Download Burke County 4 H

Burke County 4 H
Wildlife Presentation
Southeastern Mixed & Outer Coastal Plain Forest
State Competition – November 10th 2012 (Saturday) at
Rock Eagle
Barb Hammond
Heather Brennan
Succession: What is It?
* The stages of plant cover over time from bare ground to climax stage
(mature woodland or trees)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
1. Bare Ground 2. Annual forbs and/or grasses 3. Perennial forbs
and grasses 4. Shrubs 5. Young woodland or trees (less than 70
years old) 6. Mature woodland or trees
So What Is A forb?
A herbaceous plant (other than grasses) – not woody stemmed. May
be vines, clovers or any other soft stemmed plant. Hint: wilts easily.
Is this a forb? If
not, what is it?
Corridor: continuous habitat that permits animals to travel securely from one
habitat to another.
Can be quite large –
jaguar corridor
mapping through
several South
American countries
How can a corridor be broken up?
Can a corridor be too small?
Corridors less than 100 meters wide may
form a trap for prey animals. Predators can
kill the adults, young or nested animals.
Eastern bluebird (seniors & juniors)
Habitat: Stages 2 & 3 interspersed with Stages 5 & 6 vegetation
Food: Insects & spiders, limited amount of fruit – forage in open areas
Cover: Leave 3-4 dead or nearly dead large trees per acre for nesting
sites (woodpecker holes/natural cavities), Place nest boxes 4-5 feet
high in or adjacent to open areas. Place over 200 feet apart.
Water: diet & other sources if available
Special: House Sparrows & European Starlings may
take over nest boxes – may need to be controlled
Pesticides should be used in urban areas – for fire ants especially
Management Practices
B
F
S
L
N
T
H(cc)
Clear-cut small areas (40 acres maximum, 10-20 preferred) in large
expanses of stage 5 & 6 woodland
In areas of mesquite, root plowing combined with grass/legume
seeding to maintain Stage 3 vegetation may be needed
Control burns – small areas of Stage 4 & 5/ Plant trees if needed in
Stage 2 & 3
Eastern cottontail (seniors & juniors)
Habitat: Stages 3 & 4 (ideal – 1/3 grassland, 1/3
cropland & 1/3 shrub cover interspersed together).
Can be found in parks, golf courses & stream
corridors in urban areas
Special: Overpopulation – may cause damage to garden/ornamental plants &
may require wildlife damage management
Food: Forbs & grasses in spring & fall, Bark of shrubs &
trees in winter. Plant 1/8 to ¼ acre perennial food crops
(grain sorghum good) one plot per 15 acres maximum
Cover: thick shrub or herbaceous vegetation for hiding & resting. Stages 2 &
3 – plant shrubs, Provide brush piles where needed. Clear-cut small areas (10
acres maximum) in Stages 5 & 6 woodlands. Livestock grazing should avoid
food plots & herbaceous plant cover & food
Water: obtained from diet
Wildlife Management
B
P
Bp
G
F
T
Db
H(cc)
S
W
Ib
L
Eastern gray squirrel (seniors & juniors)
Habitat: Deciduous woodland, Stages 5 & 6
Food: Forage on the ground mostly – nuts,
grains, acorns, seeds, mushrooms, & buds.
Water: from diet
Cover: Nest in cavities in trees or build nests of twigs & leaves. Need 3-4 den
trees or nest boxes per acre. Nest is usually in the crotch of a tree over 30 feet
above ground. They will use nest boxes if den sites are scarce (Stage 5). Leave
hardwoods, plant trees & shrubs in open areas.
Special: Wildlife Damage Management for property damage. They chew
insulation and electric wiring in the house - Trapping is needed.
Wildlife Management
C
Db
Ti
S
H(sc)
Gr
W
Ib
L
N
M
T
What are mast trees?
Trees that produce fruits (soft mast) or nuts (hard mast) that fall on
the ground becoming food (mast) for animals.
