Avoidance Behavior by Prairie Grouse: Implications for Development of Wind Energy

Abstract

New wind-energy facilities and their associated power transmission lines and roads are being constructed at a rapid pace in the Great Plains of North America. Nevertheless, little is known about the possible negative effects these anthropogenic features might have on prairie birds, one of the most threatened groups in North America. We examined radiotelemetry tracking locations of Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) and Greater Prairie-Chickens (T. cupido) in two locations in Oklahoma to determine whether these birds avoided or changed movement behavior near power lines and paved highways. We tracked 463 Lesser Prairie-Chickens (15,071 tracking locations) and 216 Greater Prairie-Chickens (5,750 locations) for 7 and 3 years, respectively. Individuals of both species avoided power lines by at least 100 m and Lesser Prairie-Chickens avoided one of the two highways by 100 m. Prairie-chickens crossed power lines less often than expected if birds moved randomly (p < 0.05) but did not appear to perceive highways as a movement barrier (p > 0.05). In addition, home ranges of Lesser Prairie-Chickens overlapped the power line less often than would be expected by chance placement of home ranges; this result was supported by kernel-density estimation of home ranges. It is likely that new power lines (and other tall structures such as wind turbines) will lead to avoidance of previously suitable habitat and will serve as barriers to movement. These two factors will likely increase fragmentation in an already fragmented landscape if wind energy development continues in prairie habitats.

Landscapes as a moderator of thermal extremes: a case study from an imperiled grouse

“…A conservation species of concern in the central United States that is potentially impacted by alterations in thermal regimes is the Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido; hereafter prairie-chicken). Prairie-chickens are an iconic tallgrass prairie species that have been referred to as indicator and umbrella species for this system, but they have undergone precipitous population declines over recent decades (Robbins et al 2002, Pruett et al 2009, McNew et al 2012. The historic loss of tallgrass prairie for conversion to agriculture has undoubtedly contributed to declines (Johnsgard 1983), but more recently, a change in rangeland management resulting in landscape homogenization is blamed for their demise (Robbins et al 2002).…”

“…We believe assessing grasslands that are managed with interacting fire and grazing, similar to what tallgrass prairie developed under, will provide the best opportunity to understand thermal habitat selection and is critical for assessing habitat use in a way that will inform conservation of grasslands globally. Moreover, the prairie-chicken represents an ideal case study for examining thermal habitat use because of its conservation status, potential role as an indicator species, and evolutionary lineage from cold adapted ancestors thereby leaving it sensitive to rising global temperatures and thermal extremes (Johnsgard 1983, Pruett et al 2009, PIF 2012. We hypothesized that prairiechickens would seek habitats that lessened thermal stress during nesting and mid-day loafing relative to what was available in the surrounding landscape.…”

Assessment of lesser prairie-chicken lek density relative to landscape characteristics in Texas

“…3). According to Pruett et al (2009), highways do not appear to impede LPC movement, but the noise and traffic associated with highways may cause LPCs to avoid surrounding habitat. Niche modeling of leks in Kansas showed an increase in habitat quality with increasing distance from a highway (Jarnevich and Laubhan 2011), while a different study in Kansas showed an avoidance of paved roads by marked hens (Hagen et al 2011).…”

“…Other studies have documented an avoidance of transmission lines by prairie grouse. In an Oklahoma study, radio-marked LPCs avoided a power line by ≥100 m and few nests were found within 2 km of the power line (Pruett 2009). Hagen et al (2011) examined the influence of anthropogenic features, such as transmission lines and oil or gas wells on hen habitat use and transmission lines were 1 of the most avoided anthropogenic features.…”

Multiscale occupancy modeling provides insights into range-wide conservation needs of Lesser Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus)

“…The primary threats to the species are habitat loss and fragmentation (Fischer and Lindenmayer 2007) that result from land uses incompatible with the species' biology. Modifications to Lesser Prairie-Chicken habitat include conversion of native habitat for tillage agriculture, eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) encroachment, and energy development (Woodward et al 2001, Pruett et al 2009, 2011. The current distribution is~16% of the estimated historical range at the time of European settlement Giesen 2005, Van Pelt et al 2013).…”