Wildlife Research Unit Research Articles

Characteristics of Northern Hardwood Trees Used by Cavity-Nesting Birds

Characteristics of Northern Hardwood Trees Used by Cavity-Nesting Birds

Of Geese and Faulty Sentences

Journal Article Of Geese and Faulty Sentences Get access J. Michael Scott, J. Michael Scott US Fish and Wildlife Service Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, College of Forestry, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83843 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Charles P. Stone, Charles P. Stone National Park ServiceP.O. Box 52 Hawaii National Park, HI 96718 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Ronald P. Walker, Ronald P. Walker Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Reece I. Sailer Reece I. Sailer Graduate Research Professor Emeritus Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar BioScience, Volume 36, Issue 7, July/August 1986, Pages 412–413, https://doi.org/10.2307/1310332 Published: 01 August 1986

Dynamics of Pine Vole Populations in Two Pennsylvania Orchards

Characteristics of pine vole (Microtus pinetorum) populations were studied in two Pennsylvania orchards for 4 years. Vole densities varied from 17-180 voles/ ha during the study, but neither annual nor multiannual cycles in abundance were apparent. Of 214 kill-trapped voles, 177o were younger than 60 days, 577O were between 60 and 179 days, 217o were between 180 and 350 days, and only 57O were older than 360 days. Voles were reproductively active during all seasons, but higher proportions of reproductively active females were observed during summer. Relatively small litters, longer gestation periods and later reproductive maturity indicated that pine voles are more K-selected than most other microtines. INTRODUCTION Damage to orchard trees by pine voles (Microtus pinetorum) and resulting low fruit production have stimulated interest in the ecology and management of this species. Although information about natural history (Benton, 1955), distribution (Rhoads, 1903; Richmond and Roslund, 1949; Gifford and Whitebread, 1951; Roberts and Early, 1952), ecology (Goertz, 1971), reproduction (Schadler, 1977) and soil relationships (Fisher and Anthony, 1980) has been reported, little is known about the population dynamics of pine voles in orchards, based on longer studies of densities and reproductive rates. Also, comparable information is not available for native plant communities, because pine voles usually are rare outside of orchards (Gifford and Whitebread, 1951; Roberts and Early, 1952) and numbers are too low to allow quantitative comparisons over time (Cornbower and Kirkland, 1983). Consequently, most of what is known about the biology of the species has been the result of studies in orchards. This paper describes population characteristics of pine voles in two Pennsylvania orchards during a 4-year period. METHODS Two apple orchards (A and B); located 4.0 km N of Biglerville, Adams Co., Pa. 'Present address: Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon State University, Corvallis 97331-3803. 2Present address: R.D. 1, Box 495, Ottsville, Pa. 18924. 3Present address: R.D. 1, Coaltown Road, Boyers, Pa. 16020. 4The Pennsylvania Fish Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, The Pennsylvania State University, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Management Institute, cooperating. Unit Paper No. 232. Authorized as Paper No. 5802 in the Journal Series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station.

An Energy Model for Adult Female Caribou of the Denali Herd, Alaska

Estimates of the energy costs of resting, activity, and productive processes from the literature were applied to caribou activity budgets and movements documented during 1978-80 to estimate seasonal and annual energy requirements of adult female caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in Denali National Park and Preserve. Energy requirements were 45% lower in winter than summer, primarily because of a 21% reduction in resting metabolic rate and benefits of fat catabolism in winter, and high summer costs of lactation, fat deposition, and activity. Estimated energy requirements totaled 38.2 MJ . day-' during the insect season, 36.7 during summer migration, 34.2 during fall migration, 31.9 during prerut and rut, 29.3 during calving and postcalving, 23.7 during early and late winter migrations, 21.6 during early winter, 20.9 during late winter, and 20.5 during midwinter. Annual energy requirements, including costs of pregnancy (368.6 MJ) and lactation (560.3), totaled 9,870 MJ, excluding costs of cratering through snow and apparently minor costs of physiological stress. Compared to studies of food energy requirements of penned caribou, the model gives accurate predictions of total metabolizable energy requirements when allowances are made for the relative inactivity of penned animals. Modeling the energy requirements of an ungulate population is a prerequisite to estimating nutritional carrying capacities (Moen 1973, Robbins 1973, Wallmo et al. 1977, Mautz 1978). Measurements of the energy requirements of Rangifer have received emphasis in several studies (Makarova and Segal 1958, Hammel et al. 1961, Segal 1962, McEwan 1970, Luick et al. 1974, Young and McEwan 1975, White and Yousef 1978), but these measurements have not previously been used to model seasonal energy requirements of a caribou/ reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) population. Author is game research biologist, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701. At the time of the research, author was graduate student, Alaska Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Financial and logistical support was provided by the U.S. National Park Service (contract CX-9000-7-E080). Manuscript accepted May 28, 1985. Thomson (1977) attempted to model the year-round energy expenditure of wild reindeer in Norway using estimates of energy expenditure from the literature. However, Thomson's applications of energy costs differed in several ways from those presented here, making comparisons difficult. The most significant deviations included Thomson's exclusion of estimates for the calorigenic effect of food and his extremely high estimate for the energy cost of trotting. Gaare et al. (1975) also estimated seasonal energy requirements of wild reindeer in Norway. However, their estimates are about 45% of those reported here. Since they did not present energy-cost estimates of the various activities, it is impossible to account for the difference. White et al. (1975) estimated the summer energy requirements for caribou activity as simply 2 X basal metabolic rate (BMR). However, they used a winter-BMR value, so their summer energy estimates are substantially lower than presented here. I studied the Denali (formerly McKinley) caribou herd in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska during 1978-80. A model of the nutritional ecology of the herd was developed to assess the energetic/ nutritional status of this extremely reduced population (Boertje 1981). This paper demonstrates the applicability of measurements of energy costs by modeling metabolizable energy requirements of adult female caribou in the Denali herd.