Can you name some soft mast trees?
Pears, peaches, apples, plums etc.
Can you name some hard mast trees?
Nuts – acorns (oaks) chestnut, beech, etc.
mourning dove (seniors & juniors)
Habitat: Stages 2 & 3 , agricultural areas for feeding, small areas of bare ground
Food: Waste grain from cropland and livestock feedlots (wheat, barley, millet,
milo, oats, sunflowers), variety of grass and forb seeds. Squabs ?are fed “pigeon
milk” for 1st 4 days then seeds are added also.
Clear & develop areas of about 40 acres (10-20 acres preferred)
Water: Must have water daily from shorelines or banks without vegetation
Cover: Tall shrubs & trees for nesting and loafing (?). Nests made of twigs
placed on branches of trees or shrubs; sometimes on ground
mourning dove calls
Management:
B
F
Db
P
T
Dsk
Pc
S
Pt
Gr
Ps
Ib
Pl
L
Ti
What vertical layering do you think a mourning dove would prefer?
OOOOPS what’s vertical layering? Ideas?
AKA – vertical structure
Vegetation – classified by how it grows
* grasses & forbs – ground cover
* shrub layer
* tree canopy (highest layer)
N
Hcc
If you have an area that is primarily succession stages 2 & 3, what should you do
to enhance the area for mourning dove?
Since mourning doves construct
flimsy nests, what can we do to
provide secure nesting sites?
Northern bobwhite (juniors & seniors)
General Habitat: Stages 2, 3, & 4 of plant succession interspersed. 1/4th
grassland, ½ cropland, 1/8th shrub cover, & 1/8th woodland.
Food: Young bobwhite – insects; Adults – seeds, vegetation (mostly
forbs), insects, & small grains.
Cover: Thick shrubs – hiding & roosting
Water: Don’t require standing water, but in arid (dry) regions water
development is beneficial (good) i.e. ponds, windmills, springs.
Northern bobwhite habitat
Review: What is an edge?
Edge: boundary where two or more types of vegetation or successional stages
meet.
So what is contrast?
Contrast describes how fast the edge changes. High contrast would be
where successional stage 2 meets an area in stage 6. Low contrast would be a
boundary between stages 2 & 3. Which do you think (low or high) would be
habitat for the most different species of animal & why?
Area Sensitive Species: wildlife species that require large unbroken areas in
a certain successional stage to provide all their needs.
Northern bobwhite Wildlife Management Practices
B
L
Bp
P
F
G
Db
T
Dsk
Ti
S
H(cc)
Gr
H(sc)
Ib
Practice: Mrs. Gregg has 100 acres of land behind her house – 40
acres of hay fields, 40 acres of timberland (stage 5 interspersed with
stage 6), 10 acres of grass pasture for her 2 horses, and 10 acres of
winter oats. The desired species are:
Suggestions: fill out management
table, draw a map, draw 2 circles and
Northern bobwhite
see what management practices refer
Eastern gray squirrel
to both species and what are different
(we will do this together)
Notes:
1. Eastern gray squirrel are not very abundant.
2. The timberland consists of all pine trees.
3. Turkeys have been spotted in the oat field.
4. Northern bobwhite have been seen in the hedgerow of the next
farm.
squirrel
Corridors
Nesting boxes
Plant mast trees
bobwhite
Same MP
Decrease bag
Wildlife Survey
Grain Leave Unharvested
Livestock Grazing Man.
Plant trees or shrubs
Brush chop/mow
Brush piles
Fire
Disking
Plant Food Plots
Tillage (eliminate in fall)
Plant grass/forbs
Timber harvest (selective)
Timber harvest (clear cut)
Area Sensitive Species
Which of these species would qualify as an area sensitive species?
Why?
Edge is not good for all wildlife. Some species need large, unbroken areas of a
certain successional stage to provide some or all of their habitat needs. These
species are referred to as Area Sensitive Species.
