Jeffrey Duguay - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Jeffrey Duguay

Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium, 2019

The American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) Singing-Ground Survey (SGS) was devel... more The American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) Singing-Ground Survey (SGS) was developed to inform management decisions by monitoring changes in the relative abundance of woodcock. The timing of the designated survey windows was designed to count resident woodcock while minimizing counting of migrating woodcock. Since the implementation of the SGS in 1968, concerns over survey protocols that may bias data have been raised and investigated; however, the extent of survey coverage and the timing of the survey window zones have not been critically investigated. We used 3 years of data collected from male and female woodcock marked with satellite tags to assess the extent of survey coverage and the timing of the SGS survey windows relative to presence of woodcock. SGS coverage encompassed the majority of woodcock breeding-period sites (locations where marked woodcock returned to in spring) within the U.S. (n = 17, 92%) and approximately half of the breeding-period sites in Canada (n = 6, 43%). Thirteen of the 37 monitored woodcock with known breeding-period site arrival dates (35%) were migrating through a survey zone during an active survey window, all in the northernmost 4 of 5 SGS zones. Thirteen woodcock arrived at breeding-period sites after the start of surveys, and all but one of these was located in the northernmost 2 zones. The combination of migration through a SGS zone during the survey window and arrival at breeding-period sites after the beginning of the survey window in northern zones may result in the SGS weighing too heavily the contribution of routes in the southern portion of the primary breeding range, while weighing too lightly the routes in the northern portion of the primary breeding range. We suggest that additional information is necessary to evaluate whether current survey windows are sufficient, or whether they need to be changed.

The Journal of Wildlife Management

American woodcock (Scolopax minor; woodcock) are monitored, in part, by counts of displaying male... more American woodcock (Scolopax minor; woodcock) are monitored, in part, by counts of displaying male woodcock collected via the American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey (SGS), which suggests long‐term, range‐wide declines in woodcock populations. Data from the SGS have been used extensively to develop conservation plans, direct management actions, and understand causes of decline. To avoid bias, the SGS should be timed to avoid spring migration, and the distribution of survey routes should coincide with woodcock breeding distribution. Our objectives for this research were to evaluate SGS timing with the phenology of male woodcock migration, relate the spatial coverage of the SGS to male woodcock breeding distributions, and explore other sources of variation in woodcock migration timing. We marked 133 male woodcock captured throughout eastern North America with global positioning system (GPS) transmitters during 2019–2022, and compared the timing of their spring migration with the spatio...

Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium, 2019

American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) have experienced long-term population dec... more American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) have experienced long-term population declines across much of their breeding distribution since 1968. Previous research suggests that nocturnal habitat availability on the wintering grounds is important to wintering woodcock survival. We compared 4 different land management techniques: mowing, burning, disking, and a mow/burn combination for enhancing nocturnal habitat for woodcock in south-central Louisiana. From 2011-2013, we monitored study plots during overcast nights throughout winter months. We detected woodcock most frequently in both the burn and mow treatments and least frequently in the disk treatment. The total numbers of woodcock we captured and flushed were 13 times greater in the burn treatment than in the disk treatment. We captured 24 times more juvenile woodcock in the mow and burn treatments than in the disk treatment. We captured 12 times more female woodcock in the burn treatment than in the disk treatment, whereas we captured 9 times more male woodcock in the mow treatment than in the disk treatment. Our results suggest that suitable nocturnal habitat for woodcock on the wintering grounds in south-central Louisiana can be enhanced by burning and/or mowing.

Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2020

Wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations have exploded across much of the southeastern United States. In... more Wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations have exploded across much of the southeastern United States. In order to combat increasing wild pig numbers in an effort to reduce both ecological and economic damage caused by wild pigs, toxicant baits are being investigated as a possible method to reduce wild pig numbers at the local scale. In fall 2017, we tested the HogStopper ® feeder to ascertain if this feeder design would deliver bait to wild pigs while preventing non-target species from accessing bait. We examined visitation rates at feeders for wild pigs and non-target species using both digital and video cameras. We had a three-week acclimation period (feeder doors remained open allowing free access to bait) followed by a three-week activation period (feeders were closed). Wild pigs visited eight of 10 feeders but fed from only one of these feeders during the activation period. With the exception of the Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus), non-target species were effectively prevented from accessing feeders. Wild pigs frequently (95% of the time) spilled corn while feeding during the activation period. Due to the potential for wild pigs to spill toxicants when feeding, spill rates should be addressed during research and development of feeders and their associated toxicants in order to minimize non-target species exposure. We recommend manufacturers carefully consider bait load capacities and feed spillage when designing feeders to deliver toxicants to wild pigs.

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium, 2019

Migratory bird species pose serious management challenges because it is difficult to determine ha... more Migratory bird species pose serious management challenges because it is difficult to determine habitats utilized during their entire life cycles. As American woodcock populations have experienced long-term declines, wintering habitat management has become increasingly important. Past studies on woodcock have relied predominantly on Very High Frequency (VHF) telemetry, which require an observer to manually track them to gather location information. Our study employed both Global Positioning System (GPS) and VHF tags on woodcock to gather high resolution movement data in order to evaluate habitat use and compare VHF and GPS approaches to habitat sampling. We simulated a VHF approach to tracking the same individuals from the GPS tag data (spanning 252 bird-days) and utilized vegetation samples from our VHF tracked birds to evaluate use and random paired location sampling. We found that many random locations fell within the Minimum Convex Polygons (MCP) as defined via the GPS tags (average diurnal MCP size was 0.04 ha). Overall, our results suggest that evaluating resource selection by woodcock requires discerning the appropriate scale(s) of habitat selection via the identification of the spatial and temporal components underlying individual movement ecology.

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

The Journal of Wildlife Management

Long-term declines in American woodcock (Scolopax minor) populations may be partially the result ... more Long-term declines in American woodcock (Scolopax minor) populations may be partially the result of low survival rates on wintering grounds especially in noc-turnal habitats. We compared microhabitat characteristics of woodcock nocturnal roost sites to random sites in eastern Texas. We located woodcock roost points by nightlight-ing in winters of 2000–01 (45 points) and 2001–02 (74 points). Percentage bare soil, sapling-size tree canopy cover above 0.5 m, and sapling density were greater at roost than random sites. Conversely, shrub ground cover (i.e., below 0.5 m) was lower at roost than random sites. Woodcock roosted in mowed areas, unmowed bunchgrass, under saplings treated with herbicides the previous summer, and in areas where carpetgrass had been burned the previous winter. They did not roost in unburned carpetgrass. In eastern Texas, woodcock nocturnal roost sites can be created in abandoned fields and pastures by mowing or the judicious use of herbicides and/or prescribed fire.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Kentucky University, 1995. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-... more Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Kentucky University, 1995. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-59). Vita.

The winter roosting behavior of Eastern Screech-owls (Otus asio) in central Kentucky was examined... more The winter roosting behavior of Eastern Screech-owls (Otus asio) in central Kentucky was examined from October 1993-March 1994. Eleven owls used 69 roost sites 563 times, with 29 boxes used 308 times, 25 cavities used 226 times and 15 limbs used 29 times. Most natural cavities were in black locusts (Robinia pseudoacacia), southern red oaks (Quercus falcata) and snags; boxes were located in 15 different species of trees. All conifer limb roosts were in eastern redcedars (Juniperus virginiana). Frequent use of boxes and cavities during winter is probably the result of owls seeking favorable micro- climates and concealment from predators. Screech-owls roosted in conifers more frequently when tem- peratures were above freezing and in boxes and cavities more frequently on days with rain, drizzle, or snow, supporting the conclusion that roosting owls seek favorable microclimates. Owls used each roost site an average of seven times. Female screech-owls were more likely to use boxes and mal...