Population Characteristics of Bobcats in Washington State

Age structures, sex ratios, and reproductive status of two bobcat (Felis rufus) populations in Washington state were determined by examination of 1,238 bobcat carcasses. Carcasses were collected between October and March from hunters and trappers from 1976 through 1980. Bobcat kittens ( 1 and 2 years old) females averaged 2.54 kittens/litter in WW and 2.79 in EW. Average age of bobcats killed by hunters in WW was 2.45 years compared to 2.79 for trapped specimens, and age decreased for both methods as the season progressed. Sex ratios were 1.31 for bobcats shot and 1.01 for those trapped. The proportion of males in the hunted sample increased from November through February. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 49(3):721-728 Management of bobcat populations should be based on knowledge of population size and trends aided by information on age structure, sex ratio, and reproductive rates. Recent interest in bobcat populations, stimulated by higher fur prices and subsequent increase in harvest pressures (Deems and Pursley 1978), has emphasized the need for these data. Hunter and trapper cooperation in providing bobcat carcasses and aging by dental cementum annuli (Crowe 1972) have resulted in recent analyses of bobcat age structures (Crowe 1975a, Fritts and Sealander 1978, Escherich and Blum 1979). We discuss estimates of age structures, sex ratios, and reproductive parameters of bobcats taken by hunting and trapping in Washington state from 1976 through 1980. Changes in these sample statistics, relative to harvest method and time of harvest season, are interpreted. Hall and Kelson (1959:970-971) described two bobcat subspecies in Washington: Lynx (Felis) rufus fasciatus occurs west of the Cascade Mountain crest and L. r. pallescens is found east. We treated our data as two separate populations based on this geographic and subspecific delineation. Bobcats are classified as game animals and furbearers in Washington, with separate management policies for western and eastern Washington. Harvest is primarily by hunting with hounds and trapping, with a small proportion taken incidentally while hunting other species. Hunting and trapping activities overlapped spatially, though not always temporally, due to different harvest seasons. Western Washington (WW) is characterized by large areas of coniferous forest habitat in varying stages of growth effected by logging or burning (Franklin and Dyrness 1973). Bobcat density on a study area in WW was approximately 1/5.5 km2; males occupied radio-telemetry-determined home ranges of 6.5-15.5 km2 and female home ranges were from 3.9 to 8.4 km2 (Brittell et al. 1979). Mountain beavers (Apolodontia rufa) and snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) were the primary foods of bobcats in WW (Knick et al. 1984). Eastern Washington (EW) is a more diverse region ranging from dry steppe to forest (Daubenmire 1956). Primary productivity is generally lower than in WW due mainly to drier climate on the east side of the Cascade Moun721 'Present address: Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812. 2 Present address: 4145 55th SW, Seattle, WA 98116. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.148 on Tue, 12 Jul 2016 05:20:35 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 722 BOBCAT POPULATIONS IN WASHINGTON * Knick et al. J. Wildl. Manage. 49(3):1985

Some Aspects of the Nutritional Biology of the Collared Peccary

C. L. SHIVELY, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 F. M. WHITING, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 R. S. SWINGLE, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 W. H. BROWN, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 L. K. SOWLS, Arizona Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721

Fat Deposition and Usage by Arctic-Nesting Sandhill Cranes during Spring

Fat Deposition and Usage by Arctic-Nesting Sandhill Cranes during Spring

Characteristics of Bald Eagle Communal Roosts in the Klamath Basin, Oregon and California

