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Hunting causes direct mortality and potentially disrupts normal activities of game and non‐game species. As spatial (i.e., selection of hunting areas) and temporal (i.e., only diurnally present) patterns of hunters can become predictable, hunted species may respond accordingly. Risk becomes more dynamic and complex for species that are hunted concurrent with their breeding cycle, and growing literature has noted that wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo spp.) behaviors can be altered by hunting activity. We allocated global positioning system (GPS) units to 1,500 wild turkey hunters and affixed GPS transmitters to 175 wild turkeys during 2014–2018 on the Webb Wildlife Management Area Complex in South Carolina, USA. We evaluated whether wild turkeys shifted resource selection as a function of hunter resource selection during the progression of hunting seasons. Male wild turkeys avoided areas where stationary hunting bouts occurred during the early hunting season (and selected for these areas before hunting began), whereas females were more likely to select those areas avoided by males by the end of the hunting season. For every 15% increase in predicted probability of an area being hunted, male wild turkeys were 4.16 times less likely to select that area, whereas female wild turkeys were 1.08 times more likely to select that area relative to pre‐season periods when hunters were not on the landscape. Hunting activity induced immediate responses by male wild turkeys as they sought refuge away from hunted areas. Coupled with recent research suggesting hunters are more influential than natural predators in reducing the frequency of male vocalizations and eliciting fleeing and avoidance behavior, our results indicate hunting activity could affect distribution and courtship behaviors of male wild turkeys during their breeding season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Males of species with promiscuous mating systems are commonly observed to use larger ranges during the mating season relative to non‐mating seasons, which is often attributed to a change in movements related to reproductive activities. However, few studies link seasonal range sizes to variation in daily space use patterns to provide insight into the behavioral mechanisms underlying mating season range expansion. We studied 20 GPS‐tagged male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), a large upland gamebird, during the mating and summer non‐mating seasons to test the hypothesis that larger mating season ranges resulted from male wild turkeys expanding the scale of daily movement activities to locate and court females. We delineated mating and non‐mating seasons based on intensity of gobbling, a vocalization tied to courtship behavior, recorded by autonomous recording units distributed across the study area. Mating season ranges were significantly larger than non‐mating season ranges. Daily ranges were larger in the mating season, as were distances between roost sites used on consecutive nights. Variance in daily range size was greater in the mating season, but low temporal autocorrelation suggested considerable daily variability in both seasons. We found no evidence that male wild turkeys changed how they distributed daily movements within seasonal ranges, or differences in habitat use, suggesting larger mating season ranges result from male wild turkeys increasing the scale of their daily movements, rather than a systematic shift to a nomadic movement strategy. Likely, the distribution of females is more dynamic and ephemeral compared to other resources, prompting males to traverse larger daily ranges during the mating season to locate and court females. Our work illustrates the utility of using daily movement to understand the behavioral process underlying larger space use patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating survival and cause‐specific mortality of male eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) is important for understanding population dynamics and implementing appropriate harvest management. To better understand age‐specific estimates of annual survival and harvest rates, we captured and marked male wild turkeys with leg bands (n = 311) or bands and transmitters (n = 549) in Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina, USA, during 2014–2022. We fitted time to event models to data from radio‐marked birds to estimate cause‐specific mortality and annual survival. We used band recovery models incorporating both band recovery and telemetry data to further investigate harvest rates and survival. Annual survival from known‐fate models in hunted populations was 0.54 (95% CI = 0.49–0.59) for adults and 0.86 (95% CI = 0.81–0.92) for juveniles. Cause‐specific mortality analysis produced an annual harvest estimate of 0.29 (95% CI = 0.24–0.33) for adults and 0.02 (95% CI = 0.01–0.03) for juveniles, whereas predation was 0.15 (95% CI = 0.10–0.20) and 0.12 (95% CI = 0.08–0.17), respectively. Annual survival for adult males in a non‐hunted population was 0.83 (95% CI = 0.72–0.97). Survival rate was negatively correlated with harvest rate, indicating harvest was an additive mortality source. Annual survival from band recovery models was 0.40 (95% CI = 0.37–0.44) for adults and 0.88 (95% CI = 0.81– 0.93) for juveniles, whereas annual harvest estimates were 0.24 (95% CI = 0.23–0.25) for adults and 0.04 (95% CI = 0.03–0.05) for juveniles. Both models suggested no differences in annual survival across years or among study areas, which included privately owned and public properties. Harvest was an additive mortality source for male wild turkeys, suggesting that managers interested in increasing annual survival of adult males could consider ways of reducing harvest rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature and precipitation have been identified as factors that potentially influence eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) reproduction, but robust analyses testing the relationship between weather parameters and turkey nest success are lacking. Therefore, we assessed how weather influenced turkey daily nest survival using 8 years of data collected from 715 nests across the southeastern United States. We also conducted exploratory analyses investigating if weather conditions during or prior to nesting best predicted nest success. We then assessed the possible