The 2008 Joint Meeting of the Society for Range Management and the America Forage and Grassland Council. |
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
55
Observations of Ring-Necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Nest Parasitism of Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) Nests in Southwestern North Dakota
B.A. Geaumont1, C.S. Schauer2, and K.k Sedivec1. (1) School of Natural Resource Sciences, North Dakota State University, RM 204, Hastings Hall, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105, (2) Hettinger Research and Experiment Station, North Dakota State University, Hettinger, ND 58639
Several parasitized sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) nests were found as part of an on-going ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) project that began in 2006. One of the primary objectives of this study was to determine the effects of sustainable livestock systems on ring-necked pheasant nest success and density on post-contract conservation reserve program lands (CRP) in southwestern North Dakota . The study was conducted on private lands near Hettinger, ND . Treatments consisted of season-long grazing from early June through early January or until 50 % disappearance of standing crop (SL), one-cutting haying system in early July (HAY), no-till barley (NTB), no-till corn (NTC), and non-use representing continued CRP (ID). Utilization of each land management type by nesting pheasant and grouse was determined by dragging a 30.5 m chain, 8 mm in diameter between two all-terrain vehicles. Presence of a nest was determined when a hen was flushed from her nest. Each block was searched five times yearly between early April and mid July. Nine sharp-tailed grouse nests were found with seven, or 78%, containing one or more ring-necked pheasant eggs. Mean clutch size of parasitized nests was 13 host eggs per nest, while that of non-parasitized nests 13.5. Parasitized nests contained on average five ring-necked pheasant eggs with a range from one to ten eggs/nest. The nine sharp-tailed grouse nests had an apparent success rate of 44%. Two non-parasitized nests were 50% successful. A nest was considered successful if one host chick hatched. The seven parasitized nests were 43% successful at hatching one of their own chicks while 57% successful at hatching at least one pheasant chick. Although a limited number of grouse nests have been observed, the dumping of pheasant eggs in these nests may indicate a potential for negative impacts on localized grouse production.