Spatial distribution of potential wild turkey nest predators in west‐central Louisiana

Abstract

Wild turkey nest success is variable spatially and temporally, with predation being the primary driver of nest loss. Historically, characteristics of nest site vegetation have been used to predict the probability of a nest being successful, a corollary to not being preyed upon. Implicit in nest success studies is that the density, distribution, and habitat preferences of predator species, relative to wild turkey nest distribution, drive the predation risk of nests on the landscape. We quantified diversity of wild turkey nest predator species within 11-ha incubation ranges centered on active nest sites, scent baited passive nest sites, and scent baited and unbaited random sites and developed a spatially explicit predictive model for potential nest predator distribution based on vegetation and landform characteristics that occurred within incubation ranges. We used 210 camera sites on passive (nesting area from previous year), active (nesting area same year), and random sites over 5,144 trap nights (TN) and recorded 2,925 photographs of potential nest predator species. Relative abundance indices (RAI) indicated greater abundance in passive (14.2/100 TN) and active (12.7/100 TN) nesting sites relative to random sites (3.13/100 TN). For active nesting sites, successful nests had lower RAI (1.8/100 TN) than unsuccessful nests (10.4/100 TN) and lower RAI than baited and unbaited random sites (2/100 TN and 4.3/100 TN, respectively).Our results indicate that potential wild turkey nest predator species regularly occurred within incubation ranges, but were more likely to occur in locations with nests than in random locations on the landscape. We did not document a strong

Prospecting during egg laying informs incubation recess movements of eastern wild turkeys

“…While researchers often concentrate on characterizing nest sites, there is a tendency to neglect the critical aspect of movement decisions [ 22 ]. This neglects results in characteristics that frequently fail to describe the spatial scale at which nesting occurs [ 22 , 78 ] and are not clearly linked to nest success [ 20 , 40 ]. Our research highlights the biologically relevant spatial and temporal scale at which prospecting decisions influence nest fate.…”

Assessing springtime vertebrate prey of sympatric mesopredators in the southeastern United States using metabarcoding analysis

“…Past studies have reported high rates of white-tailed deer fawn mortality due to predation, especially in the southeastern United States [31][32][33][34]. Additionally, coyote, bobcat, and gray fox depredation of turkey hens and poults during nesting and brood rearing periods [35][36][37] C. Ruth, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, personal communication] may be partially responsible for declining wild turkey populations over the last decade [38][39][40][41]. Although these predators may predate hens, particularly during the spring [35][36][37][42][43][44], there is scant evidence across diet studies that they rely on wild turkeys as a food source [12,15,45].…”

“…Additionally, coyote, bobcat, and gray fox depredation of turkey hens and poults during nesting and brood rearing periods [35][36][37] C. Ruth, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, personal communication] may be partially responsible for declining wild turkey populations over the last decade [38][39][40][41]. Although these predators may predate hens, particularly during the spring [35][36][37][42][43][44], there is scant evidence across diet studies that they rely on wild turkeys as a food source [12,15,45]. Better understanding of predator impacts on populations of wild turkeys and white-tailed deer is vital for agencies to effectively conserve and manage predator and prey species alike.…”

Prospecting during egg laying informs incubation recess movements of eastern wild turkeys

“…Therefore, avoidance of open-treeless areas and pine forest may be due to thermal regulatory constraints.Our results emphasize the complexity of how prior spatial processes can affect future events, such as nesting behavior. Researchers frequently measure and describe vegetative characteristics at and around nest sites, but these characteristics often fail to describe the spatial scale at which nesting is occurring (Deeming and Reynolds 2015,Ulrey et al 2022). Our research provides a biologically relevant spatial and temporal scale for evaluating nesting habitat.…”