Winter sociality of hazel grouseBonasa bonasiain relation to habitat in a temperate forest of South Korea

Abstract

Winter flock size, food abundance and habitat variables were determined for hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia vicinitas near the southern edge of the species' range in South Korea. Most of the hazel grouse formed sexually mixed flocks with a mean flock size of 4.21 ± 0.87 (SD) in winter. Understory coverage was higher at foraging sites than at random sites. Group size was inversely correlated with understory coverage, and hazel grouse foraging alone used sites with more cover than hazel grouse foraging in flocks in both mixed forest and coniferous plantations. Groups were larger in forests with less understory coverage, but larger groups were also found at sites with more food. The winter diet of hazel grouse was mainly buds and catkins of trees in the genera Salix, Betula and Almts.