implications of climate change through 2041–2060 for future eastern wild turkey daily nest survival and nest success for variables determined significant in analyses. During incubation, positive anomalies of minimum daily temperature were associated with greater daily nest survival. Precipitation during nesting was not a good predictor of daily nest survival. Exploratory analyses unexpectedly indicated that weather conditions in January prior to incubation were more important to nest success than weather conditions during incubation. In January, negative anomalies of minimum temperature and greater average daily precipitation were associated with greater nest success. Projections of future nest success or daily nest survival based on these relationships with the predictive covariates, and informed by climate models, suggest that nest success may increase as January precipitation increases and that daily nest survival may increase as temperature during incubation increases. These positive associations could be offset by a negative association between nest success and the expected increases in January minimum average temperature. Additional research is needed to investigate causes of these relationships and assess the implications of climate change for eastern wild turkey poult survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals exhibit pronounced age‐based shifts in habitat selection, often because of increasing body size. Body size affects how animals access resources, traverse landscapes, and perceive predation risk. While adults may be habitat generalists, offspring may be constrained by diet, predation avoidance methods, and mobility given smaller body size, and thus be more specialized. Observed declines in eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) productivity and recruitment across the southeastern United States has necessitated evaluations of availability and composition of brood habitat. As poults are smaller and have more specialized resource requirements than adults, selection of vegetation likely changes as poults age. We evaluated aged‐based shifts in selection relative to vegetation communities, normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVI), and distances to trails by eastern wild turkey brooding females in a pine (Pinus spp.)‐dominated landscape in Georgia, USA, from April–July during 2017–2020. We used step‐selection functions and conditional logistic regression to evaluate resource selection of 36 brooding females. Of 175 nests monitored, 36 (20.6%) successfully hatched a brood and only 12 broods had at least 1 poult survive ≥28 days post‐hatch (i.e., 6.9% of nests produced a poult that was recruited into the population). Overall, brooding females selected for pastures (β = 0.730; 95% CI = 0.5144–0.9452), hardwoods (β = 0.324; 95% CI = 0.1608–0.4865), areas closer to trails (β = −0.002; 95% CI = −0.0023–−0.0014), and areas with greater NDVI values (β = 2.714; 95% CI = 1.7897–3.6380). Habitat selection shifted as broods aged, suggesting resource needs shift to scale allometrically with body size as broods get older. For example, selection strength waned as broods aged and broods were 2.47 times less likely to select pastures on day 28 relative to day 1 post‐hatch. Pastures were selected for after broods hatched, whereas selection for young pines increased as poults aged. Despite pine‐dominated cover types comprising nearly a third of the usable landscape, young pine communities were avoided by females with recently hatched broods. Managers may create better brood habitat by promoting early successional vegetation communities amidst a diversity of other land cover types to account for changing resource needs and predator avoidance capabilities as poults age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordination in timing of reproduction is driven by multiple ecological and sociobiological processes for a wide array of species. Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) use a male dominance polygynous mating system, where males communicate with females via elaborate courtship displays and vocalizations at display sites. Most females prefer to mate with dominant males; therefore, asynchronous breeding and nesting may occur which can disproportionately influence individual fitness within breeding groups. For female wild turkeys, there are reproductive advantages associated with earlier nesting. As such, we evaluated reproductive asynchrony within and between groups of GPS‐tagged female eastern wild turkeys based on timing of nest initiation. We examined 30 social groups with an average of seven females per group (range 2–15) during 2014–2019 in west central Louisiana. We found that the estimated number of days between first nest initiation across females within groups varied between 3 and 7 days across years, although we expected 1–2 days to occur between successive nesting attempts of females within groups based on observations of captive wild turkeys in the extant literature. The number of days between successive nest attempts across females within groups was lower for successful than failed attempts, and nests with an average of 2.8 days between initiation of another nest were more likely to hatch. Our findings suggest that asynchronous reproduction may influence reproductive success in female wild turkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predators elicit antipredator behaviors such as proactive and reactive movements in prey, but both are rarely investigated simultaneously. Impacts of human predation risk on antipredator behaviors can be greater than those of nonhuman predators, resulting in increased effects on populations and community structure. We compared the influence of human and nonhuman predation risk on proactive and reactive antipredator movement behaviors of male Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo, hereafter turkey). We used simultaneously collected GPS locations from 31 turkeys and 36 coyotes (Canis latrans) to investigate the antipredator behavior of turkeys to coyotes. To assess antipredator behaviors of turkeys to hunters, we used 1661 hunting tracks collected while monitoring 109 turkeys. For proactive movements, we quantified how predation risk influenced resource selection. To investigate reactive movements, we quantified changes in movement behavior of turkeys after encountering hunters and coyotes. Coyote and turkey home range overlap was high, but lack of