bird group
DESCRIPTION
Game Bird Management Plan. Bird Group. James Detraz, Amber Frye Kim Hippensteel and Nick Kafcas. Ruffed Grouse Management Plan. Neithercut Woodland. By Kim Hippensteel. Bonasa umbellus Weight: about 1.5 lb Wingspan: 20-25 in Mottled brown & grey with light belly - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
• Bonasa umbellus • Weight: about 1.5 lb• Wingspan: 20-25 in• Mottled brown &
grey with light belly• Named for ruffs on
sides of neck• Long, square tail• Males typically
larger
Ruffed Grouse
Adult female
Habitat Requirements
• Need a year-round supply of food, cover, drumming and nesting sites, and snowfall
• Drumming sites are needed about every acre
• For Neithercut Woodland property, approximately 80 ruffed grouse could be sustainable with total acreage
What’s for dinner?
• Buds, twigs, catkins, leaves, ferns, soft fruits, acorns, some insects, oak galls
• Young mostly insectivorous
• Buds are especially important in winter
Drumming• How males attract
mates• Occurs in spring• Logs, stumps,
boulders, elevated roots, even snowdrifts
• Starts slow• Gradually becomes
a blur of sound
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Ruffed_Grouse_dtl.html#fig1
Baby Birdies
• Nest near base of tree or stump• Made of leaves, looks like a bowl• 7-16 eggs• Male plays no role, female’s is tiny• Young leave nest within 24 hours• Completely leave family circle by four
months• Most die by first winter
Winter Habits
• No migration– Live in same small
area year-round
• Populations have ten-year cycles
• Diet changes– More buds
• Grow snowshoes
• Good rabbit habitat = good grouse habitat
• Dig/fly straight into snowdrifts– Overnight– Warmer
Management
• Cut down several trees near aspen stands to create small irregular edges– Cut diseased oak to provide year-round habitat
and food
– Plant bushy under-story cover (June berry, witch hazel, etc)
• Commercial timber harvest in irregular pattern of 10 acres every 10 years
• One drumming log per acre– Diameter of at least 7.5 in
– Average length of 20 feet
Current Status
There is no evidence to show that ruffed grouse are or are not present at Neithercut at this time
Wild Turkey Management Neithercut Woodland
By: Nick Kafcas
Wild Turkey Rangeand Sub-Species Type
•Wild turkeys are common in every state except Alaska
•Huntable populations in every state containing turkeys
•Four sub-species of turkeys in the U.S.
•Eastern•Merriams•Rio Grande•Osceola (Florida)
•Two additional sub-species exist in Mexico and Central America
•Goulds•Oscellated
•In Michigan:•Eastern sub-species only
History and Background
• Prior to European settlement, wild turkeys were common in lower Michigan
• Provided a food source for Native Americans and early settlers.• As settlement expanded throughout the 1800’s, lands were
cleared and the wild turkey began to be exploited for food and commercial value.
• By 1900 the wild turkey was eradicated from Michigan• 1920’s - MDNR was established, Game Division• 1954 – 1st successful reintroduction effort, Allegan County• 1965 – 1st wild turkey hunting season• 1980’s – Major expansion and reintroduction (exponential
growth).
1983
Expanded wild turkey restoration
efforts
20002000
Wild turkeys restored
Wild turkeys restored
140,000140,000
TURKEY POPULATION
94,000
Wild turkeys common
1800 1837
Michigan became a
state
1897 1900 1921 1927 1938 1954 1965
Last Turkey
Recorded
1st successful Wild Turkey restoration
attempt
DNR established
1st hunting season in modern
times
Game Division
established, first wildlife
biologist hired
Turkeys extripated
from Michigan
Pittman-Robertson
Act established
TURKEY POPULATION 1901-2000 THE CENTURY OF RESTORATION1901-2000 THE CENTURY OF RESTORATION
Wild Turkey Timeline
Current Status
• The wild turkey is once again a thriving species on the Michigan Landscape numbering > 140,00 birds state wide.
• Within Clare County, including Neithercut Woodland wild turkeys are very common.
• Spring and fall hunting seasons.
• Fall seasons indicate large numbers of birds.
– Harvesting hens to control population growth
American Woodcock
• Migratory game species
• Breeding range includes all of Michigan
• Male breeding territories
• Nocturnal habits
• Offspring development
• Feeding habits
http://www.fws.gov/northeast/moosehorn/images/Woodcock.jpg
Migration Patterns
• Woodcock follow the Atlantic route for migration (Sheldon 1967)• In spring migration, the routes are followed North• In fall migration, the routes are followed South
Breeding Range
• The breeding range includes much of the eastern United States• All of Michigan is included in the breeding range
Courtesy of Keppie and Whiting 1994
Breeding Range
Male woodcock abundance based on singing-ground survey routes (Keppie and Whiting 1994)
• The U.P. contains the areas of greatest recorded woodcock abundance
• CURRENT STATUS: The area of Clare County shows abundance of a mean between 4 and 10 singing males per route.
http://www.gpnc.org/images/jpegs/animals/Woodcock.jpg
Male Breeding Territories• Upon arrival in spring,
males set up a territory for breeding.
