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- Title
Habitat Selection and Home Range Size of Ruffed Grouse in Rhode Island.
- Authors
Endrulat, Erik G.; McWilliams, Scott R.; Tefft, Brian C.
- Abstract
Bonasa umbellus (Ruffed Grouse) are one of many wildlife species that require early successional forest and whose populations have declined as New England forests have matured. We studied habitat selection and home range size of Ruffed Grouse in oak-hickory forests in Rhode Island to determine the importance of different habitat types for grouse. Home range size did not significantly differ by age or gender (mean = 103 ± 24.91 ha). Habitat selection was assessed at two spatial scales: home range and study area scale. At the study area scale, grouse selected early successional forest, mixed deciduous-conifer stands, deciduous forest, and forested roads, whereas grouse avoided evergreen forests and developed areas. Given that grouse selected early successional forests at a relatively large spatial scale, we suggest that the conservation and restoration of early successional forested habitats will benefit Ruffed Grouse and many other associated wildlife.
- Subjects
RUFFED grouse; BONASA; ANIMAL species; ANIMAL populations; FORESTS &; forestry
- Publication
Northeastern Naturalist, 2005, Vol 12, Issue 4, p411
- ISSN
1092-6194
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1656/1092-6194(2005)012[0411:HSAHRS]2.0.CO;2