Clark's Nutcracker Breeding Season Space Use and Foraging Behavior

PloS One
Taza D Schaming

Abstract

Considering the entire life history of a species is fundamental to developing effective conservation strategies. Decreasing populations of five-needle white pines may be leading to the decline of Clark's nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana). These birds are important seed dispersers for at least ten conifer species in the western U.S., including whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), an obligate mutualist of Clark's nutcrackers. For effective conservation of both Clark's nutcrackers and whitebark pine, it is essential to ensure stability of Clark's nutcracker populations. My objectives were to examine Clark's nutcracker breeding season home range size, territoriality, habitat selection, and foraging behavior in the southern Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a region where whitebark pine is declining. I radio-tracked Clark's nutcrackers in 2011, a population-wide nonbreeding year following a low whitebark pine cone crop, and 2012, a breeding year following a high cone crop. Results suggest Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) communities are important habitat for Clark's nutcrackers because they selected it for home ranges. In contrast, they did not select whitebark pine habitat. However, Clark's nutcrackers did adjust their use of whiteb...Continue Reading

References

May 11, 2007·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Cameron L Aldridge, Mark S Boyce
May 12, 2009·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·Shawn T McKinneyDiana F Tomback
May 3, 2013·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·William W MacfarlaneWilson R Kern
Jan 13, 2015·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Claire A RungeRichard A Fuller

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