Northern Bobwhite Occupancy Patterns on Multiple Spatial Scales Across Arkansas

• DOI: 10.3996/jfwm-21-002
• Publication Date: 2021-09-20T21:13:23Z
• Authors: Ellery V. Lassiter; Marcus Asher; Grace Christie; Connor Gale; Andrhea Massey; Cody Massery; Christopher R. Mi...; John T. Veon; Brett A. DeGregorio
• Keywords: Ecoregion; Colinus; Occupancy

Abstract Northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus populations have been rapidly declining in the eastern, central, and southern United States for decades. Land use change an incompatibility between northern resource needs human land practices driven declines. Here, we applied occupancy analyses on two spatial scales (state level ecoregion level) to more than 5,000 surveys conducted over 6 y across entire state of Arkansas explore patterns variables, identify priority areas management conservation. At level, occupied 29% sites were most likely occur with a high percentage early successional habitat (grassland, pasture, shrubland). The statewide model predicted that (≥ 75% occupancy) < 20% state. is comprised five distinct ecoregions, at scale showed associations could vary ecoregions. For example, best both River Valley Ozark Mountains other such as proportion herbaceous hay-pasture habitat, respectively, further refined predictions. Contrastingly, richness cover classes alone Ouachita ecoregion. Ecoregion-level models thus discerning state-level should be helpful managers identifying conservation areas. However, too rarely encountered accurately predict their occurrence. We found lay primarily private properties (95%), but numerous public entities own manage identified suitable or occupied. conclude benefit from cooperation among state, federal, military partners, well surrounding landowners ecoregion-specific may useful management. Our approach incorporates multiple landscape when using remote sensing technology conjunction monitoring data important application grassland bird species.