In 1999 and 2001, we compared the population characteristics of capercaillie Tetrao urogallus, black grouse T. tetrix and hazel grouse Bonasa bonasia inside the pristine forest reserve State Natural Reserve ‘Pinezhskiy’ in northwestern Russia and in the logged forests surrounding the reserve. We also compared the abundance of mammalian predators and birds of prey. The August density of capercaillie was lower in logged forests than in the reserve (P = 0.05), but black grouse tended to be more abundant in the logged area (P = 0.08). For hazel grouse, no difference in abundance was found between the reserve and the logged area. Reproductive success of all three grouse species was generally higher in the logged area than in the reserve. A winter track survey indicated low abundance (< 1 track/10 km/24 hours) and no difference in density of small and mediumsized mammalian predators between the reserve and the logged area. The only exception was red fox Vulpes vulpes whose tracks were recorded only in the logged area. Buzzards Buteo spp. and goshawk Accipiter gentilis were the most numerous birds of prey. Goshawk tended to be more common in the reserve (P = 0.09), whereas buzzards were seen more often in the logged area (P = 0.1). Tracks of mountain hare Lepus timidus was twice as abundant in the logged forest (P = 0.02), whereas tracks of red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris was almost 10 times more numerous in the reserve (P < 0.001) than in the logged area. Judged by the remains found, the majority (72%) of grouse were killed by birds of prey. Our study suggests that reproduction of all three species of forest grouse in this region remains stable or increases following logging. We hypothesise that this may be due to the type of logging performed and to differences in the composition of predators and of prey other than grouse inside and outside the reserve.
Body weight and lengths of the wing, tail, tarsus, and beak were measured in 139 black grouse (BG) Lyrurus tetrix (Linnaeus, 1758) and 318 hazel grouse (HG) Tetrastes bonasia (Linnaeus, 1758) captured in the north of the Arkhangelsk Region (Russia) in [1990][1991][1992][1993][1994][1995][1996][1997][1998][1999][2000][2001][2002][2003][2004][2005][2006]. Almost all the estimates are within the average range of the parameters for Northern Europe (Norway -Komi Republic). Sexual dimorphism in BG was revealed for all traits except the wing length; dimorphism by tail length in Northern Europe appears to be growing from east to west. Size dimorphism in HG is inexplicit and, apparently, minimal in spring; females before and during egg-laying are heavier than males. In young BG, the dimensional growth of tarsi in males and females is completed in the 2 nd -3 rd months since birth, that of beak -in the 3 rd -4 th month, that of tail and wingsin the 4 th -5 th months. In HG, these processes are shorter: tarsi and beak -in the 2 nd month, wings and tail -in the 3 rd -4 th months. Tail and beak lengths and body weight showed the greatest variation in both species, while wings and tarsi were the most stable parts of their bodies. Tarsus was also utterly independent of the other four traits, while wing length correlated with tail length and body weight (BG) or tail length only (HG). The age-related variation patterns for studied traits and correlations between them indicate the likelihood of migration processes, especially for BG. The arrival of first-year birds of both species in study area from August to May-June is hardly probable, but their emigration may take place. Part of the size variation in adult birds is apparently due to arrivals from outside. K e y w o rd s: wing; tail; tarsus; beak; body weight; black grouse; hazel grouse; Arkhangelsk Region F o r c i t a t i o n: Borchtchevski V. G., Khomyakova I. A. Morphometry of black grouse Lyrurus tetrix L. and hazel grouse Tetrastes bonasia L. from the north of the Arkhangelsk Region, Russia. Trudy Karel'skogo nauchnogo tsentra RAN =
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