Nesting and brood rearing habitat of eastern wild turkeys in east Texas
[Thesis]
B. G. Eichler
R. M. Whiting
Stephen F. Austin State University
1999
48-48 p.
M.S.
Stephen F. Austin State University
1999
Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo sylvestris) captured in Iowa and Georgia were relocated to east Texas, radio-marked, and released during the late winters of 1994 and 1995. During the 1995 and 1996 nesting seasons, hens were monitored to determine nesting and brood habitat characteristics. Of 24 nests located during the study, 6 were successful. Hens selected mature pine-hardwood stands and openings in which to nest usd(P<0.050).usd Differences existed in screening cover in the 0.0- to 0.30-m, 0.31- to 0.60-m, and 1.21- to 1.70-m strata and in relative ground cover densities for living and dead grasses usd(P<0.050)usd when comparing all nests to random locations. Habitat data were collected for only 2 broods. Brood locations were closer to edges usd(P=0.001)usd and had higher densities of living grasses usd(P=0.017)usd in openings and had higher densities of living grasses usd(P=0.027)usd in forested stands than did random locations.