Vol. 25, No. 7 
Page 3 
Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Hanipulatlon - W-66-R 
R.L. Westemeier, 
J.E. Buhnerkempe 
In recent newsletters we discussed responses by nesting prairie chickens and 
pheasint to 1 ) warm-season native prairie grasses in comparison to cool-season 
introduced grasses and legumes (MWRL 2k(l2):2-3) and (2) various means of 
Paging prairie grasses (MWRL 25(l):3-'0. In this report we examine nest 
densities by birds and mammals in prairie grass according to a „ 
prescribed burning and other management approaches. Nest densities are expresse 
"sis per I, ha because 10 acres (<. ha) is the average field size on the 
.. -hiritpn «;^nrtuaries The data are for a cumulative total of 656 acres 
(265 ha) of prairie grass searched for nests from 1967 through 1931 at Bogota. 
Prairie chickens (52 nests) were the 3rd most abundant nesting bir n prair e 
grass. 
Unburned prairie grasses averaged 11.0 nests per k ha for the 13 avian 
species found nesting in fields dominated by prairie grasses on the sanctuaries. 
were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in nest densities for avian 
lesiers collectively, or for prairie chickens or dickcissels among undisturbed, 
h?gh-mowed(by C rotary mower or combine), or hayed prairie grasses that had not 
bien burned' Prairie chickens averaged Ok to 0.5 nest per k ha among the 3 
categories. Quail, cottontails, and small mammals averaged 0.9, £ 5 
nests Der 4 ha respectively, but these species showed significantly (P. 0.05) 
higher^denslties in the undisturbed type than in mowed or hayed prairie grasses 
that had not been burned. 
During the 1st nest season following a prescribed burn (recent burn) of 
prairie grass, we found a total avian nest density of 9.2 nests per k ha. No 
nests were found for prairie chickens, pheasants, mallards, woodcocks, f,elcl 
sparrows, or Henslow's sparrows in recently burned prair,e grassjhowever, nest 
densities per 4 ha for other species were: small mammals, 21.7, redwings, 7.5, 
dtckclssels! 0 . 6 ; meadowlarks, 0.5; quail, 0.3; and 0.1 each for "? *>ves, 
grasshopper sparrows, short-billed marsh wrens, and cottontails. ° n ® . 
sandpiper nest was found accidentally in a prairie grass field that had recently 
been burned. 
During the 2nd, 3rd, kth, and 5th or later nest seasons f°''°«' n 9P r ® sc :’ b ® d 
hurnina the means for total avian nest densities per 4 ha were 25.9, .9, 3 • , 
and 10 9 i respectively. The means for rotary-mowed prairie grass were particu arly 
high--33.7 anS 6?.4 nests per 4 ha for the 2nd and 3rd nest season, respec.vely, 
following a burn. Nest densities for prairie chickens were also high in h.g 
mowed prairie grass during the 2nd (1.9) and 3rd 1.8 nest season but. 
curiously, they were highest by the 5th or later (5.0 nest seas ® n ^J°^l^ rns 
burning--again in the high-mowed type. No particular preferences for post bu 
or management type were noted for pheasants from the limited sample of 19 nests. 
Redwing nest densities followed a pattern similar to the pattern for avian 
densities as a group, probably because redwing nests (693) comp 
total sample (964) of the bird nests found in prairie grasses. D ^kcisse1s, th 
2nd most abundant nesting bird (91 nests) showed a peak nest density the 3rd 
nest season following a burn (2.4 per 4 ha), as did cottontails (1.7) and 
small mammals (40.0). 
