Aspen Bibliography

Seasonal micro-habitat relationships of ruffed grouse in southeastern Idaho

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Journal of Wildlife Management

Volume

49

Issue

3

First Page

605

Last Page

610

Publication Date

1985

Abstract

We summarized characteristics of micro-habitats selected by ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) in southeastern Idaho for all seasons. Ruffed grouse preferred stands dominated by quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides). Drumming sites selected by males were typified by high vegetation density. Brood hens selected relatively open areas with high cover of herbaceous vegetation. Drumming sites differed (P < 0.05) from other sites selected in spring, and brood habitat was different (P < 0.05) from sites selected by single grouse in summer. Analysis of data distributed on four habitat gradients defined by principal components analysis showed that on a gradient of tree canopy density, broods occupied more open habitat (P < 0.05), autumn observations were associated with smaller than average aspen (P < 0.05), and drumming, spring, and autumn locations were located where the density of small stems was higher than random samples (P < 0.05). Ruffed grouse were found on portions of the habitat gradients characteristic of early seral stages of aspen.

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