Habitat loss and raptor predation: disentangling long– and short–term causes of red grouse declines

Thirgood, Simon; Redpath, Steve; Haydon, Daniel T.; Rothery, P.; Newton, Ian; Hudson, Peter J.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2000.1051

Cited by 86 publications

(107 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…The absence of strong relationships between the abundance of red grouse and habitat characteristics either within‐estate or among‐moor may be because only a small proportion of available heather biomass is consumed by the birds (Jenkins, Watson & Miller 1963; Savory 1978). In addition, red grouse abundance is known to be affected by a variety of other factors, including heather nutrient status, intensity of parasite infection and abundance of predators, which were not taken into account in the current study (Moss 1969; Miller & Watson 1978; Hudson, Dobson & Newborn 1992; Thirgood et al . 2000b, 2000c).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1999). These typically long‐term changes in habitat coupled with locally high raptor predation have been shown to explain the decline and restriction of a red grouse population (Thirgood et al . 2000c).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Meadow pipits are an important component of the diet of breeding hen harriers in Scotland (Watson 1977; Picozzi 1978; Redpath 1991; Redpath & Thirgood 1997). Thirgood et al . (2000b, 2000c) also demonstrated that predation by high densities of breeding hen harriers on Langholm moor in south‐west Scotland was sufficient to limit grouse densities at a level at which driven shooting was not viable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Meadow pipits, red grouse and the habitat characteristics of managed grouse moors

Smith

Redpath²,

Campbell

et al. 2001

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary1. The abundance of meadow pipits appears to be a good indicator of the breeding density of hen harriers on moorland managed for red grouse in Scotland. High densities of hen harriers can limit grouse populations at low density and reduce shooting bags, with repercussions for grouse moor management and conservation. We therefore examined the habitat characteristics of managed grouse moors, asking whether changes in vegetation could alter the ratio of pipits, and thus harriers, to grouse. 2. We examined grouse abundance and habitat on 69 sites of 1 km 2 in upland Britain, of which pipit abundance was studied on 36. Similar data were collected on 73 sites of 25 ha within the Langholm estate in south-west Scotland, in order to make a withinestate and among-moor comparison. 3. The distribution of pipit abundance on the Langholm estate was similar to that seen in the extensive among-moor study. Pipit and grouse abundance were related to habitat in similar ways in the two data sets. 4. Pipits were the most frequent passerine, but their abundance was not related to grouse abundance. Pipit abundance declined with increasing muirburn and heather, but increased with grass cover. In a linear regression model Calluna , Sphagnum and muirburn cover accounted for 42% of the variation in pipit abundance across Britain. 5. Grouse abundance was influenced by the regional location of the grouse moor and to a lesser extent by its altitude. There were more grouse on English moors with less patchy habitats. Bird species declined with increasing Calluna and Sphagnum cover and habitat patchiness. Bird species diversity increased from west to east and on moors with more muirburn. 6. This study provides evidence that meadow pipits are influenced by habitat characteristics on moorland managed for grouse. This work also illustrates how habitat management may be able to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts: long-term increases in heather cover and management of this habitat by muirburn on grouse moors may reduce pipit numbers and thus reduce the ratio of hen harriers to grouse. However, the effects of such vegetation change on other components of the upland bird assemblage requires further investigation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Meadow pipits, red grouse and the habitat characteristics of managed grouse moors

Smith

Redpath²,

Campbell

et al. 2001

Journal of Applied Ecology

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“…Globally, the expansion of human activities, combined with the restoration and legal protection of wildlife populations has led to increasing contact between humans and wildlife [11]. In many instances this has led to increased conflict including livestock depredation by carnivores [12], predation of game birds by raptors [13], and threats to human life [14]. Conflicts can create considerable controversy when legal issues are concerned and livelihoods are at risk; in such instances mitigation can be politically sensitive and political pressures may override scientific evidence [15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative Techniques for Estimating Illegal Activities in a Human-Wildlife-Management Conflict