• The area is near potential nesting sites of females.
• Intruding males are chased away and cackled at with a cac-cac-cac call.
• Females willingly enter the breeding area.
http://www.timberdoodlespinone.com/images/graphics/woodcock.jpg
Nocturnal Habits
• All migration occurs at night.
• Males perform mating displays at dawn and dusk.
• On nights with considerable light, mating displays will be performed all night.
http://pages.cthome.net/rwinkler/woodcock_sideview_2.jpg
Mating Displays
• Once above tree level, he will begin flying in rings until nearly out of sight.
• At this height, he will stop climbing and let out a series of chirps.
• He will then fly downward in a zigzag pattern continuing to chirp for the duration of his flight.
• He then lands in the same general spot that he took off from and repeats the process until a mate arrives.
http://www.traderscreek.com/woodcock3%5B1%5D.jpg
• Mating displays begin with peent and tuko notes.• After a series of notes, the woodcock will fly into the air.
Offspring
• Typically 4 eggs, though 3 or 5 are possible.
• Incubation period 20 to 22 days.
• Hatching success rate of 67% (Sheldon 1967).
• Brood reared solely by female, due to polygynous nature of male.
• Broods separate 6 to 8 weeks after hatching (Johnsgard 1975).
http://thump01.pbase.com/u45/dataman/small/28870677.P5088573copy.jpg
Feeding Habits
• Diet consists mainly of earthworms.
• Opportunistic feeder, will feed on many insects and even vegetation if needed.
• Probes moist ground with beak for worms.
http://urbanhawks.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/img_0268.gif
http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~bsc7088/wood%2520duck.jpg
Aix sponsaWaterfowl game species Distributed all across United States and in parts of Canada Habitat includes forested woodlands near lakes, rivers, and vegetated wetlandsMinimum of 10 acres of continuous wetland or aquatic habitat Migratory in the north and year-round resident in the south.
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ejphoto.com/images_of_the_month/NM_WoodDuck06.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ejphoto.com/photos_of_the_month_page.htm&h=712&w=541&sz=199&hl=en&start=4&um=1&tbnid=ah6w5AIZWySCxM:&tbnh=140&tbnw=106&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwood%2Bduck%2B%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-us%26sa%3DG
1800’s – Wood duck populations suffered heavy losses from unregulated hunting and decimation of habitat. Exploited for highly decorative feathers and tasty meat.
1918 – Enactment of the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act helped wood duck begin a slow recovery (ending of unregulated hunting and the protection of remaining habitat)
1930’s – Nesting boxes help to boost numbers
1940’s – Wood duck numbers are sustainable enough for conservative hunting
The wood duck is a true success story of proper game managementwww.gdphotography.com/images/1064.jpg
http://www.birdsofcentralpark.com/signed/images/wood_duck_07.jpg
Young/ImmatureInsectsAquatic invertebratesSmall fishOther high-protein animal material•After six-weeks diet switches to all plant foods•Algae, watermeal, duckweed Adults
Variety of nuts and fruitsAquatic plants and seedsAquatic insects•Acorns and other forest material during the winter
Minimum habitat size for the wood duck as follows:•10 acres of contiguous wetland or other aquatic habitat•Close proximity to nesting habitat•Generous amounts of hardwoods surrounding area around water
Other habitat requirements:•Water levels of approximately 8 inches are ideal for wood duck foraging.•Must have a balance between good nesting habitat and good brood rearing habitat•Forested wetland habitat is the optimal habitat type
www.fws.gov/yazoo/images/Wood%20duck%20male%2...
Nests in hollow cavities of trees or in nesting boxesNesting boxes have been used since the 1930’s in an effort to boost wood duck populationsDesigned to allow wood ducks in and predators outMesh screen attached to the inside of the front wall to help young climb outAnti-predator cone guard may be used underneath box as wellAdditional nesting boxes may be needed if dump nesting occurs.
