Comparison of Reclaimed and Unmined Woodcock Summer Diurnal Habitat in West Virginia
Reclaimed surface mines are used by American woodcock (Scolopax minor) as diurnal habitat during summer in West Virginia. However, habitat quality of these sites relative to that of other (unmined) diurnal habitat in West Virginia has not been previously evaluated, making it difficult to assess the potential for using mine reclamation to create woodcock habitat. We compared vegetation and soil characteristics at points where we flushed woodcock on reclaimed surface mines (25 flush points at 11 sites) and unmined locations (26 flush points at 13 sites) in West Virginia during the summers of...
