Selection of nesting habitat by sharp-tailed grouse in the Nebraska sandhills

Abstract

We evaluated nesting habitat selection (disproportionate use compared to availability) by plains sharp-tailed grouse ( Tympanuchus phasianellus jamesi ) on rangelands grazed by cattle ( Bos taurus ) relative to height, density, and heterogeneity of residual herbaceous vegetation remaining from previous growing seasons. Residual cover is critical for nesting sharp-tailed grouse and can be lacking on grazed rangelands. Aerial photography and a geographic information system were used to analyze residual cover height classes and several measures of residual cover heterogeneity in nest (n = 38) and random (n = 38) plots. Height classes corresponded to visual obstruction readings (VORs), the height to which total visual obstruction by vegetation occurs. Analyses were conducted for five spatial scales ranging from 1 to 16 ha to test for scale effects on nesting habitat selection. Sharp-tailed grouse selected nesting habitat with more area in tall (greater than or equal to 4 cm VOR) residual cover than at random sites at all scales, less area in short residual cover (less than 2 cm VOR) at the I-ha scale, and less area in short and medium (2 to 3.9 cm YOR) residual cover at the 2- through 16-ha scales. Selection of shrub habitat containing patches of shrubs was evident only at the 16-ha scale. Patches of tall residual cover were larger in nest plots than in random plots at the 8- and 16-ha scales, and patches of short cover were smaller in nest plots at the I-ha scale. Two scales of pattern defined by mean patch size were detected for overall residual cover, but did not relate to nesting habitat selection.