Fox squirrel (Sciurus niger) populations are declining in the southeastern United States, presumably as a function of habitat loss. Because the ecology of southeastern subspecies of fox squirrels differs greatly from their well-studied midwestern relatives, habitat studies of midwestern fox squirrels are of limited use for managing southeastern subspecies. Therefore, we initiated a radiotelemetry study to evaluate habitat use of fox squirrels (n = 101) in southwestern Georgia, USA. Our results indicated that sex of fox squirrels and season did not affect habitat use and that fox squirrels did not display habitat selection within the home range. However, when selecting a home range, fox squirrels preferred mature pine (Pinus spp.) and mixed pine-hardwood forests and avoided hardwood forests. To provide fox squirrel habitat in southeastern pine landscapes, management strategies should maintain mixtures of mature longleaf pine (P. palustris) and mature mixed pine-hardwood forests. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 68(3):509-513

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Investigating dietary resource utilization and head morphology of gape-limited predators can provide a basis for understanding interspecific competition and species coexistence. For sympatric species, convergence of head morphology can indicate similar prey or foraging strategies while divergence can suggest competition, resource partitioning or expansion into new habitats. Sexual dimorphism can further complicate the head morphology-diet relationship by potentially reducing intraspecific competition. To understand the relationship between head morphology and diet, we studied three sympatric species, the plain-bellied (Nerodia erythrogaster), diamondback (N. rhombifer), and northern (N. sipedon) watersnakes in western Kentucky. All three species inhabit similar wetlands and feed on amphibians and fishes. The anurophagous plain-bellied watersnakes had longer, narrower heads that likely allow snakes to capture anuran metamorphs and froglets while facilitating movement through dense vegetation. The piscivorous diamondback watersnake had a wider head, which would enhance contact with prey in this open-mouth forager, and smaller interocular distance, resulting in dorsally placed eyes that facilitate seeing fish prey from below. The mostly piscivorous northern watersnake had an intermediate, generalized head shape, which may reflect the typically wide diet range of this species. Head shape did not differ between snake sexes but diamondback and northern females had larger heads than males and fed more frequently on fishes. The relationship between head morphology and diet highlights potential interspecific and intersexual competition and aids in the understanding of species coexistence patterns.