The relationship between bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and their winter habitat was examined at 5 communal roosts in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California. Bald eagle communal roosts were in forest stands with old (mean age of roost trees = 236 years), open-structured trees closest to the feeding areas. Mean characteristics of forest stands at the 5 roosts were: density, 53.1 trees/ha; dbh, 54.3 cm; height, 26.4 m; percent spikes and snags, 7.2. Roost trees were generally larger and more open in structure than surrounding stand characteristics (dbh, 69.6 cm; height, 28.2 m; percent spikes and snags used, 15.6). Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) occurred in only 1 roost and was used for roosting in a much greater proportion than it occurred. The remaining 4 roosts were nearly single species stands of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Management guidelines are suggested to maintain suitable wintering roost habitat for bald eagles. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 47(4):1072-1079 Bald eagles are listed as Endangered in 43 states and Threatened in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington (Lincer et al. 1979). In fall, bald eagles migrate from areas of harsh climates to areas with milder climates and available food. There were 12,199 wintering bald eagles counted in the 48 contiguous states in the 1980 National Wildlife Federation census. In the western United States, major concentrations occur from the southern Alaskan coast to northern California. The peak winter population of bald eagles in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California was 500 during winter 1976-77 (G. D. Krauss, unpubl. rep., Klamath Natl. For., 1977), 1978-79, and 1979-80 (Keister 1981). This population represents 1 of the highest densities of wintering bald eagles in the 48 contiguous states. Few studies conducted on wintering bald eagles in North America have quantitatively described night communal roosts (Lish 1973, Griffin 1978, Hansen et al. 1980, Steenhof et al. 1980, Anthony et al. 1982). The purpose of this paper is to describe forest stand characteristics at 5 communal roosts in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California. This study was conducted under the auspices of the Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit; Oregon State University, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wildlife Management Institute cooperating. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Nature Conservancy funded the study under contract 14-16009-79018. This is Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Paper 6190. We thank R. Fields, R. Opp, and D. Sassey for help with data collection. R. McClelland, S. Thompson, J. Crawford, F. Isaacs, D. Faukenberry, and K. Steenhof reviewed drafts of the

A Comparsion of Nesting‐Ledges Used by Seabirds on St. George Island

Measurements of 288 nesting—ledges of six species of seabirds on St. George Island, Alaska, revealed significant interspecific differences in the size, shape, and overhang of ledges used. Typically, Red—legged Kittiwakes used ledges 1 dm deep; Northern Fulmars, Black—legged Kittiwakes, and Thick—billed Murres used ledges of an intermediate 2—4 dm depth; Red—faced Cormorants used ledges 3—6 dm deep; and Common Murres occurred singly on shallow ledges or in groups on deeper ledges. Fulmars and murres, which did not build nests, used nearly horizontal ledges exclusively; the nest—building species occurred on a wider range of slopes. Only the Red—legged Kittiwake regularly used ledges with over 50% cover by overhanging cliff within 5 dm of the ledge. Classification of the measured ledges of the cormorant, the two kittiwakes, and the Thick—billed Murre by a discriminant function analysis revealed significantly greater overlap than expected between the species pairs of cormorant with Thick—billed Murre, Black—legged with Red—legged Kittiwake, and Black—legged Kittiwake with Thick—billed Murre. Observations of 43 interspecific exchanges of nest sites during and between three breeding seasons agreed with the predictions by the discriminant analysis of overlap or lack thereof in three of four significant cases. Exchanges occurred significantly more frequently than expected between the species pairs of cormorant with Black—legged Kittiwake, cormorant with Thick—billed Murre, and Black—legged with Red—legged Kittiwake.

Use of Landsat Data to Evaluate Lesser Prairie Chicken Habitats in Western Oklahoma

Landsat digital data were used to evaluate lesser prairie chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) habitats in western Oklahoma. Data for 7 (4,144 ha) study areas, 4 in shinnery oak (Quercus havardii), and 3 in sand sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) rangeland, were analyzed using the Interactive Digital Image Manipulation System at the EROS Center. In shinnery oak rangeland, density of displaying males was correlated positively with percentage of area in grassland classes and negatively correlated with the percentage in brushland classes. In sand sagebrush rangeland, density of displaying males was negatively, but not significantly correlated with percentage of area in bare soil and grassland classes, and positively, but not significantly correlated with percentage of area in brushland classes. The trends found between density of displaying males and the Landsat-generated resource classes closely parallel similar relationships found with field sampling techniques. Analysis of the Landsat digital data for this study cost 13.8 cents/ha. Because larger areas could have been analyzed with the same digital data, the unit cost for analysis would decline with increasingly larger areas. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 46(4):915-922 The range and population size of lesser prairie chickens in western Oklahoma has declined dramatically over the last 20 years (Cannon and Knopf 1980). The current range (2,791 km2) consists of several spatially isolated segments of shinnery oak and sand sagebrush rangeland (Fig. 1). Within these habitats, lesser prairie chickens require extensive areas of tall residual grasses for cover, and respond negatively to overgrazing and grain cropping in excess of 35-40% of an area (Copelin 1963, Crawford and Bolen 1976, Cannon and Knopf 1981). Field monitoring of vegetative changes and the subsequent effects on prairie chickens is costly and time consuming, especially for widely scattered habitat segments. Landsat data recently have shown considerable economic promise to monitor changes in gross vegetative cover associated with wildlife habitats (Katibah and Graves 1979, Craighead 1980). The objectives of our study were to (1) use Landsat data to classify general vegetative cover types (grassland, brushland, bare soil, agriculture) which are important to lesser prairie chickens, and (2) compare vegetation cover estimates from the Landsat analysis and field measurements (Cannon and Knopf 1981) with lesser prairie chicken population data for specific sites. We thank P. A. Vohs and J. A. Bissonette for helping with study design and manuscript review. We also thank S. A. Martin for assistance with data analysis 915 ' Contribution from Oklahoma Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Project W-125-R, and U.S. Geological Survey Contract 14-08-001-16439. Aspects of this work were completed while Cannon and Knopf were at the Denver Wildlife Research Center. Reprints available from Knopf. 2 Present address: Missouri Department of Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Research Center, 1110 College Ave., Columbia, MO 65201. 3 Cooperators of the Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit include Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Wildlife Management Institute. 4Present address: Denver Wildlife Research Center, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1300 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80524-2098. J. Wildl. Manage. 46(4):1982 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.128 on Fri, 29 Jul 2016 04:48:26 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 916 LANDSAT ANALYSIS OF LESSER PRAIRIE CHICKEN HABITATS' Cannon et al. SAND SAGEBRUSH STUDY AREAS LANDSAT SCENE 30223-10411 14 OCT 1978 SAND SAGEBRUSH RANGE SHINNERY OAK RANGE /3 SHNNERYSHINNERY OAK STUDY AREAS 4 LANDSAT SCENE 21351-16175 SISOLATED FLOCK 14 OCT 1978 Fig. 1. Geographic range of the lesser prairie chicken in sand sagebrush and shinnery oak rangelands of western Oklahoma showing locations of study areas. Aerial coverages of the 2 Landsat scenes used are overlaid. and D. L. Linden, J. Szajgin, and W. E. Warde for statistical advice.

