Raptor Selection of Captive Reared and Released Galliform Birds

Captive rearing and release of birds in the order Galliformes remains a popular management tactic despite low survival rates. We investigated avian predator selection of captive-reared northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) as a potential driver of their high mortality. We simulated avian predator...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Wildlife Society bulletin 2018-12, Vol.42 (4), p.713-715
Main Authors: PERKINS, REBECCA, BOAL, CLINT W., DABBERT, C. BRAD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
captive‐reared
From the Field
Galliformes
northern bobwhite
pen‐reared
raptor predation
reintroduction
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Summary:Captive rearing and release of birds in the order Galliformes remains a popular management tactic despite low survival rates. We investigated avian predator selection of captive-reared northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) as a potential driver of their high mortality. We simulated avian predator hunts on a flushing pair of bobwhites during trials conducted from 6 February 2015 to 14 February 2015 in Texas, USA. When presented a choice of a captive-reared bobwhite or wild bobwhite, a Harris’s hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus) pursued a captive-reared bobwhite in 8 of 10 flight trials. This selective rate, combined with observations from auxiliary research indicate avian predation may be a greater risk for captive-reared birds than wild birds. The success of captive-rearing and release efforts may benefit from a better understanding of how to more adequately prepare captive-reared birds for release.
ISSN:1938-5463
2328-5540
1938-5463
DOI:10.1002/wsb.925