Nesting Success of Ruffed Grouse in West Virginia
Ruffed grouse densities are lower in the southern portion of its range than in the more northern reaches. It has been suggested that the lower productivity of ruffed grouse in southern latitudes may account for lower population densities. We examined nesting success of ruffed grouse Bonasa umbellus at 2 sites in West Virginia during 1998 and 1999. We located nests of radio-collared female grouse and determined proportion of females that nested, nest success (proportion of hens successful in hatching ?1 chick), clutch size, hatching success, and hatch dates. Proportion of hens that...