Winter Habitat Selection by Mountain Sheep

During winter 1975-76, 197 observations of groups of wintering mountain sheep (Ovis canadensis) provided data on habitat selection near Thompson Falls in northwestern Montana. Sheep selected against upper elevations, drainage bottoms, upper slopes on ridges, areas with a slope steepness of 10-35%, east and southeast aspects, areas greater than 320 m from steep terrain, and closed forests. Preferences (P < 0.1) were shown for cliffs, areas with slope steepness greater than 80% and closer than 320 m to steep terrain or cliffs, and shrubland-grassland and open forest vegetation types. Adult ram groups were observed at higher elevations (P < 0.05) than ewe-juvenile or young ram groups. Sheep apparently sought warmer elevations throughout the winter. There was general agreement on the selection of habitat as estimated from direct observations and fecal group counts. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 46(2):359-366 The importance of winter range in the welfare of mountain sheep has been expressed by several investigators (Honess and Frost 1942, Smith 1954, Buechner 1960, Oldemeyer et al. 1971, Rutherford 1972). However, the mixture of meterological, topographic, and biotic variables which provide adequate winter range has received limited study. Knowledge of variables selected would provide criteria for selecting transplant sites containing adequate winter range. Rutherford (1972) observed that evaluation of potential transplant sites is complicated because mountain sheep are selective and their habitat requirements are not well understood. Our objectives were to quantitatively describe the habitat used by mountain sheep in winter, identify the selection of sites among those available, and evaluate the preference of mountain sheep for biotic and abiotic environmental variables on winter range. STUDY AREA The Thompson Falls mountain sheep winter range is along the southeast end of the Cabinet Mountains just north of the Clark Fork River midway between Plains and Thompson Falls, Montana (Brown 1974). Poorly developed soils and numerous talus slopes emanating from rugged crags of exposed bedrock cover much of the 1,660-ha study area. The valley floor is at 730 m, with the mountains rising to over 1,800 m in less than 2.4 km with south-southwest exposures predominating. Climate is Pacific maritime and January is the coldest month with temperatures averaging -3.1 C (range -37.8 to 13.3 C). Mean annual precipitation is 57.2 cm with greatest amounts falling during November-January. The winter of 1975-76 was slightly milder than average in severity. Plant communities were bryoids on talus slopes, shrubland-grassland complexes, low to mid-elevation Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)-common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus) communities, and higher Douglas-fir-mallow ninebark (Physocarpus malvaceus) communities. Major grass species present were bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum), pine reedgrass (Calamagros1 Funded by the National Rifle Association, Wildlife Management Institute, Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station, and Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. 2 Present address: Soil Conservation Service, Roseburg, OR 97470. J. Wildl. Manage. 46(2):1982 359 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.111 on Sun, 22 May 2016 04:21:07 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 360 WINTER HABITAT SELECTION BY MOUNTAIN SHEEP' Tilton and Willard tis rubescens), and rough fescue (Festuca scabrella). Other important shrubs were Rocky Mountain maple (Acer glabrum), Saskatoon serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia), snowbrush ceanothus (Ceanothus velutinus), Lewis mockorange (Philadelphus lewisii), antelope bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), and common chokecherry (Prunus virginiana).

