* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Download Bobwhite Quail Fact Sheet - North American Envirothon
Survey
Document related concepts
Wildlife corridor wikipedia , lookup
Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project wikipedia , lookup
Source–sink dynamics wikipedia , lookup
Mission blue butterfly habitat conservation wikipedia , lookup
Wildlife crossing wikipedia , lookup
Habitat destruction wikipedia , lookup
Transcript
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources WILDLIFE RESOURCES DIVISION Bobwhite Quail Fact Sheet Introduction The Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) occurs throughout all or parts of 38 states and is a particularly prominent game bird in the South. In Georgia, bobwhites are present from the mountains to the coast and occupy a special place in the state’s wildlife heritage, having been designated as the State Game Bird in 1970. However, due to large-scale changes in land use, quail populations have been declining since the early 1900’s. The quail decline has primarily resulted from the loss of adequate nesting cover, brood range and escape thickets. In Georgia and across the South major efforts are underway to restore and maintain bobwhite habitat and populations. Life History Wildlife biologists classify bobwhites as a grasslandforb-shrub habitat dependent species. In the Southeast this type of habitat is often referred to as early succession. To prosper, bobwhites need large expanses of clumped native warm season grasses mixed with annual weeds, legumes, briars and other woody thickets that are thick above but open underneath. The average annual home range size is around 40 acres, but depending on habitat quality, home range size can vary from 10 acres to more than 200 acres. Bobwhites are relatively small ground dwelling gallinaceous (chicken-like) birds. Adults stand six to seven inches in height and typically weigh about six ounces. The male can be most easily identified by a prominent white stripe above the eye, whereas hens (females) have cream or buff colored head stripes. The bobwhite nesting season extends from March through October with the peak occurring during May through August. Bobwhites nest on the ground using the previous year’s dead vegetation, with both hens and cocks (males) collecting materials for nest construction. The average clutch size is 12 eggs with an incubation period of 23 days. Chicks are precocial, meaning they leave the nest with the adult shortly after hatching. During the early fall bobwhite adults and broods form into social groupings called coveys, with an average covey size of 12 birds. Coveys roost or spend the night on the ground, in a circle with their heads pointed outward, which allows them to conserve heat and more easily escape nocturnal predators. As mortality occurs throughout the winter and covey size decreases, the remaining birds often join with other coveys for the remainder of the winter. Quail remain in coveys until the “spring breakup” at which time they disperse to begin the mating season. Males then begin to make the familiar “bob-bob-white” call to attract hens for breeding. Bobwhites are what ecologists refer to as an r-selected species, which means they are subject to high annual mortality rates but are able to offset this mortality with high reproductive rates. Annual mortality rates may reach 70 to 80 percent depending on habitat quality, weather, predator densities, hunting pressure and other variables. Providing high quality habitat at all seasons of the year best controls predation on bobwhites. Reasons for the Quail Decline Intensification of agriculture and forestry coupled with increased urbanization are the primary factors responsible for the decline in bobwhite quail and a number of other early successional wildlife species. Restoration Efforts At present, efforts are underway to improve habitat for bobwhites and other declining early successional wildlife. Georgia’s Bobwhite Quail Initiative and a number of federal programs promote habitat restoration practices, including establishing early successional habitat around and across agricultural fields and pine forests. Additional WRD Publications: • • • Bobwhite Quail In Georgia: History, Biology and Management Small Game Management In Georgia Bobwhite Quail Initiative Management Notes For more information, contact a WRD Game Management Office or call (478) 994-7583. Created 11/04 The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division WOOD DUCK FACT SHEET The wood duck (Aix sponsa) is the most common duck in Georgia. It is the only species that traditionally nests here, and it is one of only a few species of waterfowl that nests in a cavity rather than on the ground. Considered by many to be the most beautiful of all North American waterfowl, the wood duck is certain to enhance any location in which it appears. BIOLOGY About half the size of a mallard, the wood duck (woodie) is a