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Nesting Success and Behavior of Northern Harriers on a Reclaimed Surface Mine Grassland in Kentucky

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Nesting Success and Behavior of Northern Harriers on a Reclaimed Surface Mine Grassland in Kentucky J. Raptor Res. 40(3):210–216 E 2006 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc. NESTING SUCCESS AND BEHAVIOR OF NORTHERN HARRIERS ON A RECLAIMED SURFACE MINE GRASSLAND IN KENTUCKY MARK VUKOVICH1 AND GARY RITCHISON2 Department of Biological Sciences, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY 40475 U.S.A. ABSTRACT.—Grasslands are among the most threatened habitats in North America and populations of many grassland birds, including Northern Harriers (Circus cyaneus), are declining. While native grasslands are disappearing, current procedures for reclaiming surface mines have produced large areas of grasslands in the eastern United States. Currently, little is known about the use of such grasslands by raptors. The objective of this study was to examine the nesting behavior of Northern Harriers on a reclaimed surface mine grassland in Kentucky. Over two breeding seasons (April–July 2002–03), 46 harrier nests were located, and young fledged from 10 (21.7%) of these nests. All but one nest were located in dry, upland areas, and the increased vulnerability of nests in such sites to predation may have contributed to this relatively low nesting success. Successful nests were located in denser vegetation than unsuccessful nests, suggesting that greater concealment may reduce predation risk. The percentage of breeding females that were subadults (44.4%) was higher in this Kentucky population than reported elsewhere, although nest success did not differ with female age. Most prey items delivered to nestlings were small mammals (134 of 139; 96.4%), with male harriers capturing most prey and, in aerial exchanges, transferring those prey to females for delivery to the nest. These results suggest that Northern Harriers can breed successfully on reclaimed surface mine grasslands. KEY WORDS: Northern Harrier ; Circus cyaneus; Kentucky; nest success; provisioning; reclaimed surface mine grass- land. E´ XITO DE NIDIFICACIO´ N Y COMPORTAMIENTO DE CIRCUS CYANEUS EN PASTIZALES RECUPE- RADOS DE MINERI´A DE SUPERFICIE EN KENTUCKY RESUMEN.—Los pastizales son uno de los ha´bitats ma´s amenazados en Norteame´rica y las poblaciones de muchas aves de pastizal, incluyendo a Circus cyaneus,esta´n disminuyendo. Mientras que los pastizales nativos esta´n disminuyendo, las pra´cticas actuales de recuperacio´n de a´reas dedicadas a la minerı´a de superficie han producido una gran cantidad de pastizales en el este de Estados Unidos. Actualmente, se sabe muy poco acerca del uso de estos pastizales por aves rapaces. El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar el comportamiento de nidificacio´n de C. cyaneus en un pastizal recuperado de minerı´a de superficie en Kentucky. Durante dos e´pocas reproductivas (abril–julio de 2002 y 2003), se localizaron 46 nidosdeC. cyaneus, de los cuales 10 emplumaron juveniles (21.7%). A excepcio´n de un nido, todos los nidos estu- vieron localizados en tierras altas y secas La mayor vulnerabilidad de los nidos ante depredadores puede haber contribuido al e´xito de nidificacio´n relativamente bajo en estos sitios. Los nidos exitosos estuvieron localizados en vegetacio´n ma´s densa que los nidos no exitosos, lo que sugiere que una mayor cobertura del nido reduce el riesgo de depredacio´n. El porcentaje de hembras reproductivas subadultas (44.4%) fue mayor en esta poblacio´n de Kentucky que el reportado para otras poblaciones, a pesar de que el e´xito de nidificacio´n no vario´ con la edad de las hembras. La mayorı´a de los´tems ı presa llevados a los nidos correspondieron a pequen˜os mamı´feros (134 de 139; 96.4%). Los machos capturaron la mayorı´a de las presas transfirie´ndolas en el aire a las hembras, las cuales posteriormente llevaron las presas a los nidos. Estos resultados sugieren que C. cyaneus puede reproducirse exitosamente en pastizales recuperados de minerı´a de superficie. [Traduccio´n del equipo editorial] 1 Present address: Southern Research Station, Forest Wetlands Research Group, U.S. Forest Service, Savannah River, P.O. Box 700, Building 760-1G, New Ellenton, SC 29809 U.S.A. 2 Corresponding author. Email address: [email protected] 210 SEPTEMBER 2006 HARRIERS ON RECLAIMED GRASSLAND 211 Grasslands are among the most threatened habi- dogbane (Apocynum sp.), Indian currant (Symphoricarpos tats in North America (Jones and Bock 2002), and orbiculatus), and blackberry (Rubus sp.). Because we did not capture and mark Northern Har- populations of many grassland birds are declining at riers on the PWMA, the number of breeding individuals rates exceeding those of forest species (Herkert in the population could only be estimated. One adult male 1994). Populations of Northern Harriers (Circus cy- in 2002 was known to be polygynous because he was ob- aneus) appear to be declining globally (del Hoyo et served flying between two nest sites. In addition, based on timing