Seasonal Activity Budgets and Movements of a Reintroduced Alaskan Muskox Herd

Daily activity budgets and group movement rates were recorded on a seasonal basis during 1978-80 for a reintroduced muskox (Ovibos moschatus) herd in arctic Alaska. Muskoxen spent more time lying than in any other activity. Resting periods in early and late winter and during calving were longer (P < 0.05) than during other seasons. Seasonal movements of the herd were limited. The lowest movement rates (x = 0.66 km/day) were during calving and the highest (t = 9.9 km/day) during periods of severe insect harassment. The localized movements of this herd should be considered when trying to minimize the potential impacts of oil exploratory and developmental activities within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 46(2):344-350 The muskox has adapted to year-round life in harsh arctic tundra regions. Seasonality of the arctic environment in combination with seasonal changes in animal requirements for energy and nutrients strongly influences muskox range relationships and grazing behavior. Critical to an understanding of grazing behavior are quantitative observations of daily activity budgets and movement rates. When combined with information on forage selection, digestion, and intake rates, these observations can be interpreted with respect to feeding strategies available to individual animals and correlated with seasonal range characteristics (White et al. 1981). Muskoxen exhibit an activity pattern characterized by regular alternations of activity and resting periods. The duration of such periods in other ruminants has been related to the quality and availability of forage (Arnold 1964, Campbell et al. 1969) and the periodicity has been used for comparing summer ranges of muskoxen (Parker and Ross 1976, Wilkinson et al. 1976, Jingfors 1980). Activity budgets of muskoxen (i.e., the proportion of time spent in different activities) during the rut (Smith 1976) and in response to helicopter harassment (Miller and Gunn 1979, 1980) have been described but have not been investigated on a seasonal basis. While muskoxen are considered relatively sedentary (Tener 1965, Gray 1973, Wilkinson et al. 1976, Miller and Gunn 1980), little is known about daily rates of group movement. The objective of this study was to identify ageand sex-specific activity budgets and group movement rates on a seasonal basis for a reintroduced muskox herd in arctic Alaska. Muskoxen from Nunivak Island were released in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska in 1969. I thank L. G. Sundblad, P. Henrichsen, M. A. Robus, R. D. Boertje, and D. D. Roby for assistance in the field. D. R. Klein, R. G. White, and 2 anonymous reviewers helped improve the manuscript. The data herein are part of a M.S. thesis submitted to the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Financial assistance was provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game through the Alaska Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit. 1 Present address: Northwest Territories Wildlife Service, Department of Renewable Resources, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories X1A 2L9, Canada. 344 J. Wildl. Manage. 46(2):1982 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.33 on Wed, 12 Oct 2016 05:03:45 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms BEHAVIOR OF REINTRODUCED MUSKOx *Jingfors 345

Nesting Habitat of Coexisting Accipiter in Oregon

The distribution of nesting pairs of 3 species of Accipiter and the habitat they used for nesting in the conifer forests of Oregon were determined during spring and summer 1969-74. Each species nested in all forested mountain ranges surveyed except the Coast Range in northwestern Oregon, where goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) were absent. A multivariate analysis of variance of the vegetation at Accipiter nest sites showed that each coexisting species used habitats with different structures and that the structural differences among the nest sites were associated with the ages of the forest stands used. Nest sites were characterized as dense, 40-60-year-old even-aged conifer stands for sharp-shinned hawks (A. striatus); dense, 50-80-year-old conifer stands with somewhat larger, more widely spaced trees for Cooper's hawks (A. cooperii); and dense, mature conifer stands with varying densities of mature, overstory trees and, dependent upon the density of the overstory, dense to open understories of smaller, shade-tolerant conifers for goshawks. Physiographies of the nest sites of the hawks were similar; each species tended to nest in stands that occurred on gentle slopes with northwest to northeast exposures. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 46(1):124-138 Forest managers have recently noted decreases in some forest bird populations following timber harvest. A desire to minimize the effects of timber harvest on bird populations has placed a premium on knowledge of the specific habitat needs of the affected species. It is necessary, for example, to identify the structural characteristics of the habitat that elicit selection of a site by a species (Hilden 1965), to identify the vegetative characteristics that produce the physical environment required for successful nesting (Horvarth 1964, Ricklefs and Hainsworth 1969), and to identify the types, amounts, and spatial distribution of the vegetation that provides the required food types of those species sensitive to timber harvest. Theoretically, the structural aspects of the vegetation that elicit selection (e.g., terrain, vegetation type, and density) should indicate, or be correlated with, habitats that contain requisite resources, protection from predators, or environmental factors to which a species is adapted. Within Oregon, sharp-shinned hawks, Cooper's hawks, and goshawks are syntopic forest raptors that feed primarily on birds and mammals (Reynolds and Wight 1978, Reynolds 1979). During our field studies we noted that each species of Accipiter in Oregon nested in habitats with specific structure, and that this specificity made them susceptible to changes in forest stands brought about by timber management. Thus, the objectives of this study were to (1) describe the vegetation and topography of the nesting habitats in 2 geographic regions of Oregon; (2) examine differences in the vegetative structure of the habitats used for nesting by sharp-shinned hawks, Cooper's hawks, and goshawks in both regions; and (3) examine how the characteristics of the vegetation of the nesting habitat might be I This study was conducted under the auspices of the Oregon Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Oregon State University, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and The Wildlife Management Institute cooperating. This is Oregon Agriculture Experiment Station Technical Paper 5781. 2 Present address: Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 240 West Prospect, Fort Collins, CO 80526. 3 Deceased. 124 J. Wildl. Manage. 46(1):1982 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.111 on Tue, 02 Aug 2016 05:49:47 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms ACCIPITER NESTING HABITAT IN OREGON' Reynolds et al. 125 related to the physiological and behavioral adaptations associated with Accipiter nesting ecology. This study was supported by the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. We thank E. Forsman, G. Cornett, J. Tabor, B. Heckel, L. Hunt, and W. Pike for field assistance, and R. Anthony, E. Forsman, T. Gavin, and R. King for suggestions and manuscript review.