Southeastern Naturalist, 2008

Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2011

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) overabundance is a problem of serious concern for wild... more White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) overabundance is a problem of serious concern for wildlife managers. At densities as low as 8 deer/km 2 , changes in vegetation due to deer feeding patterns have been demonstrated to negatively impact other wildlife species. The Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) in Howard County, Maryland, USA, currently supports a deer population of approximately 41 deer/km 2. We used an experimental approach to examine how deer overabundance in a suburban environment impacts both vegetation and invertebrates. Ten 20-m  20-m deer exclosures were constructed in the MPEA during the winter-spring of 1999. Vegetation and invertebrate data have subsequently been collected inside the exclosures and areas adjacent to the exclosures (control) during the summers of 1999, 2003, and 2007. There was no initial difference in vegetation variables between exclosure and control plots in 1999 (P > 0.05). Post-1999, plant species richness was greater in the exclosure than in the control. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed differences (P < 0.001) in vegetation cover variables between exclosures and controls, with a greater percentage of forbs, shrubby vegetation, and taller stems in the exclosure and more grass and exotics in the control. There were few differences in invertebrates between exclosures. The differences observed in vegetation between exclosures is believed to reflect interactions between deer feeding patterns and the invasive Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) and unless deer density is reduced, it is likely that the exotic Japanese stiltgrass will continue to increase in abundance and native plant species will decrease.

Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2005

... Cited by. John P. Carpenter 5 , Yong Wang, Callie Schweitzer, and Paul B. Hamel. (2011) Avian... more ... Cited by. John P. Carpenter 5 , Yong Wang, Callie Schweitzer, and Paul B. Hamel. (2011) Avian Community and Microhabitat Associations of Cerulean Warblers in Alabama. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123:2, 206-217 Online publication date: 1-Jun-2011. ...

Journal of Wildlife Management, 2009

Conservation Biology, 2008

Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium, 2019

The American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) Singing-Ground Survey (SGS) was devel... more The American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) Singing-Ground Survey (SGS) was developed to inform management decisions by monitoring changes in the relative abundance of woodcock. The timing of the designated survey windows was designed to count resident woodcock while minimizing counting of migrating woodcock. Since the implementation of the SGS in 1968, concerns over survey protocols that may bias data have been raised and investigated; however, the extent of survey coverage and the timing of the survey window zones have not been critically investigated. We used 3 years of data collected from male and female woodcock marked with satellite tags to assess the extent of survey coverage and the timing of the SGS survey windows relative to presence of woodcock. SGS coverage encompassed the majority of woodcock breeding-period sites (locations where marked woodcock returned to in spring) within the U.S. (n = 17, 92%) and approximately half of the breeding-period sites in Canada (n = 6, 43%). Thirteen of the 37 monitored woodcock with known breeding-period site arrival dates (35%) were migrating through a survey zone during an active survey window, all in the northernmost 4 of 5 SGS zones. Thirteen woodcock arrived at breeding-period sites after the start of surveys, and all but one of these was located in the northernmost 2 zones. The combination of migration through a SGS zone during the survey window and arrival at breeding-period sites after the beginning of the survey window in northern zones may result in the SGS weighing too heavily the contribution of routes in the southern portion of the primary breeding range, while weighing too lightly the routes in the northern portion of the primary breeding range. We suggest that additional information is necessary to evaluate whether current survey windows are sufficient, or whether they need to be changed.

The Journal of Wildlife Management

American woodcock (Scolopax minor; woodcock) are monitored, in part, by counts of displaying male... more American woodcock (Scolopax minor; woodcock) are monitored, in part, by counts of displaying male woodcock collected via the American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey (SGS), which suggests long‐term, range‐wide declines in woodcock populations. Data from the SGS have been used extensively to develop conservation plans, direct management actions, and understand causes of decline. To avoid bias, the SGS should be timed to avoid spring migration, and the distribution of survey routes should coincide with woodcock breeding distribution. Our objectives for this research were to evaluate SGS timing with the phenology of male woodcock migration, relate the spatial coverage of the SGS to male woodcock breeding distributions, and explore other sources of variation in woodcock migration timing. We marked 133 male woodcock captured throughout eastern North America with global positioning system (GPS) transmitters during 2019–2022, and compared the timing of their spring migration with the spatio...

Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium, 2019

American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) have experienced long-term population dec... more American woodcock (Scolopax minor; hereafter, woodcock) have experienced long-term population declines across much of their breeding distribution since 1968. Previous research suggests that nocturnal habitat availability on the wintering grounds is important to wintering woodcock survival. We compared 4 different land management techniques: mowing, burning, disking, and a mow/burn combination for enhancing nocturnal habitat for woodcock in south-central Louisiana. From 2011-2013, we monitored study plots during overcast nights throughout winter months. We detected woodcock most frequently in both the burn and mow treatments and least frequently in the disk treatment. The total numbers of woodcock we captured and flushed were 13 times greater in the burn treatment than in the disk treatment. We captured 24 times more juvenile woodcock in the mow and burn treatments than in the disk treatment. We captured 12 times more female woodcock in the burn treatment than in the disk treatment, whereas we captured 9 times more male woodcock in the mow treatment than in the disk treatment. Our results suggest that suitable nocturnal habitat for woodcock on the wintering grounds in south-central Louisiana can be enhanced by burning and/or mowing.

Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2020

Wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations have exploded across much of the southeastern United States. In... more Wild pig (Sus scrofa) populations have exploded across much of the southeastern United States. In order to combat increasing wild pig numbers in an effort to reduce both ecological and economic damage caused by wild pigs, toxicant baits are being investigated as a possible method to reduce wild pig numbers at the local scale. In fall 2017, we tested the HogStopper ® feeder to ascertain if this feeder design would deliver bait to wild pigs while preventing non-target species from accessing bait. We examined visitation rates at feeders for wild pigs and non-target species using both digital and video cameras. We had a three-week acclimation period (feeder doors remained open allowing free access to bait) followed by a three-week activation period (feeders were closed). Wild pigs visited eight of 10 feeders but fed from only one of these feeders during the activation period. With the exception of the Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus), non-target species were effectively prevented from accessing feeders. Wild pigs frequently (95% of the time) spilled corn while feeding during the activation period. Due to the potential for wild pigs to spill toxicants when feeding, spill rates should be addressed during research and development of feeders and their associated toxicants in order to minimize non-target species exposure. We recommend manufacturers carefully consider bait load capacities and feed spillage when designing feeders to deliver toxicants to wild pigs.

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

Proceedings of the Eleventh American Woodcock Symposium, 2019

Migratory bird species pose serious management challenges because it is difficult to determine ha... more Migratory bird species pose serious management challenges because it is difficult to determine habitats utilized during their entire life cycles. As American woodcock populations have experienced long-term declines, wintering habitat management has become increasingly important. Past studies on woodcock have relied predominantly on Very High Frequency (VHF) telemetry, which require an observer to manually track them to gather location information. Our study employed both Global Positioning System (GPS) and VHF tags on woodcock to gather high resolution movement data in order to evaluate habitat use and compare VHF and GPS approaches to habitat sampling. We simulated a VHF approach to tracking the same individuals from the GPS tag data (spanning 252 bird-days) and utilized vegetation samples from our VHF tracked birds to evaluate use and random paired location sampling. We found that many random locations fell within the Minimum Convex Polygons (MCP) as defined via the GPS tags (average diurnal MCP size was 0.04 ha). Overall, our results suggest that evaluating resource selection by woodcock requires discerning the appropriate scale(s) of habitat selection via the identification of the spatial and temporal components underlying individual movement ecology.

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but... more American woodcock Scolopax minor (hereafter woodcock) migration ecology is poorly understood, but has implications for population ecology and management, especially related to harvest. To describe woodcock migration patterns and phenology, we captured and equipped 73 woodcock with satellite tracking devices in the Central Management Region (analogous to the Mississippi Flyway) of North America and documented migration paths of 60 individual woodcock and 87 autumn or spring woodcock migrations during 2014–2016. Woodcock migration at the scale of the Central Management Region was more synchronous in spring than in autumn, but unlike most other migratory birds, average duration of autumn migration (31 days) was shorter than duration of spring migration (53 days). This difference in migration duration resulted from woodcock making more close-together migratory stopovers during spring migration, not because woodcock had individual stopovers of longer duration. During autumn migration, th...

