Author: Steven Scot MerchantPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Birds
Languages : en
Pages : 124
Book Description
Habitat-use, Reproductive Success, and Survival of Female Lesser Prairie Chickens in Two Years of Contrasting Weather
Author: Steven Scot MerchantPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Birds
Languages : en
Pages : 124
Book Description
Ecology and Conservation of Lesser Prairie-Chickens
Author: David A. HaukosPublisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1482240238
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
Shortlisted for the 2018 TWS Wildlife Publication Awards in the edited book categoryLesser Prairie-Chickens have experienced substantial declines in terms of population and the extent of area that they occupy. While they are an elusive species, making it difficult at times to monitor them, current evidence indicates that they have been persistently
The North American Grouse: Their Biology and Behavior
Author: Paul JohnsgardPublisher: Lulu.com
ISBN: 1609620879
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 177
Book Description
The ten currently recognized species of grouse in North America have played an important role in America's history, from the famous but ill-fated heath hen, a primary source of meat for the earliest New England immigrants, to the ruffed grouse, currently one of the most abundant and soughtafter upland game birds in more than 40 states and provinces. This book summarizes the ecology, reproductive biology, and social behavior of all ten of the extant North American grouse species. It also describes the current status of grouse populations, some of which are perilously close to extinction. The social behavior of grouse is of special biological interest because among these ten species there is a complete mating system spectrum, from seasonally monogamous pair-bonding to highly promiscuous mating patterns. The latter group illustrates the strong structural and behavioral effects of sexual selection resulting from nonmonogamous mating. These influences reach a peak in the development by some grouse species of engaging in mating "leks," arena-like competitions performed by males while attempting to attract fertile females, and also provide opportunities for females to select optimum mating partners. These sexual competitions also promote strong differences evolving in sexual signaling behaviors ("displays") among closely related species. Nevertheless, a relatively high incidence of mating errors and resulting hybridization often occurs in spite of these marked behavioral differences. In addition to a text of 101,000 words, the book includes 16 range maps, 37 line drawings, and 38 photographs by the author, as well as nearly 1,400 literature citations.
Lesser Prairie-chicken Reproductive Success, Habitat Selection, and Response to Trees
Author: Joseph Mark LautenbachPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
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.
Wildlife Review
Author: Ecology, Conservation, and Management of Grouse
Author: Brett K. SandercockPublisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520950577
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 746
Book Description
Grouse—an ecologically important group of birds that include capercaillie, prairie chickens, and ptarmigan—are distributed throughout the forests, grasslands, and tundra of Europe, Asia, and North America. Today, many grouse populations are in decline, and the conservation and management of these charismatic birds is becoming a global concern. This volume summarizes current knowledge of grouse biology in 25 chapters contributed by 80 researchers from field studies around the world. Organized in four sections—Spatial Ecology, Habitat Relationships, Population Biology, and Conservation and Management—the chapters offer important insights into spatial requirements, movements, and demography of grouse. Much of the research employs emerging tools in ecology that span biogeochemistry, molecular genetics, endocrinology, radio-telemetry, and remote sensing. The chapters explore topics including the impacts of climate change, energy development, and harvest, and give new evidence for life-history changes in response to human activities.
Special Status Species Resource Management Plan Amendment
Author: A Demographic Analysis of Lesser Prairie-chicken Populations in Southwestern Kansas
Author: Christian Andrew HagenPublisher:
ISBN:
Category : Birds
Languages : en
Pages : 226
Book Description
Lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) habitat and populations have been reduced range-wide by more than 90% since the turn of [the] 20th Century. Population indices in Kansas reflected the range-wide trends. The rate of habitat loss slowed considerably starting in the 1980s, but populations have continued to decline in the state. To aid in the conservation of this "warranted but precluded" threatened species, more information is needed on the basic and applied population ecology of this prairie grouse. The present research was initiated to collect field data for 3-years and synthesize 6-years of data from Federal Aid projects in southwestern Kansas.
Dispersal, Reproductive Success, and Habitat Use by Translocated Lesser Prairie-chickens
Author: Liam Akerlof BeriganPublisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) populations in the Sand Sagebrush Prairie Ecoregion have reached historic lows in the last decade. Former core areas of the ecoregion, such as the U.S. Forest Service Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands in southwestern Kansas and southeastern Colorado, have reached population densities so low that populations will not be able to recover without a new source of birds. In an attempt to recolonize previously occupied areas in the region, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism translocated 411 lesser prairie-chickens to the National Grasslands between fall 2016 and spring 2019. For a translocation project to be successful, translocated birds need to stay near the release site, find habitat that meets their survival requirements, and successfully reproduce. I assessed the success of the translocation project to determine which of these requirements were met following release to meet the goal of increasing lesser prairie-chicken density on the National Grasslands and define potential obstacles for future translocation projects. I estimated nest success of lesser prairie-chickens translocated to the National Grasslands using Program MARK and determined those factors important in predicting nest success. I found that the number of years that had elapsed since the bird's release was the best predictor of its nesting success in any given year. This fits with existing literature on grouse translocations, which state that translocation effects dissipate in years following release. Unfortunately, only 10.3% of translocated birds survived into the second year to take advantage of the increased nest success rate. My analysis of lesser prairie-chicken movement after release showed extensive dispersal away from the release site, with 99% of birds undergoing a dispersal movement >5 km from the release site. I conducted a behavioral change point analysis on translocated birds as they dispersed to determine where they settled down and how long their dispersal lasted. Birds moved an average of 144 km during their 1-2 month dispersal movement following release. Despite the presence of leks and habitat at the release sites, 69% of released birds settled >5 km from their release site after their movements. These results indicate that dispersal is an innate response to translocation, and release site placement will not be sufficient to minimize the dispersal movement.
Grassland Grouse and Their Conservation
Author: Paul A. JohnsgardPublisher: Smithsonian Institution
ISBN: 1935623672
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 233
Book Description
Paul Johnsgard, one of the world's leading ornithologists, has written this book as a call to action. Conservationists have seen a marked decline in the populations of North American grouse, particularly the grassland-adapted species. Unless action is taken swiftly, at least one species -- Attwater's prairie-chicken -- is certain to follow the heath hen into extinction. Johnsgard begins with the tragic history of the heath hen, which became extinct in 1932. He devotes a chapter each to the greater and lesser prairie-chickens, greater and Gunnison sage-grouse, and sharp-tailed grouse. Johnsgard argues that habitat loss and excessive hunting are major factors contributing to the decline of each species, particularly the lesser prairie-chicken and the Gunnison sage-grouse, which have been proposed for threatened federal status. This narrative history is troubling but not without hope. Johnsgard discusses places where populations exist that have yet to be preserved, and outlines the steps necessary to conserve these species. A possible future does exist for grassland grouse, and Johnsgard's book points the way toward securing it.