Male-Induced Abortion in Various Microtine Rodents

Journal Article Male-Induced Abortion in Various Microtine Rodents Get access R. A. Stehn, R. A. Stehn New York Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit and Field of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar F. J. Jannett, Jr. F. J. Jannett, Jr. New York Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit and Field of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 62, Issue 2, 21 May 1981, Pages 369–372, https://doi.org/10.2307/1380713 Published: 21 May 1981 Article history Received: 16 November 1979 Accepted: 27 April 1980 Published: 21 May 1981

Effects of Radio-Tagging on Breeding Behavior of Mourning Doves

Cooing rates of captive unmated male mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) decreased markedly during a 2-day adjustment period following radio-tagging. In 4 of 7 experimental trials, cooing rates returned to previous levels by the 3rd day. In the other 3 trials cooing rates remained low, but dominance problems related to penning may have been a factor. In 4 of 6 experimental trials, captive radio-tagged males successfully paired with introduced females and began nesting. In the wild, 2 of 5 unmated radiotagged males successfully paired. Cooing rates of free-flying unmated radio-tagged males were comparable to those of back-tagged males in previous studies (8.7 vs. 8.2-8.9 coos/3 min). Based on 12 experimental trials and observations of 24 free-flying radio-tagged doves (both sexes), radio-tagging did not adversely affect previously established pair bonds. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 45(2):428-434 Radiotelemetry has been used extensively in avian research, but few thorough evaluations of effects of radio packages on behavior have been made. Inferences usually are drawn from field observations, although some have been based on controlled experiments; reported effects varied greatly with the species studied. Major studies include Ramakka's (1972) findings that radio-tagging resulted in reduced courtship and atypical breeding behavior in male woodcock (Philohela minor). In controlled experiments, captive red grouse (Lagopus 1. scoticus) consumed less food and were less active following radio-tagging (Boag 1972); however, breeding performance was not affected if radio packages were attached late in incubation (Lance and Watson 1977). Female willow grouse (L. 1. lagopus) adapted to the radio package and incubated and hatched their eggs normally (Erikstad 1979). In an experimental study, Greenwood and Sargeant (1973) observed that radio-tagged mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) and bluewinged teal (A. discors) preened more than controls and exhibited a partial aversion to swimming. However, Gilmer et al. (1974) believed that social and breeding behaviors of instrumented mallards and wood ducks (Aix sponsa) were not adversely affected by radio packages. This study evaluated the effects of radio-tagging on the breeding behavior of mourning doves based upon controlled experiments with penned birds and observations of free-flying radio-tagged doves. We thank M. A. Parker and L. L. Wollard for technical aid; S. S. Clark, E. K. Fritzell, and F. B. Samson for editorial suggestions; and K. C. Sadler for advice and administrative support. METHODS AND MATERIALS Pen studies were conducted from May to August 1976-78. Three experiments 1Contribution from the Missouri Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Management Institute, Missouri Department of Conservation, and University of Missouri, cooperating). Research was funded by the Accelerated Research Program for Migratory Shore and Upland Game Birds, Contract USDI 14-160008-2091, administered by the Missouri Department of Conservation through agreement with the University of Missouri. Work was supported in part by Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Projects 182 and 184; this is Journal Series paper 8441. 428 J. Wildl. Manage. 45(2):1981 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.112 on Mon, 03 Oct 2016 05:08:23 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms RADIO-TAGGING BREEDING MOURNING DOVES* Sayre et al. 429 were designed to evaluate behavioral effects associated with radio-tagging during different stages of pairing or nesting.

