Nest and Brood Survival of Lesser Prairie-Chickens in West Central Kansas

Abstract

We evaluated the effect of habitat use and other sources of variation on survival of lesser prairie‐chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) and greater prairie‐chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) nests and broods. Daily nest and brood‐survival probabilities were a function of a quadratic time trend, and both declined as the season progressed. Daily nest survival was negatively associated with nest age, and daily brood survival was positively associated with brood age. Lastly, broods tended by adult females had higher daily survival rates than broods reared by subadult females. The probability of a nest surviving from 10 May to 1 June was 0.72 (SE = 0.06). The probability of a brood surviving from 1 June to 30 July (hatch to 60 days posthatch) was 0.49 (SE = 0.19) and 0.05 (SE = 0.03) for broods reared by adults and subadults, respectively. Although nesting females and females with broods were using Conservation Reserve Program grasslands, there appeared to be no benefit to nest and brood survival during our study. Instead, age of the nest and brood, timing during the season, age of the brooding female, and precipitation during brooding were more important predictors of survival. Further experimentation is needed to determine the mechanisms responsible for decreased nest and brood survival throughout the season. Results from such research could be used to formulate management strategies to improve nest and brood survival.

The Predicted Influence of Climate Change on Lesser Prairie-Chicken Reproductive Parameters

“…Timing of incubation and nest survival appear to be correlated; previous studies suggest that nests have a higher probability of survival if they are initiated earlier in the year [18], [31]. We hypothesize hot, dry conditions in the winter and spring affect the growth and composition of nest vegetation on our study area, which subsequently influence incubation and nest survival.…”

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

“…We did not separate first nest from renests in this analysis because of the low sample size of renests. Our microclimate candidate models were developed using information presented in Flanders-Wanner et al (2004), Fields et al (2006), Grisham et al (2013), Dunn and Milne (2014), and Hovick et al (2014) that suggested temperature and humidity as limiting factors for various aspects of Holarctic grouse reproductive ecology. We also included several exploratory models that included the proportion of extreme temperature and VPD measurements to assess whether extreme microclimate conditions influenced nest survival (Table 1).…”

Wild Birds, a Source of Reticuloendotheliosis Virus Infection for the Endangered Attwater's Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri)?

“…Age of brood hens was also an important indicator of brood survival. Survival probability to 60 days was 0.49 and 0.05 for broods reared by adults and sub-adults, respectively (Fields et al 2006).…”

“…Newell (1987) found 28% of subadult and 88% of adult hens re-nested, respectively. Fields et al (2006) observed the survival of Kansas prairie-chicken nests declined as the nest aged and as the nesting season progressed. They found survival probability of early-, mid-, and late-season nests was 0.77, 0.61, and 0.19, respectively.…”

“…Egg quality as influenced by nutrition of the hen, ability of the hen to care for chicks as influenced by hen condition, and the quality of brood rearing habitat relative to the abundance of insects required by chicks may contribute to high chick mortality during the first weeks of life (Peterson and Silvy 1996, Riley et al 1998, Toepfer 2003. Fields et al (2006) found that daily survival rates of prairie-chicken broods increased as broods aged, and decreased as the season progressed (i.e., late broods were less successful). Age of brood hens was also an important indicator of brood survival.…”