type of dabbling duck, meaning it forages on the water’s surface for food as opposed to diving for food on the bottom. During the fall and winter, woodies need foods such as acorns that are high in fat to carry them through the harsher months and to prepare them for breeding and laying eggs. Spring requirements shift towards higher protein foods like insects to promote growth. Wood ducks begin courtship rituals several months before the nesting season, which usually begins in February and lasts through June. Pair bonds normally last through the brood-rearing season. A hen will lay one egg each day until she reaches an average clutch size of 10-15 eggs. If something happens to the nest, hens will renest in an effort to hatch a successful brood. Incubation begins after the last egg is laid, and hatching occurs about 30 days later. About 24 hours after hatching, the hen begins calling the chicks out of the nest to explore their new world on water. By the time the chicks are 5 weeks of age, they are quite independent from the hen. As maturity progresses, ducks will begin the courtship ritual and breed at one year of age. HABITAT Wood ducks are closely associated with forested wetland habitats throughout North America. Woodies seldom venture far from woodlands and associated water areas. Their distribution is essentially confined to riparian corridors and other areas of lowland forest interspersed with freshwater ponds, lakes, marshes, and swamps. Beaver ponds form some of the finest wood duck habitat around. Flooded emergent vegetation that protrudes above the surface of the water provides good brood-rearing cover. Buttonbush, alder, or other shrubs that grow out of the water provide protection from aerial predators. Other emergent vegetation such as sedges and rushes also provide places for young ducklings to hide. NEST BOX MANAGEMENT Erecting wood duck nest boxes can help raise local populations in your area. For maximum benefit, proper placement of wood duck boxes is extremely important. Farm ponds may not be a good place for duck boxes as most have steep sides, deep edges and no emergent vegetation. Without emergent vegetation, the ducklings have no place to hide, and rapidly fall prey to various predators, such as snapping turtles and largemouth bass. NEST BOX CONSTRUCTION There are several different designs for wood duck nest boxes, however all boxes should be between 20-27” in height and 1012” square. The preferred lumber for building wood duck nest boxes is rough-cut 1” thick cypress, however cedar or yellow pine is acceptable. DO NOT use treated lumber. The box should be held together with 1 ½” zinc coated or galvanized wood screws. To allow ducklings to climb up and escape, ½” wire mesh should be mounted to the inside of the box under the front hole. See the reverse side for instructions on building a wood duck box and predator guard. GUIDELINES FOR MOUNTING NEST BOXES 1. Boxes should be placed so there is a 40’ flight line in front of the box that is free from obstructions such as tree limbs or bushes. 2. Wooden 4”x4”or 2” diameter metal posts can be used to mount boxes. Post should be 10-12’ long. No box should be mounted without a predator guard around the post. 3. Position the box as nearly vertical as possible, with a very slight tilt forward. The tilt will enable ducklings to climb out more easily. 4. Boxes should be placed one per acre of suitable broodrearing habitat. 5. Boxes should be placed so that the bottom of the box is at least 4’ above the high water mark. 6. Do not place more than one box per post, as this may increase the possibility of “dump nesting.” 7. When attaching the box to the post, use 3-5” lag bolts instead of nails. Bolts make it easier to remove boxes in the future for replacement or repair as necessary. 8. Wasps can be kept out of the boxes using a small piece of no-pest strip stapled or tacked inside the box. 9. Once erected, boxes should be lined with about 4” of wood shavings, not sawdust. Cedar shavings are acceptable to use. 10. Boxes should be checked and cleaned annually during December or January, prior to the nesting season. For more information, contact a WRD Game Management Office or call (770) 918-6416. Revised 03/02 The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division EASTERN WILD TURKEY FACT SHEET HISTORY The eastern wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, is the largest gallinaceous bird in North America. However, due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss caused by forest clearing, wild turkeys were almost extirpated from Georgia by the early 1900s. As forests regenerated after the great depression, available wild turkey habitat increased. Implementation of conservation laws, advances in wildlife science and funding for wildlife restoration programs all played a role in the come back of the eastern wild turkey. In 1973, Georgia’s estimated wild turkey population was 17,000 birds but that year marked the start of the Georgia’s wild turkey restoration program. Since that time with the help of its conservation partners, Wildlife Resources Division associates and volunteers have trapped and relocated more than 4,800 wild turkeys to over 300 suitable sites across the state. The wild turkey restoration program ended in 1996 and since then, with adequate protection and biologically sound hunting seasons, wild turkey populations in Georgia have increased to over 400,000 birds. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS & REPRODUCTION Wild turkeys breed in the spring. After spending the winter in bachelor flocks, adult males, known as toms or gobblers, will disband and begin to strut and gobble in an effort to attract hens for mating. Adult males weigh between 17-21 pounds and have black-tipped breast feathers. The tom’s featherless head is whitecrowned with varying amounts of blue and red. Male gobblers have beards that grow to about 3-5 inches per year. Males also have spurs on their heals, which can be over 2 inches long. Gobbling usually begins in March but can start in lateFebruary or early April. A gobbler will mate with as many hens as possible and hens will mate with a gobbler more than once. Juvenile males, known as jakes, will also strut and gobble but are less successful at courting hens than older males. Jakes can be distinguished from the adult male gobblers by the 4-6 central feathers on the jakes tail fan. These feathers will be longer than the other tail feathers forming an uneven edge to the tail. Jakes also have smaller beards and spurs than adult gobblers. Most hens will breed and nest during their first spring. Hens are smaller than toms and weigh 8-11 pounds and have bufftipped breast feathers giving them a brown or tan coloration. The head of the female is a dull gray-blue with feathers extending up the back of the head. Although some hens can have beards most hens do not have beards or spurs. Hens are capable of retaining viable sperm for about two months. Therefore, all the eggs for and entire clutch and renesting attempt can be fertilized from one mating episode. As the breeding season comes to an end, usually in April, hens nest in shallow depressions formed by scratching, squatting and laying eggs. Nests are often at the base of trees or against fallen logs and are usually located near open areas. The nest is usually in dense enough vegetation to conceal the nest but allow the hen to view her surroundings from ground level. Hens lay about one egg each day until the clutch, usually 10-12 eggs, is complete. Hens incubate the nest for about 28 days. After the poults hatch, they are ready to leave the nest in about 12-24 hours. The poults can walk and feed on insects when they are a day old. The hen will brood the chicks when they are cold or hot. The poults can take short flights when they are 8days old and when they are about 2 weeks old; they begin to roost in trees at night with the hen. Most broods stay together 4-5 months and female poults may remain with the hen until the start of the next breeding season. DIET Almost 80% of the poult’s diet in their first week of life is insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and true bugs. Insects are high in protein, which is important for the fast-growing poults. As the poults age, they include more plant material in their diet. Quality wild turkey habitat is important to the poult’s survival and consists of weedy or grassy openings with knee-high vegetation and scattered trees or shrubs that cover approximately 50 percent of the ground. Plant material makes up most of the adult turkey’s diet. Adult turkeys eat a variety of nuts, berries, plants and insects. Examples of foods eaten by wild turkeys include: acorns, beechnuts, pecans, pine seeds, blackberries, wild grapes, blueberries, poison ivy berries, grass seeds, snails and grasshoppers. Turkeys have also been known to eat small frogs, lizards and crayfish. HABITAT Wild turkeys need a mixture of forests and open areas to meet their seasonal habitat requirements. Quality turkey habitat is comprised of mature woodlands with open understories and welldeveloped midstories, interspersed with grassy or weedy openings. By early autumn pecking orders have been established within flocks and by late autumn, males and females have usually formed separate flocks and moved into their winter range. This shift is normally from field to forest habitat. As the growing season ends, seeds and insects in the fields become less available and hard & soft mast in the forest become preferred foods. Throughout the winter turkeys congregate into large flocks in areas that offer shelter from the elements and reliable food sources. The following spring as the weather warms and the days become longer the flocks break up and the breeding cycle starts again. For more information, contact a WRD Game Management Section Office or call (770) 918-6416. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) WHITE-TAILED DEER FACT SHEET Introduction White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) once were nearly eliminated in the state of Georgia, but through diligent wildlife management efforts deer were successfully restored throughout the state. In fact, the current deer population exceeds 1.2 million. Deer are a valuable natural, recreational, and economic resource in Georgia, bringing in more than $800 million per year in hunting license fees, sporting equipment sales, food and land leases. However, deer densities in some localized areas have the potential to inflict significant damage to forestry, agricultural or horticultural crops, home gardens, and shrubbery. But because deer are important both biologically and economically, management of their numbers requires consideration on numerous levels. Biology Scientific studies of white-tailed deer in recent years have provided much knowledge of deer biology and behavior. For example, adult deer in Georgia range from 70 to 250 pounds with bucks (males) typically weighing more than does (females). Breeding season (called “the rut”) extends from October to January and peaks in November. Gestation period is 200 days. Newborns, called fawns, are spotted and range from 4-8 lbs. Most are born between May and August with a peak in June. For the first month or so, does spend very little time with fawns, hiding them for hours at a time and returning to nurse them only 4 or 5 times per day. This tactic helps keep scent levels very low so predators are not attracted to newborns. Young deer begin foraging on plants within a month and are completely weaned in three months. Deer home range sizes in Georgia vary from 150 acres to more than 1,200 acres with does having smaller ranges than bucks. Smaller ranges also are found in higher deer populations in better deer habitat such as that found in the Georgia Piedmont and Upper Coastal Plain. Deer are most active around dawn and dusk. This is called a crepuscular activity pattern. Although most hunters think in terms of bucks, it is the doe segment of the herd that determines most of the differences found in deer populations. For example, depending on the food supply and the total deer population, does can produce twins, singles, or not bear any fawns at all. If births exceed the total death rate from hunting and other causes in any particular year, then the population increases. Eventually, the population reaches a size where it exceeds the available food supply (“carrying capacity” of the land) resulting in lower birth rates, poor antler development, lower body weights and eventually a lower population as the remaining food supply is permanently damaged. The deer herd is the result of a complex interaction of food supply, population size, births, deaths, movements, weather, and past history. Hunting is the one tried and true method for managing deer populations in order to reach desired deer herd objectives. Deer Antlers Antler development is important to many hunters and deer observers. Buck antler development is controlled by age, nutrition, and genetics. However, in Georgia genetics do not appear to be an important factor. For most deer in this state, age is the single most limiting factor for antler development, followed by nutrition. Under heavy hunting pressure, bucks simply do not live long enough to produce large antlers. In parts of the Lower Coastal Plain and Mountains, bucks live much longer but nutrition levels often are poor which limits antler development. Likewise, poor nutrition also occurs in the Piedmont when deer herds get so large that their food supply is reduced in quality or quantity resulting in poor antler growth. Food Habits Deer are the only native animals that routinely browse plants 4 to 5 feet above the ground. They eat about five pounds per day (dry weight) of hundreds of species of both native and non-native plants but have definite preferences for certain plants, fruits and nuts. Some of their favorites include Japanese honeysuckle, acorns, grapes, apples, persimmons, greenbrier, blackberry, maple, blackgum, grasses, corn, clover, summer weeds, and sumac. Habitat Deer are known as generalists because of their ability to thrive in a wide variety of habitats including forests, woodlots, suburbs, golf courses, extensive agriculture, swamps and coastal marshes. High deer numbers are a serious concern because they can destroy their own habitat and that of dozens of other species, even causing extirpation of plant species. The best deer habitat contains mixed ages of pine and hardwood forests interspersed with openings and agriculture. This provides the optimum combination of food, cover, and water that are the essential components of any habitat. Additional WRD Publications • • Deer Herd Management for Georgia Hunters Controlling Deer Damage in Georgia For more information, contact a WRD Game Management Office or call (770) 918-6416. Revised 04/04