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Ring-Necked Pheasant: Evaulation of Winter Survival, Habitat

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Ring-Necked Pheasant: Evaulation of Winter Survival, Habitat RING-NECKED PHEASANT: EVAULATION OF WINTER SURVIVAL, HABITAT USE, AND CURRENT RESEARCH METHODS OF NEST SEARCHING A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science By Jeffery Wilson Stackhouse In Partial Fulfillment for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Major Program: Natural Resource Management May 2012 Fargo, North Dakota North Dakota State University Graduate School Title Ring-necked pheasant: Evaluation of winter survival, habitat use, and current research methods of nest searching By Jeffery W. Stackhouse The Supervisory Committee certifies that this disquisition complies with North Dakota State University’s regulations and meets the accepted standards for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: Benjamin A. Geaumont Chair Kevin K. Sedivec Amy C. Ganguli Mark E. Clark Approved: February 2013 Caroline E. Grygiel Date Department Chair ii ABSTRACT Radio telemetry was used to monitor a population of male and female ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus; hereafter pheasant) in southwestern North Dakota to examine pheasant habitat selection. Study objectives were to: 1) determine preferred pheasant winter cover habitat; 2) develop management recommendations to increase pheasant abundance; 3) identify habitat use, survival, and dispersion differences between male and female pheasants; and 4) compare nest-searching techniques to determine most efficient research technique for finding pheasant nests. We captured 191 pheasants, assessed weekly survival using known-fate models in Program MARK and determined home ranges and habitat selection and preference using ArcGIS. We assessed three common methods of nest searching: intense ground searching, chain dragging, and telemetry. Averaging >2000 hectares, our home ranges estimates. Pheasant showed selection toward farmsteads with livestock, large wetlands, and CRP-type grasslands. Pheasant survival estimates for the winters of 2011 and 2012 were 91 and 84 percent, respectively. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... x LIST OF APENDIX FIGURES………………………………………….………………....xi CHAPTER 1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ...................................................................... 1 An Explanation of Thesis Organization…....................................................................3 CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................... 4 Species Description…….......………………………………….……………………..4 Distribution and Abundance…….......…………………….…………….……………4 Diet..……..………..………………….……………………………….…………..….5 Habitat…..…………………………………...……………………………………….6 Winter Habitat…………..…………………………………………………………………6 Spring Dispersal………….……………………………………………………………….9 Reproduction……………..…………………………………………………………11 Behavior……………………..……………………………………………………………11 Nesting……………………………………….……………………………………………12 Brood Rearing………..……………………………………………………………….…14 Predation…...……………………………………………………………………….15 Literature Cited……………………………………………………………………..18 CHAPTER 3. EVALUATION OF THREE NEST SEARCHING METHODS FOR RING- NECKED PHEASANT ............................................................................................. 23 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 23 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 24 iv Study Area ................................................................................................................. 27 Methods ..................................................................................................................... 28 Chain Dragging Surveys ........................................................................................ 28 Intensive Ground Search Surveys .......................................................................... 29 Radio Telemetry .................................................................................................... 30 Results ....................................................................................................................... 31 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 34 Management Implications ......................................................................................... 36 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... 36 Literature Cited ......................................................................................................... 37 CHAPTER 4. USE OF HOME RANGE ESTIMATORS FOR EVALUATING RING- NECKED PHEASANT (PHASIANUS COLCHICUS) HABITAT USE AT MULTIPLE SCALES ............................................................................................... 41 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 41 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 42 Study Area ................................................................................................................. 44 Methods ..................................................................................................................... 47 Data Collection .................................................................................................... 47 Data Processing and Analysis .............................................................................. 48 GIS Modeling .................................................................................................... 51 Data Analysis .................................................................................................... 55 Results ....................................................................................................................... 56 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 62 Management Implications ......................................................................................... 65 v Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... 65 Literature Cited ......................................................................................................... 66 CHAPTER 5. RING-NECKED PHEASANT (PHASIANUS COLCHICUS) WINTER SURVIVORSHIP AND HABITAT SELECTION ................................................... 69 Abstract ..................................................................................................................... 69 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 70 Study Area ................................................................................................................. 72 Methods ..................................................................................................................... 75 Data Collection ..................................................................................................... 75 Statistical Analyses ............................................................................................... 76 Second-Order Resource Selection ..................................................................... 81 Third-Order Resource Selection ....................................................................... 82 Results ....................................................................................................................... 84 Survival ................................................................................................................. 84 Habitat Selection ................................................................................................... 85 Second-Order Resource Selection ..................................................................... 85 Third-Order Resource Selection ....................................................................... 89 Discussion ................................................................................................................. 91 Survival .............................................................................................................. 92 Habitat Selection ................................................................................................. 94 Management Implications ......................................................................................... 96 Acknowledgements ................................................................................................... 97 Literature Cited ......................................................................................................... 98 CHAPTER 6. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS..................................................................... 102 vi APPENDIX ........................................................................................................................ 105 vii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 3.1.
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