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Top–down effects of raptor predation on northern bobwhite

  • Population ecology – original research
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Abstract

Understanding how predators affect prey species is a central endeavor in applied ecology. Game birds are a culturally and economically important group of birds throughout the world. Specifically, northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) is an imperiled game bird native to North America that has declined precipitously over the past 65 years. Concurrently, raptor populations increased substantially as a result of pesticide bans and legal protections. However, relationships between raptors and bobwhites are not well-understood because of limited long-term data. We analyzed long-term raptor survey and bobwhite survival datasets from 2008 to 2018 to determine if oscillations in raptor abundance affected bobwhite survival. We used a novel open multi-species dynamics hierarchical distance sampling model to estimate the abundance of raptors. We used a known-fate survival model to determine if variation in raptor abundance affected bobwhite survival. We had multiple working hypotheses regarding biological relationships between raptor abundance and bobwhite survival. Raptors affected bobwhites in every biological season but were more influential in the breeding season and late winter supporting the notion of bobwhite behavior and raptor migration were driving observed patterns. Our results suggest that even in areas with abundant habitat, predators exert top–down influences on vital rates suggesting similar or greater influences on populations under poor habitat conditions.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to the many benefactors of Tall Timbers and the Albany Quail Project. Also, thanks to the scores of technicians that assisted with data collection, and particularly to W. E. Palmer and S. D. Wellendorf for assisting with data organization and data collection during the early years (2008–2013) of the study. This work was supported by Mcintire-Stennis project GEOZ0194-MS, The Gerry Game Bird Endowment, and Firman Quail Management Fund at Tall Timbers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. D. B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, 180 E. Green Street, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Justin A. Rectenwald, Edwige Bellier & James A. Martin

  2. Albany Quail Project, Tall Timbers, 5765 Pigeon Road, Newton, GA, 39870, USA

    D. Clay Sisson

  3. Tall Timbers, 13093 Henry Beadel Drive, Tallahassee, FL, 32312, USA

    Theron M. Terhune

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  1. Justin A. Rectenwald
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  2. Edwige Bellier
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  3. D. Clay Sisson
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  4. Theron M. Terhune
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  5. James A. Martin
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Correspondence to James A. Martin.

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Author contribution statement

DCS and TMT designed and oversaw field data collection and provided materials. DCS, TMT, and JAM conceived the research questions. JR, EB, and JAM analyzed the data. JR and JAM wrote the manuscript; other authors provided editorial advice.

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The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

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All applicable institutional and/or national guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Communicated by Robert L Thomson.

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Rectenwald, J.A., Bellier, E., Sisson, D.C. et al. Top–down effects of raptor predation on northern bobwhite. Oecologia 197, 143–155 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-021-04995-8

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