Thesis
Greater sage-grouse ecology in western Box Elder County, Utah
(2007)
Abstract
I studied the ecology and movement patterns of the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) population in western Box Elder County, Utah, in 2005 and 2006. Fifty sage-grouse were radio-collared and monitored during the study. Nest initiation rates in 2005 and 2006 were 83% and 71%, respectively. Nest sites exhibited 22.8% shrub canopy cover, and 18.5% forb and 21.5% grass cover. Females selected nest sites with taller shrub and perennial grass cover than adjacent random sites. Mayfield nest success was 38%. Females with broods selected areas exhibiting 27.1% shrub canopy cover, and 21.4% forb and 14.3% grass cover. These brood-rearing areas had greater visual obstruction, shrub cover, shrub height, forb cover, and forb height than adjacent random sites. Brood success was 44%. Successful broods selected habitats with more shrub cover, less perennial grass cover, and higher total arthropod volumes than habitats used by unsuccessful broods. Females without broods used areas with greater visual obstruction, shrub height, and perennial grass cover than those used by brooding hens. Additionally, single females and males used areas with greater shrub height, forb cover and forb height than random sites. Spring and summer mortality rates (2005 = 16.7%, 2006 = 18.9%) were lower than winter rates (2005 = 35.3%, 2006 21.4%). Sage-grouse moved an average of 13.1 km to summer range, 22.6 km to winter range, and 25.4 km to return to spring range. Some birds engaged in long-distance movements to summer and winter ranges in southern Idaho and eastern Nevada. Adult birds moved farther than yearlings and males moved farther than females to reach late-summer habitat. One adult male visited 2 leks in spring 2006. Additionally, 2 adult males moved from different leks to the same location in southern Idaho in April 2006. The data collected in this study will provide the Box Elder County Adaptive Resource Management local working group (BARM) with the baseline information needed to create a sage-grouse conservation plan for the area.
Disciplines
Publication Date
2007
Degree
Master of Science
Field of study
Wildlife Biology
Department
Wildland Resources
Advisor
Terry A. Messmer
Citation Information
Jan S. Knerr. "Greater sage-grouse ecology in western Box Elder County, Utah" (2007) Available at: http://works.bepress.com/terry-messmer/409/