AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

A Model for Management of Diurnal Habitat for American Woodcock in Pennsylvania

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:1986
Authors:J. Straw, Jr., A, Wakeley, JS, Hudgins, JE
Journal:The Journal of Wildlife Management
Volume:50
Issue:3
Date Published:1986
ISBN Number:0022541X
Keywords:Scolopacidae, Scolopax, Scolopax minor, Scolopax rusticola
Abstract:We examined selection by American woodcock (Scolopax minor) for structure of diurnal habitat during spring in central Pennsylvania and developed a model for use in habitat evaluation and management. Habitat preference and avoidance (defined as nonrandom use of habitat) were determined by comparing vegetative structure at 93 woodcock flush sites and 196 random sites. Frequency distributions of values measured at flush sites differed significantly (P < 0.05) from those at random sites for 7 habitat variables: coverage of moss, bare ground, and small and large shrubs; sapling density; basal area; and canopy closure. Woodcock preferred areas with 12-17% bare ground, ≥32% coverage of large shrubs, 5,200-7,400 saplings/ha, and 75-84% canopy closure and avoided areas with <2% bare ground, <12% coverage of small or large shrubs, <1,500 saplings/ha, ≥20 m2/ha basal area, and <50 or ≥90% canopy closure. We used logistic regression with 2nd- and 3rd-order terms to develop a model for assessing the relative quality of diurnal habitats and validated that model with an independent set of habitat measurements. Optimum levels of basal area and sapling density were estimated to be 14.3 m2/ha and 4,900 stems/ha, respectively. There was no evidence that optimum large-shrub cover occurred within the range of values observed (0-75%). The model suggests that uneven-aged forest management may be appropriate for maintaining diurnal habitat for woodcock in Pennsylvania.
URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/3801090
Short Title:The Journal of Wildlife Management
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith