THE GOAL — IDEAL COVERTS 589 



For Grouse 



For Nesting 



Typical nesting cover exhibits a more definite pattern than one might imagine. The sites 

 chosen are usually favorable, not only for that purpose but also for the youngsters which, 

 when hatched, will need to travel but a short distance to find food and shelter. For New York 

 State the picture shapes up as follows: — 



Basic Patterns. Second-growth woodlands intersected by woods' roads and bordered by 

 overgrown fields, old pastures, young slashings or patches of popple, birch or alder provide 

 ideal nesting sites. Should a part of the woods be made up of mature trees, it would make 

 but little difference for a considerable proportion of the broods spend the first few days, after 

 hatching, in such a location. 



If, here and there throughout the second-growth woodlands, a few trees have been cut. 

 perhaps to furnish the winter's wood supplv and thus encourage small islands of briers 

 and other open land vegetation, the area is doubly attractive. Some birds will choose such 

 sites and thereby be somewhat safer from predators than as though their nests were located 

 in the more open hardwoods. 



Composition. Hardwoods are ])referred as nesting cover although the particular species 

 seem not to matter. While few nests are found in coniferous stands, it is inuiialerial whether 

 or not an occasional evergreen is present in the vicinity of the nests. 



Undergrowth Density. Little attention needs be paid to providing protected nest sites for 

 the majority of the birds choose a rather open spot against the base of a tree or stump for 

 this purpose. 



Slope. The nesting cover might cqualiv \\r]\ be located on a steep slope, a gentle iiulinc 

 or on flat lands for nests are equally apt to be located on anv of these. 



Extenl. The nesting cover need not be extensive, for nests are commonlv placed within 

 100 feet of an edge. Woods' roads or open trails within the forest seem equally attractive in 

 this respect. 



For Broods 



Optimum brood cover in New York State is characterized by its youth and its diversitv. 

 It is the early stages of woodland succession, in which are found fresh herbaceous growth 

 in considerable profusion, that are attracti\c. 



Here, then, are the most common brood cover patterns and characteristics: — 



Basic Patterns 



1. Second-growth woodlands surrounded by broad bands of woods' edge type vegeta- 

 tion preferably fairly open in character. 



2. Second-growth woodlands interspersed with substantial amounts of overgrown lands, 

 old shrub-dotted pastures, brushy corners or brier patches. 



3. Moist alder runs, separated by hardwood slopes inclined to be dry in summer. 



4. Small slashings, still in the brier, herb and small sprout stage, scattered through 

 second-growth woods. 



5. Selectively-lumbered hardwood stands in which the openings thus created are filled 



