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Rhode Island Woodcock Initiative

Rhode Island Woodcock Initiative. American Woodcock Habitat Demonstration Area Brian Tefft, RIDEM Fish and Wildlife. Objectives. Create Habitat Demonstration Area for American Woodcock Manage Early Successional Habitats for Woodcock and other wildlife using BMP’s

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Rhode Island Woodcock Initiative

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  1. Rhode Island Woodcock Initiative American Woodcock Habitat Demonstration Area Brian Tefft, RIDEM Fish and Wildlife

  2. Objectives • Create Habitat Demonstration Area for American Woodcock • Manage Early Successional Habitats for Woodcock and other wildlife using BMP’s • Monitor woodcock response to management • Measure key habitat features • Measure use of habitats by avian species • Create educational materials for private landowners

  3. Woodcock Management

  4. Habitat Management

  5. Habitat Management

  6. Capture and Banding • Mist net on singing grounds April and May 2008 • Applied transmitters and leg bands • Obtained locations and monitored survival

  7. Monitoring • Monitor woodcock 2-3 times/week to obtain location • Conducted singing ground counts • Conducted avian point counts • Document use by other High Priority Avian Species in BCR

  8. Habitat Measures Measured • Dominant forest cover • Age class • Stem density • Over-story density • Earth worm biomass

  9. Results

  10. Results Telemetry • Home range: MCP • Feeding covers • Roosting fields • Nesting covers

  11. Home Ranges

  12. Home Range 444

  13. Home Ranges

  14. Home Ranges Average Diurnal H.R. (MCP n=5) was 34.9 acres (14 ha) • 302: MCP 2.7 acres (1.1 ha) 1 mile from roost fields/singing grounds • 444: MCP 4.9 acres (1.9 ha) 1.2 mile from roost fields/singing grounds • 422: MCP 17.2 acres (6.9 ha) • 362: MCP .7 acres (.3 ha) • 462: MCP 149 acres (60 ha)*

  15. Habitat Measurements • Stem density In HR: Average: 95,125 stems/ha Range 71,250 – 116,500 Out HR: Average: 84,583 stems/ha Range: 41,667-210,000

  16. Habitat Measurements Dominant Forest Type – Feeding Covers • Wetland Forest: 58% • Deciduous Upland Forest: 25% • Mixed Upland Forest: 9% • Field: 4%

  17. Habitat Measurements Overstory Density: • In HR: 91% cover • Out HR: 75% cover

  18. Habitat Measurements • Forest Age Class of Day Feeding covers Seedling: 3% Sapling: 11% Pole: 47% Mature: 32% Non-forest: 6%

  19. Earthworm Biomass

  20. Earthworm Biomass • In HR: Ave total weight 44.5 g (129 worms) • Out HR: Ave total weight 1.2 g (18 worms)

  21. Avian Point Counts • 39 total species observed • Blue-winged Warbler: present @ 70% points • Eastern Towhee: present @ 100% points • Cowbirds present @ 90% points

  22. Acknowledgements • Wildlife Management Institute • Rhode Island Resource Conservation District • University of Rhode Island • USFWS Federal Aid Project W-23R-52

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