314 



PREDATION 



In either case, hfiwever. predation lias heen refiiilarlv responsible for nearly 00 per cent of 

 the nests which failed*. Beyond this, predators. |)articularly the fox", often filch eggs from 

 clutches, the remainder of which hatch successfully. In other words, over 35 per cent of the 

 j)otential grouse crop*^ each year over the State I outside extensive forest areas) has thus been 

 destroyed while still in the egg stage. \^'ithin the Adirondacks the latter figure has been 

 somewhat lower since total nest losses have been less. The same is probably true of extensive 

 tracts of timber in the Catskills although data are lacking. 



Predation of grouse nests niav take place at any time from the laving of the first egg to 

 the date of hatching. In general, however, the rate of loss has been greatest toward the end 

 of the incubation period. While experiments with bird dogs have indicated that sitting 

 grouse emit little scent it has been observed that, in many cases, as incubation progresses the 

 eggs become more or less fouled. Under such conditions sufficient scent to attract predators 

 may be given off, especially when the female is away from the nest. Furthermore, there is 

 some evidence that, where a high breeding population exists, certain animals, particularly the 

 fox. often happen on enough nests as the season progresses to associate the flushing of a 

 bird with the possibility of dining on "omelet". 



z 

 < 



2 

 O 



u. 



z 

 o 



\- 



> 



UJ 



I- 



o 



a. 



ui loo I 



a. 



SO 



So 



L 



Buffers (robbi4a , rr»icc and sWrews) 



200 l-J 



l~f 



1933- S* 



1934-36 I935-34 



193^-37 

 YEAR 



1937-38 1936-39 I939-40 1940-4-1 



ZOO 



KIGURK 2.5. INTERRELATION OK GROUSE NEST M(IKTM,n\ \\ 11 H FOX ACTIVITY AM) Bl FFER 

 ABUNDANCE — CONNECTICUT Illl.I. ARK\ I').'U-I*>H 



l'.\cii though in most \ears during the period sliidicd the average nest mortality for the 

 Stale has not differed greatly, the fact that it varies more widely on local areas is of interest 

 to the si)ortsinan and game manager. Since ])rcdatioii is the primary cause of such losses, 

 predator pressure must vary similarly. That it does vary has been discussed elsewhere^. 



* Scr ('.ha|>Ii'T \U. [1. SJ7. (or iliiiriiiittinn ii( othrr rauiir» in\iil%'cd. 



A Either ihe red (oi (Vutpes lulva) or the gray fox (Vrocyan cinertoarirnttui) 



t Apptirt only to nrnln arliinlly rnlabliiihril. 



X No cyclir drrlinr hnn been rxprrirni-r<] Hiirinc ihr ln\r«ligalion. 



§ See diKcuatiun o( Predator Prc»«urc, p. 3^7. 