www.jjcardinal.com/coveside-lg-wood-duck.jpg
http://www.birddigiscoping.com/blog042306a2.jpg
http://www.carolinawaterfowlrescue.com/images/woodiejumps.jpg
www.jjcardinal.com/coveside-lg-wood-duck.jpg
http://miriameaglemon.com/photogallery/Photos/P4252749%20Wood%20Duck%20babies%20Santee.jpg
•Shallow water is a necessity for young to forage in•Heavily vegetated areas are best. •Aquatic plants serve as cover from predators
www.alabamawaterfowl.org/woodduck/woodduck26.jpg
http://miriameaglemon.com/photogallery/Photos/P4252749%20Wood%20Duck%20babies%20Santee.jpg
Current Status
• Believed that wood ducks do not currently utilize Neithercut Woodland as nesting/brooding site http://www.hiltonpond.org/images/DucklingWood01.jpg
Current Status of NeithercutRuffed Grouse, Wild Turkey, Woodcock and
Wood Duck
• Provides adequate habitat for game species.– Food (mast crops)– Water (Elm creek)– Cover/trees (roosting)
• Lacking:– Nesting cover– Winter food sources – Forest clearings
Current Status: All Game Species
Management Goals • Increase nesting cover for Wild Turkey,
American Woodcock, and Ruffed Grouse• Install and maintain Wood Duck nesting
boxes• Provide winter food sources for turkeys
through implementation of small food plots• Establish/increase Native grasslands
– Provide food and cover for young turkeys and edge habitat for nesting woodcock
• Create small forest openings– Increase woodcock breeding grounds– Increase foraging habitat for fledgling
turkeys• Winter turkey census
– Population estimate• Spring census for singing male woodcock
and drumming grouse– Population estimate
• Create and maintain drumming sites and optimal food sources for ruffed grouse
Management Objectives• Implement three small food plots
– One 1 ha plot– One 0.8 ha plot– One 2h plot– Even mixture of buck wheat, millet, soy beans
and sunflowers
• Establish 2 ha of a mix of cool season grasses:– Orchard grass– Timothy grass– White clover– Increase nesting habitat and browse
opportunities• Establish 2 ha of Native Grasslands
– Big bluestem– Little bluestem– Indian grass– Switch grass– Provide food and cover for young turkeys and
edge habitat for nesting woodcock• Create small forest opening/clearcuts
• Increase woodcock breeding habitat• Create foraging habitat for fledgling turkeys
Big Bluestem
Objectives Continued• Expansion of open water area
– Continuous 10 acres open water minimum
• Wood duck nest box installation– Anti predator cones– Annual clean out
• Establish 1 aspen stand of diverse age for every 20 acres
– Saplings should be dense
• Small amounts of clear-cutting near aspen stands
– Five or six closely spaced trees– Irregular pattern– Cut diseased oaks for year round food and
cover– Plant bushy understory cover
• June berry• Witch hazel• Wild raspberry/blackberry
• Commercial timber harvest– Ten hectares every ten years
• Insure one drumming log per acre – Diameter of at least 7.5 inches– Minimum length of 5.5 feet
•Prescribed burning
•Maintenance of wood duck boxes
Replace if needed
•Annual censuses
•Mowing of fields
lh3.google.com/.../TCI6wbb_0PM/s800/DSC01465.JPG
http://visitcranelake.com/images/blog/Ruffed%20Grouse%20close%20up%20(2).jpg
•Spring census of singing male ruffed grouse will need to be done to estimate breeding population.
•Cutting down of one tree per acre of suitable habitat
•May require the expertise of Forester to determine best places in aspen stands to do so
•A commercial timber harvest would need to be coordinated through the forester to allow for understory growth and the healthiest blend of tree ages
•Reintroductions aren’t necessary as, if the habitat is desirable, the grouse already present in the area will spread.
•Spring census of singing male turkeys will need to be done to estimate breeding population.
•Spring census of singing male woodcocks will need to be done to estimate breeding population.
• According to Sheldon (1967), there are 8 steps to perform the census.1. A route must be selected in the area which is woodcock habitat.2. The census must begin after all migrants have passed through and end
before the peak of the hatch.3. The count must be stated in a location of a known singing bird.4. Stops must not be within 0.4 mile of each other.5. A two minute listening period is required at each stop.6. Peenting males and birds in courtship flight that are distinguishable from
peenting males are counted.7. The run should last only 35 minutes.8. Runs should not be done in these conditions:
a.) Within two days of a full moon.b.) When temperatures are below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.c.) When winds exceed 8 mph.d.) In heavy rain or snow.
http://www.traderscreek.com/woodcock3%5B1%5D.jpg
Checking wood duck nesting boxes helps to determine the following:
•Are the wood duck boxes being used?
•By wood ducks or unwanted species?
•Population estimates at Neithercut Woodland
•Cleaning of previous year’s unusable nesting materials in preparation of coming breeding season
http://www.sam.usace.army.mil/weekly/2007/02%20images/2-16%20photos/cenestt2.jpg
•Monitoring the availability of standing water must also be done.
•If vegetation over grows too much of the wetland area, it must be removed through contracting of outside sources or through equipment rental.
http://www.41south-aquaculture.com/images/wetland.jpg
www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~bsc7088/wood%2520duck.jpg
Sources
• http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/EcoNatRes/EcoNatRes-idx?type=turn&entity=EcoNatRes.DNRRep036.p0011&isize=M
• • http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/Bird
Guide/Ruffed_Grouse_dtl.html• http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i3000i
d.html• http://www.ruffedgrousesociety.org• http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snapshots/birds/
ruffedgrouse.html• • http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/
pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/Landowners_Guide/Species_Mgmt/Ruffed_Grouse.htm
• • Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold
• http://www.rootsweb.com/~miclare/clarhist.htm
•http://www.dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/publications/pdf/woodduck.pdf
•http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/woodduck/index.htm
•http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/wildlife/420-802/420-802.html