and location of nests, we were relatively certain that al. 1995), and harriers are a species of management some pairs that lost nests to predators or abandoned nests concern over much of their range in the United were the same ones that subsequently initiated new nests. States (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1987). Avail- However, in other cases, it was not clear whether nests were able data suggest that the loss and fragmentation of initiated by the same pair that had earlier lost a nest in the grassland habitat have been important factors in same general area or by a new pair. The ages of Northern Harriers in our study were cate- this decline (Serrentino 1992). gorized as either adult or subadult. Eye color was used to Although few native grasslands remain, current categorize each harrier, with adults having yellow irises and reclamation procedures for surface mines have con- subadults having darker irises (brown, gray, or light gray- verted large areas of upland forest and farmland to brown; Clark and Wheeler 1987). Because it takes from 2– 6 yr for iris color to become completely yellow (Clark and grasslands in Kentucky and elsewhere in the eastern Wheeler 1987), the exact ages of harriers in our study were United States (Peterjohn and Rice 1991, Palmer- unknown. Ball 1996, Rohrbaugh and Yahner 1996). Northern We located nests by observing the behavior of adults Harriers are known to use these reclaimed grass- (e.g., prey exchanges). Once located, nests were moni- lands during both the nonbreeding and breeding tored to determine clutch sizes, number of nestlings, and nest outcome. To minimize disturbance, we checked nests seasons. For example, Northern Harriers were infrequently (every 7–14 d) and the status of nests was found nesting on reclaimed surface mines in south- often determined by observing the behavior of adults. Nest ern Indiana in the 1970s (Palmer-Ball 1996), and contents were often viewed using a telescoping pole (ca. harrier nests were first documented on reclaimed 5 m long) with an attached mirror. Nestlings were already present when some nests were located and, because pre- surface mines in Kentucky in 1989 (Palmer-Ball dators may have taken one or more eggs or nestlings, those and Barron 1990). Northern Harriers have also nests were not used when determining mean clutch sizes been reported nesting on reclaimed grasslands in or comparing clutch sizes of adult and subadult females. Ohio (Peterjohn and Rice 1991) and Pennsylvania Provisioning rates were determined by watching harriers (Rohrbaugh and Yahner 1996). from a distance ($50 m) or from inside an observation blind ($20 m) to minimize disturbance. The size of prey Although Northern Harriers are known to use delivered to nestlings by adult harriers was estimated by reclaimed surface mines during the breeding sea- comparing the length of prey items to that of the harriers’ son, little is known about the harriers’ abundance bill (bill range 5 16.1–19.3 mm [MacWhirter and Bild- or about the suitability of these areas for breeding stein 1996]; we used 17.5 mm as the typical bill length). Within 4 d after nests failed or young fledged, we char- (Rohrbaugh and Yahner 1996). MacWhirter and acterized nest-site vegetation using methods described by Bildstein (1996) suggested that efforts were needed James and Shugart (1970). In addition, we randomly se- to better document the breeding range of Northern lected and characterized the vegetation at paired sites Harriers, and to monitor populations at the perim- where no nesting occurred. Random sites were identified eter of their range. The objective of our study was to either using a grid map and random number table or by choosing a random number or angle and measuring 25 m examine nest-site selection, provisioning behavior, from the nest site. At both nest sites and randomly-selected and reproductive success of breeding Northern Har- sites, vegetation within an 11.3-m radius (0.04 ha) of the riers on a reclaimed surface mine in west-central plot center was characterized. Within these plots, we Kentucky. counted the number of shrubs, the number of trees ,8 cm diameter breast height (DBH), and the number of trees .8 cm DBH. In addition, four transects extending STUDY AREA AND METHODS from the plot center in the four cardinal directions were From April–August 2002 and 2003, we attempted to lo- established and, at 2.25-m intervals along each transect as cate all Northern Harrier nests on the Peabody Wildlife well as at the plot center, we measured litter depth and Management Area (PWMA), an area with six separate man- maximum foliage height, and noted the type of ground agement units encompassing 25 000 ha of reclaimed coal cover (bare ground, grass, herbaceous, or shrub). At these mine land in Muhlenberg and Ohio counties in west-cen- same points, we also determined foliage cover at three tral Kentucky. The open areas of the PWMA consisted height intervals (,0.5 m, 0.5–1 m, and .1 m) by counting primarily of nonnative vegetation, including sericea (Les- the number of stems within 4 cm of a 2-cm diameter pole.
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