Food – Water – Shelter - Space
white-tailed deer (juniors & seniors)
General Habitat Preference: Stages 3, 4, & 5 all interspersed (mixed) together. Can
be a nuisance when their habitat & home range overlaps with areas occupied by people.
Home Range: area of constant use; the animal lives in the same area all year.
Food: variety of shrubs, forbs, grasses, & waste grains. Acorns & mast are favorite
foods. In their northern range conifer (pine) trees are used during the winter.
Cover: need woodlands & tall shrubs for hiding and travel cover. Use tall,
emergent aquatic vegetation in riparian areas and brushy upland drainages
for cover.
Water: Most is gotten from their food, but will use “free” water when available.
Management Practices:
B
G
F
M
C
T
Db
Ti
S
H(cc)
Gr
H(sc)
Ib
W
L
P
Carrying Capacity
Carrying Capacity refers to the number of animals that can live in a habitat.
Activity: Survivor Millen
You are a herd of deer and you live in a conservation area near Millen. The
area is off limits for hunting and you have plenty of water. You compete for
food with the other deer.
1. Choose your herd
2. Assemble in the hallway.
3. When I say go, run down and collect one bean. If I call time, you cannot
get a bean just turn around and go back to return your bean then go to the
starting point. Stop.
4. When I say go, the next person runs down and collects another bean.
When all beans are gone, count them and we will see which herd survived.
largemouth bass & bluegill (juniors & seniors)
22 lbs. 5 oz. June 2, 1932
World record fish
General Habitat: ponds, lakes, & slow moving rivers.
Current world record 4 lbs 12 oz
Picture is not the world record fish
Food: Young bass eat insects & other invertebrates (worms, crayfish, &
zooplankton). These invertebrates depend on phytoplankton for food. Adult
bass eat small fish like bluegill, minnows, tadpoles, crayfish, & even ducklings.
Bluegill eat zooplankton, insects, tadpoles, small minnows, & crayfish.
Population Control: You should maintain a bass to bluegill ratio of 3 to 6
lbs. of bluegill to 1 lb. of bass.
Phytoplankton – most are green
& photosynthesize
Zooplankton – eat phytoplankton or other
zooplankton
Management Practices
Db
Fp
S
Ib
L
Par
Pm
Pde
Prt
Prs
Pfs
Prs
Pl
Wc
Pc
Pdd
• Add fertilizer to pond to promote phytoplankton growth (pond should be a
green color)
• Harvest bluegill or bass to maintain proper ratio
• Prevent or clear up muddy water (slows phytoplankton growth)
• Do not let livestock graze near the pond’s edge – leave a vegetative ring
around it to filter runoff water. Put livestock water away from pond or limit
to a small section of pond.
• Create cover (artificial reefs) for smaller fish out of rocks, brush, pipe (6”
(diameter) X 18” (long), tires (sunk with weight) – use in ponds over 10
acres.
• Adjust pH of water to between 6.5 – 9.0 (lime if necessary), put aerator in
if Oxygen is below 4 parts per million (ppm).
Next Section is Seniors.
great horned owl (seniors)
Habitat: Primarily Stages 5 & 6 interspersed with 2,
3, & 4. Orchards, woodlots, & city parks also,
occasionally rocky canyons away from forest cover
Food: Varied – almost anything in its prey range
(size), Prefers – small to medium sized mammals &
birds. Also, reptiles, amphibians, large insects, &
fish. Rarely – carrion (dead animals)
Water: from diet
Cover: Abandoned nests of hawks or crows, large tree cavities, crotches, stumps,
caves, & ledges
Special: Wildlife Damage Management for predation of domestic poultry
Owl Predation - Domestic Chicken
Wildlife Management
Roosting poles or platforms where no large trees, caves, or ledges exist.
Plant forbs &/or grasses for prey.
