Summer brood-rearing ecology of the greater prairie chicken on the Sheyenne National Grasslands

Abstract

Twenty-two radio-tagged hens hatched 265 chicks, of which all but 4 left the nest. Mortality of chicks was high, especially in the first 24 days, with only 28.4% surviving to the end of summer. Brood ranges varied from 22 to 2248 ha with an average of 488.6 ha for 15 broods that had at least one chick alive on 10 August. Several factors influenced the size of the range, including timing of the nest, age of the hen, and loss or potential loss of young due to predation, mowing or grazing. Small areas within the total range were used more intensively. These areas averaged 40.4 ha. Broods were relocated in native vegetation 70.1% of the time. When in native vegetation they were found in lowlands, midlands and uplands 45.5, 26.9 and 23.2% of the time, respectively. Broods seldom night roosted in upland vegetation, the community most heavily grazed by cattle. Broods were seldom relocated in pastures with cattle (26.8%) and usually left areas once they were mowed. Deferred pastures contained the greatest number of intensive use areas, 10, while prairie hay and alfalfa had 8 and 5 respectively. Population declines in recent years might be due in part to the poor brood survival.

Parent Publication

• Prairie chickens on the Sheyenne National Grasslands: September 18, 1987; Crookston, Minnesota

Citation

Newell, Jay A.; Toepfer, John E.; Rumble, Mark A. 1988. Summer brood-rearing ecology of the greater prairie chicken on the Sheyenne National Grasslands. In: Bjugstad, Ardell J., tech. coord. Prairie chickens on the Sheyenne National Grasslands: September 18, 1987; Crookston, Minnesota. Gen. Tech. Rep. RM-159. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station: 24-31