Habitat use by spruce grouse in northern Wisconsin

Abstract

Spruce grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) habitat use varies widely across their range and is not well-understood near the southern extent of their range. Threats to conifers from climate change make understanding habitat use at the southern edge of the range increasingly important. We obtained habitat information on 55 radiocollared spruce grouse in northern Wisconsin, USA from 16 May 2007 to 10 July 2012. Black spruce (Picea mariana) and tamarack (Larix laricina) were the most common habitat components. Some of our findings differed from previous reports, including little use of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) or northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), use of tamarack in summer more than any other tree species, and winter roosting and feeding in red pine (Pinus resinosa), especially where jack pine (P. banksiana) was not available. Male display points contained fewer small broadleaf saplings ( x ¼ 652 trees/ ha), greater percent conifer (87%), more jack pine ( x ¼ 148 trees/ha), and denser canopy ( x ¼ 65% closure) compared with random points (3,288 small broadleaf saplings/ha, 70% conifer, 7 jack pine/ha, and 51% closure). Dense ground cover was the best predictor of brood points, although brood points were similar to random points. Winter flock points were typified by dense canopy cover ( x ¼ 76% closure) and more jack pine ( x ¼ 407/ha). Management should be focused on areas with extensive conifer, especially near black spruce-tamarack swamps. Retaining or establishing closed-canopy coniferous uplands, especially jack pine stands 15-30 years old, adjacent to lowland conifer swamps should benefit spruce grouse populations. Ó 2013 The Wildlife Society.

Evaluation of cantus‐call and pellet surveys for Spruce Grouse ( Falcipennis canadensis canace ) at the southern extent of their range

“…For the purposes of our study, we restricted the sampling frame to lands managed by the state and by the United States Forest Service, which included the Superior National Forest. Spruce Grouse use various ages of forest throughout their range; earlier successional stages have been reported to be important in the western United States (Schroeder et al ), mid‐successional forest was reported as important in New York (Ross et al ), and mature forest was important in Wisconsin (Anich et al ). We suspected this variability was due to differences in forest structure rather than age, so we included all stand ages except those identified for harvest in the next five years and those harvested in the past five years.…”

“…Likewise, we used timber harvest data (U.S. Forest Service ) and fire records (National Interagency Fire Center ) to identify and exclude recently harvested or burned stands. In 2014, we included forest types reported to be preferred by Spruce Grouse in this region, including jack pine, black spruce, and tamarack (Robinson , Pietz and Tester , Anich et al ). We also included white cedar ( Thuja occidentalis ), which was used, but not preferred, in Wisconsin (e.g., Anich et al ) because land managers in Minnesota believed that white cedar might be regionally important based on field observations.…”

“…In 2014, we included forest types reported to be preferred by Spruce Grouse in this region, including jack pine, black spruce, and tamarack (Robinson , Pietz and Tester , Anich et al ). We also included white cedar ( Thuja occidentalis ), which was used, but not preferred, in Wisconsin (e.g., Anich et al ) because land managers in Minnesota believed that white cedar might be regionally important based on field observations. In 2015, we added balsam fir ( Abies balsamea ) and red pine forest types because we detected more birds in stands containing these components than expected based on their representation in the sample during the first year.…”

Research advances of Galliformes since 1990 and future prospects

“…Tirpak et al 2008;Zhou et al 2015a), vegetation type (e.g. Chávez-león et al 2004;Dzialak et al 2011;Anich et al 2013) and climate change (e.g. Kvasnes et al 2014).…”

Habitats and landscapes associated with bird species in a lowland conifer-dominated ecosystem

“…Protection of black spruce forests will likely allow the persistence of Boreal Chickadee, Spruce Grouse, and other archetypal boreal species in these hemiboreal forests of Minnesota. However, habitat needs of these permanent resident species likely vary throughout the year and other tree species associations could be important at certain times, e.g., Spruce Grouse use of tamarack during summer months in Wisconsin (Anich et al 2013). …”