C
H(sc)
S
W
L
N
G
R
D
H(cc)
Raptor Perch & Platform Installation
Owl Flight
hairy woodpecker
(seniors)
Habitat: Stages 4, 5,
& 6. Will use stage 3 if
mature trees are near.
Can be found in urban
& riparian areas.
Food: ants, beetle larvae, caterpillars, & adult beetles/
fruits & nuts are supplemental. Forage on tree trunks,
stumps, snags, downed logs & the ground.
Water: From their diet
Cover: Holes excavated in mature & dying trees & snags for nesting. Need at least
1 snag per acre.
C
S
L
Habitat Management:
T
hairy woodpecker Video
hairy woodpecker Sounds
mallard (wintering)
(seniors)
Habitat: Wetlands
with open water,
harvested grain crops,
riparian areas with open
water
Food: waste grain from agriculture, aquatic plants, invertebrates. Will fly long
distances to feed, but likes to find it close to home lake/pond. Dabbling ducks like
the depth of water to be under 2 feet.
Water: From where they live.
Cover: Rest on open water (streams, rivers, warm-water sloughs) also ice in the
middle of lakes
What is a dabbling duck?
What is a slough?
Sloughs are inland water bodies that are situated in depressions,
lack emergent trees and shrubs, have less than 30% vegetation cover,
and occupy at least 20 acres.
Management: Db
Pl
Rb
S
Fl
Gr
Ti
Ib
Wc
Pc
Wd
Pt
Ps
Note: Keep human disturbance to a minimum
Would mallards
like to live here?
Let’s Identify Animals
American kestrel (seniors)
Habitat: Stages 2 & 3 for feeding and
4, 5, & 6 for nesting. Large open areas
with adequate nesting sites are needed.
Food: Insects & small mammals that
live in open areas. Water: from their
diet.
Cover: Nest in tree cavities, holes in
cliffs, canyon walls, artificial nest
boxes
So, what are the stages referring to?
Management Practices
Brush chopping (mowing)
Fire (controlled burning)
Survey (wildlife or fish pond)
Livestock grazing management
Nesting boxes/structures/platforms
Grass and forbs planting
Trees or shrubs planting
Dead or downed snags/woody material
Harvest timber/ clear-cut
B
F
S
L
N
G
T
D
Hcc
coyote (seniors)
Habitat: Primarily Stages 2, 3, &
4, but could be found almost
anywhere -urban areas, large cities,
grasslands, forests & cleared
agricultural fields.
Food: poultry, rodents, persimmons, song-birds, cattle, rabbits, deer,
woodchuck, goats, sheep, watermelon, & carrion (82% of sheep loss in 16
studies was due to predators, but it was determined that often an individual
coyote caused the major problems.) Water: not well documented; probably
met by their diet.
Cover: brush covered slopes, steep banks, rock ledges, thickets, hollow logs
are used as den areas. Plant shrub areas to encourage them. May live as
individuals, mated pairs or packs. Coyotes are active during the day, but
primarily during the early morning and around sunset.
Coydog
S
L
H(cc)
H(sc)
W
brown thrasher (seniors)
Habitat: Stages 3 & 4 succession
Dense woody plants with shrub thickets,
hedgerows, shelterbelts, forest edges,
riparian areas, & young forests.
Thicket
Hedgerow
Shelterbelt/Windbreak
Edges?
Why Riparian?
The brown thrasher was originally selected by
schoolchildren as the state bird of Georgia in the
1928, and was declared the state bird by Eugene
Talmadge in 1935, but was not officially adopted until
1970.
Food: Invertebrates & plant seeds – principal foods. May also eat berries &
fruits from shrubs/trees. Water: requirements unknown.
Cover: Needs minimum of 2.5 acres of woody vegetation for a breeding
population. Ground litter provides more food than bare ground.
Management:
B
F
C
S
L
T
So, what is a corridor?
H(cc)
H(sc)