A Breeding-Ground Survey of EPP Canada Geese in Northern Manitoba

Aerial surveys flown in northern Manitoba during 1972-77 were used to determine indices of spring breeding populations and distributions of Eastern Prairie Population (EPP) Canada geese (Branta canadensis). Precision within ?20% of the survey results (P = 0.05) was achieved by using stratified random sampling and optimum allocation procedures. Variability among observers was negligible. However, comparisons between counts made from fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters indicated that breedingpair estimates should be multiplied by about 1.4 to adjust for birds not seen. Distribution of nesting geese strongly favored the coastal areas bordering Hudson Bay. A section of tundra habitat comprising less than 8% of the 154,600/km2 survey area contained 44-67% of the total breeding pairs during the 1st 4 years. Average annual nest densities in lowland habitat near the Hudson Bay coast ranged from 0.17-0.32 pairs/km2, whereas more-interior areas seldom exceeded 0.12 pairs/km2. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 45(1):46-53 The Eastern Prairie Population of Canada geese in the Mississippi Flyway expanded from approximately 28,000 birds inventoried during winter 1947-48 (Hankla and Rudolph 1967) to >250,000 birds in 1977 (Humburg, unpubl. rep., Mo. Dep. Conserv. Fed. Aid Proj. W-13-R, 1979). Much of this increase is attributed to a sound management program developed through the cooperative efforts of state, provincial, and federal agencies. Changes in landuse practices and an ever-increasing demand for outdoor recreation have required improved methods for monitoring and regulating the goose population. In recent years, attention has focused on the need for expanded research on the EPP breeding grounds. Information on the primary breeding areas of EPP geese, their distribution, and productivity is of great importance in setting annual harvest regulations. Additionally, the ability to detect and respond to changes caused by man's impact on northern nesting areas may be crucial in safeguarding this population. This paper describes the distribution of EPP Canada geese nesting in northern Manitoba. The research was conducted under the auspices of the Missouri Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, Wildlife Management Institute, and University of Missouri cooperating) and the Eastern Prairie Population Subcommittee of the Mississippi Flyway Council Technical Section. Financial support was provided by the following agencies: Missouri Department of Conservation, Iowa Conservation Commission, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Manitoba Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, and the Edward K. Love Conservation Foundation. 1 Present address: New York Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Fernow Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. 2 Present address: Canadian Wildlife Service, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada. 46 J. Wildl. Manage. 45(1):1981 This content downloaded from 207.46.13.129 on Fri, 01 Jul 2016 05:05:03 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms CANADA GEESE IN MANITOBA * Malecki et al. 47 We acknowledge the support and assistance provided by W. R. Goforth, D. H. Rusch, R. D. Sparrowe, R. K. Brace, L. H. Fredrickson, and T. S. Baskett. We also express appreciation to the people of Churchill, Manitoba, without whose help this project could not have been completed in as timely a manner.

Habitat Use by Wintering Bald Eagles in South Dakota

Habitat use by wintering bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was surveyed systematically along a section of the Missouri River floodplain in southeastern South Dakota. Main centers of eagle use were associated with a communal roost and a food source. During severe windchill conditions and high wind velocities, eagles moved to protected areas. Eagles preferred tree perches, but also perched on cliffs, ice, partially submerged logs, and on the ground. Eagles perched on stout, horizontal branches that were bordered on at least 1 side by open area. Nearly all perches were within 30 m of the river, and 58% of the perched eagles were within 5 m of the river bank. Eagles preferred mature cottonwoods (Populus deltoides). Distribution of bald eagles at a winter site apparently is influenced most by location of food and areas protected from wind. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 44(4):798-805 Declines in bald eagle numbers (Broley 1958, Sprunt 1969, Braun et al. 1975, Brown 1975) have accentuated the need for intensive habitat management. Habitat requirements for nesting have been identified (Hensel and Troyer 1964, Murphy 1965, Snow 1973, Whitfield et al. 1974, McEwan and Hirth 1979), and areas in some northern forests presently are managed for nesting bald eagles. On the winter range, habitat encroachment by humans is extensive, and eagles now concentrate at scattered locations where habitat and food are readily available. Preservation of winter habitat requires an understanding of the habitat requirements for wintering eagles. Bald eagles are attracted to open water throughout the winter range. General characteristics of bald eagle wintering habitat have been described by Cooksey (1962), Southern (1963, 1964), Swisher (1964), Ingram (1965), Grewe (1966), Edwards (1969), Shea (1973), Lish and Lewis (1975), and Servheen (1975). Stalmaster and Newman (1979) reported perch-preference indices for tree species at a bald eagle wintering area in Washington; however, specific habitat preferences in relation to habitat availability have not been identified in the midwest. The Missouri River below Fort Randall Dam in southeastern South Dakota has been the site of a major winter concentration of bald eagles for several years. Eagles apparently use the area because of the abundant food supply of fish and waterfowl, cottonwood stands bordering the river, and open water throughout the winter. An abundant supply of fish occurs in the 1st kilometer of river immediately I Contribution from the Gaylord Memorial Laboratory (University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri Department of Conservation cooperating); Missouri Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wildlife Management Institute, Missouri Department of Conservation, and University of Missouri-Columbia cooperating); Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge; the National Wildlife Federation; the Office of Biological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; the Omaha District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and from the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station, Project 170, Journal Series 7824. 2 Present address: Snake River Birds of Prey Research Project, Boise District-BLM, 3948 Development St., Boise, ID 83702. 3 Present address: Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, Las Vegas, NM 87701. 798 J. Wildl. Manage. 44(4):1980 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.175 on Thu, 11 Aug 2016 06:17:46 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms BALD EAGLES WINTERING IN SOUTH DAKOTA* Steenhof et al. 799 below the dam; fish from the reservoir are pulled through the dam's turbines and fish from the river are attracted to warmer, plankton-rich water in the dam's tailraces (N. Benson, pers. commun.). Our objectives were to identify habitat sites used by bald eagles on the floodplain, structure and species composition of woody habitat, and physical characteristics of trees consistently used by perching eagles. G. F. Krause and S. Ward provided assistance in computer summarization of data and statistical analysis. We acknowledge review of the manuscript by R. D. Drobney, T. E. Martin, M. N. Kochert, and graduate students at Utah State University.

