D. W. Speake

Northern Bobwhite Brood Habitat Use in South Georgia

Providing habitat to recruit young into a population with high rates of annual turnover is vital if stable populations are to be maintained. We studied habitat selection using radio-tagged northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) with broods ≤ 2 weeks old on 2 intensively managed quail hunting plantations in southwest Georgia from 1992 to 1994. Habitat selectivity was analyzed using 1,443 locations from 75 broods. Fifty-eight of the 75 broods preferred fallow fields with use greater than expected (P ≤ 0.05). Insect abundance in fallow fields was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater than in...

Mortality of Wild Turkey Poults In Coastal Plain Pine Forests

Wildlife Outstanding Technical Paper

Identification of poult mortality agents and associated rates are critical to management of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris), particularly in coastal plain pine forests where reported mortality rates are greater than those documented in other environments. We studied rates and specific causes of mortality for wild turkey poults in south Georgia and north Florida from 1988-1993. During the period, 34 of 344 poults from 39 broods survived to 28 days post hatch and yearly mortality rates averaged 90.8% ± 1.8. Predation accounted for 88% of the 106 identified deaths with raccoons...

Spring Burning for Wild Turkey Brood Habitat: An Evaluation

Increased interest in and use of growing season prescribed burning has caused concern among sportsmen and biologists as to the potential impact on ground nesting game birds. We used radio-telemetry and invertebrate sampling to evaluate early growing season (April-May) prescribed burning to provide wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) brood habitat in the Coastal Plain pine (Firms spp.) forests of south Georgia from 1988 to 1990. None of the 14 hen-poult groups monitored were ever located in spring burns. Additionally, there was no significant difference in invertebrate abundance during the...

Management Needs Of Sandhill Reptiles In Southern Georgia

Habitat use by the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi), and associated species was studied in southern Georgia. Tortoises colonized sites where sand depth typically exceeded 1 m, and generally moved within areas less than 4 ha each year. The greatest population density (15.8/ha) was in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris)-scrub oak (Quercus spp.) stands burned every 2-4 years. Thirty other vertebrate species were observed using tortoise burrows, and den size was evidently a factor in selection by some. All radio-instrumented indigo snakes used...