Reproduction and Microhabitat Selection in a Sharply Declining Northern Bobwhite Population

Collins, Bridget M.; Williams, Christopher K.; Castelli, Paul M.

doi:10.1676/09-040.1

Cited by 30 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 24 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our nest survival estimate (0.19, SE = 0.10) was lower than that of published estimates in southeast Iowa (0.28 and 0.50; Potter et al ), northern Missouri (0.44; Burger et al ), western Oklahoma (0.48; Cox et al ), east‐central Mississippi (0.40; Taylor and Burger ), southern New Jersey (0.45; Collins et al ), southern Texas (0.38; Rader et al ), and Florida (0.41; Rolland et al 2010). Mean clutch size (12.5 ± 3.2) was slightly lower than the 14.4 and 13.7 reported by Stoddard () and Roseberry and Klimstra (), respectively.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 74%

“…We expected broods to select areas with increased openness at ground level (Doxon and Carroll ) and an increased amount of forbs or bobwhite food plants (Martin et al ) because these conditions improve chick mobility and foraging (Taylor et al , Collins et al , Martin et al ). However, our brood microhabitat analysis did not detect differences between these variables within the same vegetation type.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Northern bobwhite breeding season ecology on a reclaimed surface mine

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Surface coal mining and subsequent reclamation of surface mines have converted large forest areas into early successional vegetative communities in the eastern United States. This reclamation can provide a novel opportunity to conserve northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus). We evaluated the influence of habitat management activities on nest survival, nest‐site selection, and brood resource selection on managed and unmanaged units of a reclaimed surface mine, Peabody Wildlife Management Area (Peabody), in west‐central Kentucky, USA, from 2010 to 2013. We compared resource selection, using discrete‐choice analysis, and nest survival, using the nest survival model in Program MARK, between managed and unmanaged units of Peabody at 2 spatial scales: the composition and configuration of vegetation types (i.e., macrohabitat) and vegetation characteristics at nest sites and brood locations (i.e., microhabitat). On managed sites, we also investigated resource selection relative to a number of different treatments (e.g., herbicide, disking, prescribed fire). We found no evidence that nest‐site selection was influenced by macrohabitat variables, but bobwhite selected nest sites in areas with greater litter depth than was available at random sites. On managed units, bobwhite were more likely to nest where herbicide was applied to reduce sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) compared with areas untreated with herbicide. Daily nest survival was not influenced by habitat characteristics or by habitat management but was influenced by nest age and the interaction of nest initiation date and nest age. Daily nest survival was greater for older nests occurring early in the breeding season (0.99, SE < 0.01) but was lower for older nests occurring later in the season (0.08, SE = 0.13). Brood resource selection was not influenced by macrohabitat or microhabitat variables we measured, but broods on managed units selected areas treated with herbicide to control sericea lespedeza and were located closer to firebreaks and disked native‐warm season grass stands than would be expected at random. Our results suggest the vegetation at Peabody was sufficient without manipulation to support nesting and brood‐rearing northern bobwhite at a low level, but habitat management practices improved vegetation for nesting and brood‐rearing resource selection. Reproductive rates (e.g., nest survival and re‐nesting rates) at Peabody were lower than reported in other studies, which may be related to nutritional deficiencies caused by the abundance of sericea lespedeza. On reclaimed mine lands dominated by sericea lespedeza, we suggest continuing practices such as disking and herbicide application that are targeted at reducing sericea lespedeza to improve the vegetation for nesting and brood‐rearing bobwhite. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 74%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Northern bobwhite breeding season ecology on a reclaimed surface mine

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This is because of the limitations of image resolution and/or variable selection in many studies incorporating remotely sensed imagery. Measurements of landscape components obtained from ground-based samples typically are collected (1) at the finer habitat selection scales (higher resolution) used by smaller species (e.g., passerines, small mammals, insects), (2) in connection with specific habitat subunits such as nest sites of wider ranging species (e.g., Collins et al 2009), or (3) as the local scale component of studies addressing the influence of multiple scales of landscape structure on species richness (e.g., Ewers et al 2007) (However, see Chap. 4 regarding potential errors introduced by inappropriately located vegetation samples).…”

Section: Ground-based Variablesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4.1b frequently obtains when vegetation samples are centered on nests or particular song posts within territories; but, such studies most often focus on attributes of those specific features (e.g., nest sites) and are less concerned with statistically describing the entire territory (e.g., Winter et al 2005;Collins et al 2009;Schill and Yahner 2009). Similarly, studies that focus on the influence of a site's context (e.g., Bakermans and Rodewald 2006;Fig.…”

Section: Matching Metrics To Organism Location In the Landscapementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is often entirely appropriate based on the research question (e.g., Collins et al 2009). However, in studies of game species or those of conservation interest where the goal is population management, the inclusion of analysis of habitat spatial arrangement may usefully refine management prescriptions (op.…”

Section: Matching Both Spatial and Temporal Scales Of Explanatory Varmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Improving GIS-based Wildlife-Habitat Analysis

Keller¹,

Smith²

2014

SpringerBriefs in Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Temporal and scalar variations affect resource use of northern bobwhite broods

Kubečka

Terhune

Martin

2021

Ecology and Evolution

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Disparate resource use originating from phenology of biotic resources, abiotic conditions, and life cycles of exploiting organisms underscores the importance of research across time and space to guide management practices. Our goal was to evaluate resource use of northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus; bobwhite) at two spatial scales and across three age classes, from hatching through a period of the postjuvenile molt. Our study was conducted at Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, FL, USA—situated in a landscape subjected to small scale (<20 ha) prescribed fires on a 2‐year fire rotation. We predicted prescribed fire, disking, and supplemental feeding would dictate resource use, but effects would depend on time since fire, brood age, and time of day. We predicted vegetation and temperature would govern roost use by broods, but these effects would also depend on age. We radio‐tracked 62 broods 21–35 times / week during May–October 2018 and 2019. Broods were less likely to use areas with large proportions of hardwood drains but favored sites with greater proportions of burned uplands, regardless of the time of day. Broods were less likely to use areas at greater distances from supplemental feed; this relationship had no interaction with age but was stronger later in the nesting season (>July 15). Broods were more likely to use areas with greater proportions of fallow fields during the day than for roosting. Broods used roosts with more woody cover and visual obscurity than at available sites. Roosts consisted of less grass and bare ground. However, these effects interacted with age; broods used sparser cover at older ages. Neonate broods were more likely to use cooler roosts with greater thermal stability, but this effect was reversed for juveniles. Broods may alter resource use with changes in vulnerabilities to threats such as thermal risks and predation.

show abstract

Reproduction and Microhabitat Selection in a Sharply Declining Northern Bobwhite Population

Cited by 30 publications

References 24 publications

Northern bobwhite breeding season ecology on a reclaimed surface mine

Northern bobwhite breeding season ecology on a reclaimed surface mine

Improving GIS-based Wildlife-Habitat Analysis

Temporal and scalar variations affect resource use of northern bobwhite broods

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About