Evaluation of Capture Techniques on Lesser Prairie-Chicken Trap Injury and Survival

Grisham, Blake A.; Boal, Clint W.; Mitchell, Natasia R.; Gicklhorn, Trevor S.; Borsdorf, Philip K.; Haukos, David A.; Dixon, Charles E.

doi:10.3996/032015-jfwm-022

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…We captured lesser prairie‐chicken females at leks using walk‐in traps and drop nets, which do not negatively affect survival (Haukos et al , Silvy et al , Schroeder and Braun , Grisham et al ). We trapped leks from 10 March–15 May during 2013–2016.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing nesting ecology of lesser prairie‐chickens

et al. 2018

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Lesser prairie‐chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) populations have declined since the 1980s. Understanding factors influencing nest‐site selection and nest survival are important for conservation and management of lesser prairie‐chicken populations. However, >75% of the extant population is in the northern extent of the range where data on breeding season ecology are lacking. We tested factors influencing fine‐scale and regional nest‐site selection and nest survival across the northern portion of the lesser prairie‐chicken range. We trapped and affixed satellite global positioning system and very high frequency transmitters to female lesser prairie‐chickens (n = 307) in south‐central and western Kansas and eastern Colorado, USA. We located and monitored 257 lesser prairie‐chicken nests from 2013 to 2016. We evaluated nest‐site selection and nest survival in comparison to vegetation composition and structure. Overall, nest‐site selection in relation to vegetation characteristics was similar across our study area. Lesser prairie‐chickens selected nest microsites with 75% visual obstruction 2.0–3.5 dm tall and 95.7% of all nests were in habitat with ≥1 dm and ≤4 dm visual obstruction. Nests were located in areas with 6–8% bare ground, on average, avoiding areas with greater percent cover of bare ground. The type of vegetation present was less important than cover of adequate height. Nest survival was maximized when 75% visual obstruction was 2.0–4.0 dm. Nest survival did not vary spatially or among years and generally increased as intensity of drought decreased throughout the study although not significantly. To provide nesting cover considering yearly variation in drought conditions, it is important to maintain residual cover by managing for structural heterogeneity of vegetation. Managing for structural heterogeneity could be accomplished by maintaining or strategically applying practices of the Conservation Reserve Program, using appropriate fire and grazing disturbances in native working grasslands, and establishing site‐specific monitoring of vegetation composition and structure. © 2018 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing nesting ecology of lesser prairie‐chickens

et al. 2018

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“…These capture methods do not decrease survival probabilities of individuals (Grisham et al. ). Individual birds were aged and sexed based on plumage characteristics (Copelin ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of lesser prairie‐chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) long‐distance movements across their distribution

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Long-distance movements are important adaptive behaviors that contribute to population, community, and ecosystem connectivity. However, researchers have a poor understanding of the characteristics of long-distance movements for most species. Here, we examined long-distance movements for the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), a species of conservation concern. We addressed the following questions: (1) At what distances could populations be connected? (2) What are the characteristics and probability of dispersal movements? (3) Do lesser prairie-chickens display exploratory and round-trip movements? (4) Do the characteristics of long-distance movements vary by site? Movements were examined from populations using satellite GPS transmitters across the entire distribution of the species in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. Dispersal movements were recorded up to 71 km net displacement, much farther than hitherto recorded. These distances suggest that there may be greater potential connectivity among populations than previously thought. Dispersal movements were displayed primarily by females and had a northerly directional bias. Dispersal probabilities ranged from 0.08 to 0.43 movements per year for both sexes combined, although these movements averaged only 16 km net displacement. Lesser prairie-chickens displayed both exploratory foray loops and round-trip movements. Half of round-trip movements appeared seasonal, suggesting a partial migration in some populations. None of the long-distance movements varied by study site. Data presented here will be important in parameterizing models assessing population viability and informing conservation planning, although further work is needed to identify landscape features that may reduce connectivity among populations.

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“…We captured females with walk-in funnel traps , Schroeder and Braun 1991, Grisham et al 2015 and magnetic drop-nets (Wildlife Capture Services, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA). Upon capture, we assessed sex by pinnae length, presence of eye comb, and other plumage characteristics (Copelin 1963).…”

Section: Capturementioning

confidence: 99%

Interactive effects between nest microclimate and nest vegetation structure confirm microclimate thresholds for Lesser Prairie-Chicken nest survival

et al. 2016

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The range of Lesser Prairie-Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) spans 4 unique ecoregions along 2 distinct environmental gradients. The Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion of the Southern High Plains of New Mexico and Texas is environmentally isolated, warmer, and more arid than the Short-Grass, Sand Sagebrush, and Mixed-Grass Prairie ecoregions in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and the northeast panhandle of Texas. Weather is known to influence Lesser Prairie-Chicken nest survival in the Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion; regional variation may also influence nest microclimate and, ultimately, survival during incubation. To address this question, we placed data loggers adjacent to nests during incubation to quantify temperature and humidity distribution functions in 3 ecoregions. We developed a suite of a priori nest survival models that incorporated derived microclimate parameters and visual obstruction as covariates in Program MARK. We monitored 49 nests in Mixed-Grass, 22 nests in Sand Shinnery Oak, and 30 nests in Short-Grass ecoregions from 2010 to 2014. Our findings indicated that (1) the Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion was hotter and drier during incubation than the Mixed- and Short-Grass ecoregions; (2) nest microclimate varied among years within ecoregions; (3) visual obstruction was positively associated with nest survival; but (4) daily nest survival probability decreased by 10% every half-hour when temperature was greater than 34°C and vapor pressure deficit was less than −23 mmHg during the day (about 0600–2100 hours). Our major finding confirmed microclimate thresholds for nest survival under natural conditions across the species' distribution, although Lesser Prairie-Chickens are more likely to experience microclimate conditions that result in nest failures in the Sand Shinnery Oak Prairie ecoregion. The species would benefit from identification of thermal landscapes and management actions that promote cooler, more humid nest microclimates.

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Evaluation of Capture Techniques on Lesser Prairie-Chicken Trap Injury and Survival

Cited by 10 publications

References 13 publications

Factors influencing nesting ecology of lesser prairie‐chickens

Factors influencing nesting ecology of lesser prairie‐chickens

Characteristics of lesser prairie‐chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) long‐distance movements across their distribution

Interactive effects between nest microclimate and nest vegetation structure confirm microclimate thresholds for Lesser Prairie-Chicken nest survival

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