et al. 2013

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Effective management of biological resources is contingent upon stakeholder compliance with rules. With respect to disease management, partial compliance can undermine attempts to control diseases within human and wildlife populations. Estimating non-compliance is notoriously problematic as rule-breakers may be disinclined to admit to transgressions. However, reliable estimates of rule-breaking are critical to policy design. The European badger (Meles meles) is considered an important vector in the transmission and maintenance of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle herds. Land managers in high bTB prevalence areas of the UK can cull badgers under license. However, badgers are also known to be killed illegally. The extent of illegal badger killing is currently unknown. Herein we report on the application of three innovative techniques (Randomized Response Technique (RRT); projective questioning (PQ); brief implicit association test (BIAT)) for investigating illegal badger killing by livestock farmers across Wales. RRT estimated that 10.4% of farmers killed badgers in the 12 months preceding the study. Projective questioning responses and implicit associations relate to farmers' badger killing behavior reported via RRT. Studies evaluating the efficacy of mammal vector culling and vaccination programs should incorporate estimates of non-compliance. Mitigating the conflict concerning badgers as a vector of bTB requires cross-disciplinary scientific research, departure from deep-rooted positions, and the political will to implement evidence-based management.

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“…Marked impacts by raptors have been recorded only on galliform birds, for example where goshawks Accipiter gentilis L. were estimated by radio‐tracking to kill 56% of wild hen pheasants Phasianus colchicus L. during one winter in a Swedish study area (Kenward, Marcström & Karlbom 1981). The best evidence to date of prolonged impact by avian predators on wild prey is the decline in red grouse Lagopus lagopus scotticus Latham density in an area where raptor density was allowed to increase strongly, compared with increasing numbers of grouse in nearby areas with few raptors (Redpath & Thirgood 1997, 1999; Thirgood & Redpath 1997; Thirgood et al . 2000a,b,c).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors affecting predation by buzzards Buteo buteo on released pheasants Phasianus colchicus

Kenward

Hall

Walls³

et al. 2001

Journal of Applied Ecology

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Summary 1.Information on the effects of wildlife predation on game and livestock is required to allow improved management of all organisms involved. Monitoring of prey, predators and predation mechanisms each suggests important methods, illustrated here by data from common buzzards Buteo buteo and ring-necked pheasants Phasianus colchicus . 2. Location data from 136 radio-tagged common buzzards, together with prey remains from 40 nest areas, records from 10 gamekeepers and vegetation surveys, were used to investigate raptor predation at 28 pens from which pheasants were released in southern England. 3. Among 20 725 juvenile pheasants released in 1994-95, gamekeepers attributed 4·3% of deaths to buzzards, 0·7% to owls, 0·6% to sparrowhawks, 3·2% to foxes and 0·5% to other mammals. 4. Fresh pheasant remains were found on 7% of 91 visits to buzzard nests, and 8% of radio-tagged buzzards had significantly more association than other buzzards with pheasant pens. 5. Predation by buzzards was most likely to be recorded at release pens with little shrub cover, deciduous canopies and a large number of released pheasants. The number of pheasants killed was greatest in large pens with extensive ground cover, and the highest proportion of released pheasants was killed in large pens where few were released. However, only 21% of 55 releases had > 2 pheasant kills per week. 6. Radio-tagged buzzards were located most often at pheasant-release pens with open, deciduous canopies. Pens were most likely to be visited by buzzards that had fledged nearby, but the proximity of buzzard nests had little influence on how much predation occurred. 7. Only a minority of buzzards associated frequently with pheasant pens, and predation was heavy at only a minority of sites, where pen characteristics and release factors probably made it easy for individual buzzards to kill pheasants. We suggest that the occasional heavy losses could be avoided by encouraging shrubs rather than ground cover in pens, by siting pens where there are few perches for buzzards, and perhaps also by high-density releases.

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Habitat loss and raptor predation: disentangling long– and short–term causes of red grouse declines

Cited by 86 publications

References 24 publications

Meadow pipits, red grouse and the habitat characteristics of managed grouse moors

Meadow pipits, red grouse and the habitat characteristics of managed grouse moors

Innovative Techniques for Estimating Illegal Activities in a Human-Wildlife-Management Conflict

Factors affecting predation by buzzards Buteo buteo on released pheasants Phasianus colchicus

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