Classification and Ordination of Seral Plant Communities

A conceptual model of secondary succession was tested with data from disturbed vegetation in theAgropyron/Poa habitat type using a combination of classification and ordination techniques. Individual stands were classifled into communities by an agglomerative method. Results of the Bray-Curtis polar ordination using three endpoint selection methods supported the validity of the model. The model is visualized as a solid cone in which all of the plant communities included in a habitat type are positioned relative to their degree of disturbance, inferring their probably secondary successional pattern within habitat types. Most of our nation's range vegetation is in some stage of secondary succession. One of the aims of modern resource management is to direct plant succession toward a desired seral stage in order to obtain maximum productivity or stability (Stoddart et al. 1975). Williams et al. (1969) point out that natural succession may be the most economical means, and in many inaccessible areas the only means, to restore the resource to a level of production that can be managed economically. In order to use secondary succession as a tool to attain this level, it is essential to have a better understanding of seral communities. Reviews on succession were made by Drury and Nisbet (1973) and Golley (1977). Tree age data are widely used in study of forest succession (Botkin et al. 1972; Zedler and Goff 1973; Horn 1975). Because age of perennial herbs is not determinable, the same approach cannot be applied to study secondary succession of grassland vegetation. This paper deals with testing of a conceptual model of secondary succession in which age of plant is not involved. The relatively recent availability of computer and multivariate analytical techniques adapted for vegetational analysis permit researchers to analyze and interpret large quantities of data. These techniques help reveal relationships of plant communities not previously possible. Reviews in use of multivariate techniques as applied to plant ecology have been published by Crovello (1970), Goodall (1970), Williams (1971), Orloci (1973), Clifford and Stephenson (1975), and others. The purpose of this study was to test the validity and soundness of a conceptualized model of secondary succession that was developed recently. The model is visualized as a solid cone with the climax plant community situated at the At the time of the research, authors were with the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Range Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow 83483. G. Huschle's present address is U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Roy, Montana 59471. The paper is published with the approval of the director, Forest, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station, Univ. of Idaho, as Contribution No. 53. This study was part of a United States Army Corps of Engineers contract with the Idaho Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, College of Forestry, Wildlife and Range Sciences, University of Idaho Daa in this study were collected by personnel of the Idaho Cooperative Research Unit. Special thanks are extended to Dr. Duane Asherin, Mr. James Claar and Mr. Jerry Lauer for their contributions to the study. Manuscript received December 15, 1978. apex and associated seral communities positioned in their respective positions in the remaining portion of the cone. The solid cone model may be illustrated by a habitat type, for example, which is defined as the collective area of land supporting or capable of supporting a specific climax plant community (Daubenmire 1970). Secondary succession within a habitat type is a continuum of plant communities whose endpoint is the climax vegetation. Within the habitat type there may be numerous plant communities in various stages of secondary succession. Conceptually, secondary succession can be viewed as a solid cone in which are contained all the plant communities associated with a single habitat type or having the same successional endpoint. The solid cone includes all of the disturbed communities within a habitat type, converging to the climax community that is positioned at the upper portion of the cone (Fig. 1). As succession returns 'oward climax, the vegetational compostion changes continuously until it reaches the climax association. Toward the base of the cone, numerous communities exist because different kinds and intensities of disturbance result in different vegetation. If the disturbance is severe enough, a community with a single pioneer species or finally the base level of the cone, bare ground, may result. While secondary succession is a vegetational continuum, it is convenient to recognize community types and seral stages for practical management. A community type of one habitat type may have greater resemblance to a seral community of another habitat type than to one of its own. All community types are not unique to a habitat type. This is shown by the overlap of community types of two adjacent habitat types in Figure 1. Secondary succession can be studied by investigating

Observations of Interspecific Behavior between Predators and White-Tailed Deer in Southwestern Oklahoma

Journal Article Observations of Interspecific Behavior between Predators and White-Tailed Deer in Southwestern Oklahoma Get access Gerald W. Garner, Gerald W. Garner Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74074 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar John A. Morrison John A. Morrison Oklahoma Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74074 Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 61, Issue 1, 20 February 1980, Pages 126–130, https://doi.org/10.2307/1379968 Published: 20 February 1980 Article history Received: 31 August 1978 Accepted: 06 July 1979 Published: 20 February 1980

Coyote Movements, Habitat Use, and Food Habits in Southwestern Oklahoma

Coyote Movements, Habitat Use, and Food Habits in Southwestern Oklahoma