser prairie-chicken use was 2 trees/ha throughout the year. No nests were located within areas with greater densities. Lesser prairie-chickens had a greater probability of use at greater distances from trees and at lower tree densities. To provide adequate nesting habitat managers should provide 2-3 dm of visual obstruction. Providing forb cover with visual obstruction between 2.5-5 dm near nesting habitat should provide adequate habitat for broods. Removing trees in core habitats and expand removal efforts outward should expand potential habitat for lesser prairie-chickens.