Columbian sharp‐tailed grouse brood success and chick survival in a wind‐energy landscape

Abstract

Columbian sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus) have experienced range-wide population declines, primarily as a result of habitat loss or degradation, and currently occupy <10% of their historical range. Expansion of wind-energy development across the current, occupied Columbian sharp-tailed grouse range is a potential threat to the subspecies. To assess the potential effects of wind-energy development on vital rates of Columbian sharp-tailed grouse offspring, we monitored 68 broods of radio-marked females captured at 11 leks in restored grasslands within 14 km of a 215-turbine wind-energy development complex in eastern Idaho, USA from 2014-2015. We assessed the influence of wind turbine density, habitat characteristics, brood-rearing female age, hatch date, and weather on brood success and chick survival using an information-theoretic model selection approach. Wind turbine density did not influence early (14-day) brood success, but there was weak evidence for a negative effect of wind turbine density on late (42-day) brood success. There was strong evidence that increasing turbine density within the late brood-rearing home range negatively affected chick survival to 42 days after hatch. The probability of an individual chick surviving to 42 days decreased by 50% when there were ≥10 wind turbines within 2,100 m of the nest.Late brood success and chick survival increased with earlier hatch dates. There was weak evidence for positive effects of post-hatch precipitation on early brood success and chick survival and weak evidence that adult females had higher early brood success than yearlings. Habitat characteristics such as

Multi‐scale effects of land cover, weather, and fire on Columbian sharp‐tailed grouse

“…For instance, warmer temperatures during nesting and brood rearing can benefit production of Columbian sharp‐tailed grouse, unless temperatures are extreme and result in heat stress for young chicks (Flanders‐Wanner et al 2004 a ). Precipitation prior to and during nesting benefits production, but studies reported mixed results regarding the effects of precipitation directly after hatch on chick survival or production (negative, Flanders‐Wanner et al 2004 a , Goddard and Dawson 2009, positive, Proett et al 2022). Exposure to cold and wet conditions can act as a mortality source on young chicks (Manzer and Hannon 2007), but the mixed results of past studies suggest regional conditions (e.g., vegetation composition and condition, aridity) might dictate whether post‐hatch precipitation has beneficial or detrimental effects on recruitment.…”

“…In addition, annual fluctuations in weather can affect vital rates for Columbian sharp‐tailed grouse. Drought can limit forb growth and insect production, which serve as important food resources for chicks (IDFG 2015), and therefore chick survival and recruitment can be reduced during drought (Collins 2004, Flanders‐Wanner et al 2004 a , Proett et al 2022). Drought also affects risk of wildfire (Pilliod et al 2017), which has the potential to rapidly change the composition of shrub‐steppe and grassland ecosystems and directly affect cover and food available during the breeding season (Hoffman et al 2015).…”