The Journal of Wildlife Management

Long-term declines in American woodcock (Scolopax minor) populations may be partially the result ... more Long-term declines in American woodcock (Scolopax minor) populations may be partially the result of low survival rates on wintering grounds especially in noc-turnal habitats. We compared microhabitat characteristics of woodcock nocturnal roost sites to random sites in eastern Texas. We located woodcock roost points by nightlight-ing in winters of 2000–01 (45 points) and 2001–02 (74 points). Percentage bare soil, sapling-size tree canopy cover above 0.5 m, and sapling density were greater at roost than random sites. Conversely, shrub ground cover (i.e., below 0.5 m) was lower at roost than random sites. Woodcock roosted in mowed areas, unmowed bunchgrass, under saplings treated with herbicides the previous summer, and in areas where carpetgrass had been burned the previous winter. They did not roost in unburned carpetgrass. In eastern Texas, woodcock nocturnal roost sites can be created in abandoned fields and pastures by mowing or the judicious use of herbicides and/or prescribed fire.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Kentucky University, 1995. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-... more Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Kentucky University, 1995. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 54-59). Vita.

The winter roosting behavior of Eastern Screech-owls (Otus asio) in central Kentucky was examined... more The winter roosting behavior of Eastern Screech-owls (Otus asio) in central Kentucky was examined from October 1993-March 1994. Eleven owls used 69 roost sites 563 times, with 29 boxes used 308 times, 25 cavities used 226 times and 15 limbs used 29 times. Most natural cavities were in black locusts (Robinia pseudoacacia), southern red oaks (Quercus falcata) and snags; boxes were located in 15 different species of trees. All conifer limb roosts were in eastern redcedars (Juniperus virginiana). Frequent use of boxes and cavities during winter is probably the result of owls seeking favorable micro- climates and concealment from predators. Screech-owls roosted in conifers more frequently when tem- peratures were above freezing and in boxes and cavities more frequently on days with rain, drizzle, or snow, supporting the conclusion that roosting owls seek favorable microclimates. Owls used each roost site an average of seven times. Female screech-owls were more likely to use boxes and mal...

Southeastern Naturalist, 2008

Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2011

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) overabundance is a problem of serious concern for wild... more White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) overabundance is a problem of serious concern for wildlife managers. At densities as low as 8 deer/km 2 , changes in vegetation due to deer feeding patterns have been demonstrated to negatively impact other wildlife species. The Middle Patuxent Environmental Area (MPEA) in Howard County, Maryland, USA, currently supports a deer population of approximately 41 deer/km 2. We used an experimental approach to examine how deer overabundance in a suburban environment impacts both vegetation and invertebrates. Ten 20-m  20-m deer exclosures were constructed in the MPEA during the winter-spring of 1999. Vegetation and invertebrate data have subsequently been collected inside the exclosures and areas adjacent to the exclosures (control) during the summers of 1999, 2003, and 2007. There was no initial difference in vegetation variables between exclosure and control plots in 1999 (P > 0.05). Post-1999, plant species richness was greater in the exclosure than in the control. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed differences (P < 0.001) in vegetation cover variables between exclosures and controls, with a greater percentage of forbs, shrubby vegetation, and taller stems in the exclosure and more grass and exotics in the control. There were few differences in invertebrates between exclosures. The differences observed in vegetation between exclosures is believed to reflect interactions between deer feeding patterns and the invasive Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) and unless deer density is reduced, it is likely that the exotic Japanese stiltgrass will continue to increase in abundance and native plant species will decrease.

Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2005

... Cited by. John P. Carpenter 5 , Yong Wang, Callie Schweitzer, and Paul B. Hamel. (2011) Avian... more ... Cited by. John P. Carpenter 5 , Yong Wang, Callie Schweitzer, and Paul B. Hamel. (2011) Avian Community and Microhabitat Associations of Cerulean Warblers in Alabama. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123:2, 206-217 Online publication date: 1-Jun-2011. ...

Journal of Wildlife Management, 2009

Conservation Biology, 2008