core area overlap, encounters, and similar resource selection suggested the use of different areas on the landscape. Turkeys selected areas associated with decreased coyote risk and closer to hardwoods. Coyotes preferred shrubs and open areas, suggesting turkeys avoided coyote risk and the habitats coyotes preferred. We detected 17 coyote and turkey contacts, and the probability of contact decreased by 16.6% for every 100 m farther from a forest edge. Turkeys did not display reactive movement behaviors after a direct encounter with coyotes, as step lengths were similar prior to and after encounters, which did not differ from random step lengths. After hunting, turkeys selected areas farther from public access points and closer to private property, suggesting proactive avoidance of hunter risk. We detected 31 hunter and turkey contacts; increased step lengths after hunter contacts suggested fleeing behavior. The probability of a hunter–turkey contact decreased by 5.5% for every 100 m farther from a secondary road. Antipredator movement behaviors by turkeys suggest coyote risk to be low over a broad temporal window, while hunter risk is high for a narrow temporal window. We provide insight into how human‐induced fear can cause antipredator behavioral responses greater than nonhuman fear, potentially causing changes in species distribution and community structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation of wildlife populations necessitates identifying patterns in space use because fitness requirements influence resource selection; however, details on how phenology affects space use are often only cursorily addressed during development of space‐ and resource‐use estimates. Moreover, space‐use assessments often aggregate distinct, phenology‐specific behaviors into generalized realizations of biological processes, such as reproduction. Therefore, to improve the relevance and accuracy of biological inferences for wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) space use at the population level, we defined 12 distinct phenology‐specific periods to compare and contrast variations in space‐use estimates. We calculated 1,568 individual space‐use estimates using dynamic Brownian Bridge movement models for Rio Grande wild turkeys (M. g. intermedia; n = 255 females) across Texas, USA, during 2012−2018. Females in each pre‐laying state used larger areas than during all other phenological states, suggestive of exploratory movements related to reproductive activities and resource acquisition. Incubation core areas were consistently <1.5 ha and incubation range sizes ranged from 10 ha to 48 ha. Core area and range sizes during the brooding period doubled from 15 days after hatch (3.1 ha and 42 ha) to 30 days after hatch (6.5 ha and 89 ha). Post‐breeding and wintering period ranges were >30% smaller than reproductive period ranges. Mean daily distance traveled was similar across phenological states except during incubation and brooding periods. Our results indicate that examining wild turkey space use at identifiable, phenology‐specific temporal scales will help mitigate against biases in estimates of resource selection based on arbitrary phenology definitions that aggregate data across multiple, distinct, phenological states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coyotes (Canis latrans) colonized the southeastern United States over the last century as large predators, including the red wolf (Canis rufus) and eastern cougar (Puma concolor), were extirpated from the region. As a generalist carnivore, the coyote preys on white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and various smaller mammals, birds, and vegetation. While resource selection by coyotes has been well documented at the home‐range scale, little is known about their foraging behavior, which is an important factor in thoroughly understanding influences of coyotes on prey and sympatric carnivores. We assessed third‐order resource selection of coyotes at sites across Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina during 2015–2016. Using GPS collars, we tracked 41 resident coyotes across four calendar seasons and identified suspected foraging areas using recursive analysis where individuals repeatedly returned to known locations. We found that resident coyotes selected for open landcover types throughout the year, while avoiding primary and secondary roads. Additionally, resident coyotes avoided forested landcover types while selecting for forest edges except from April to June when they foraged within interior forest away from edges. Previous studies have documented substantive predation rates on white‐tailed deer neonates by coyotes, and that fawn mortality may increase in forested landscapes away from forest edge. Our findings indicate that foraging coyotes may select forest cover types during spring where fawns are more vulnerable to predation. Additionally, there has been debate in the literature as to how coyotes obtain consistent levels of deer in their diets outside of fawning and fall hunting seasons. Our study indicates that use of road‐kill carcasses by coyotes was an unlikely explanation for the presence of deer in coyote diets throughout the year, as coyotes in our study were not observed using roads during foraging excursions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of band recovery data combined with estimates of hunter harvests provides a foundation for estimation of abundance and population trajectory for a variety of wildlife species. We banded 3,141 Rio Grande wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) during 2015–2021 and used band‐recovery data to assess annual survival and harvest, and to generate population estimates for male Rio Grande wild turkeys in Texas, USA. Our results indicated male recovery rate was age‐specific (adult = 0.095 ± 0.010 [SE]; juvenile = 0.036 ± 0.009) and adult and juvenile male annual survival was 0.49 ± 0.04 and 0.96 ± 0.14, respectively. Annual survival for adult females (0.68 ± 0.02) was lower than for juvenile females (0.98 ± 0.01). Female recovery rates were not different between fall and spring (0.017 ± 0.004; 0.013 ± 0.003, respectively) and combined harvest rate was 0.009 ± 0.006. Male population estimates, based on hunter harvest estimates, exhibited considerable temporal variation, ranging from 328,185 ± 66,313 in 2016 to 136,700 ± 27,621 in 2020. Using harvest average over the 7‐year study period, we estimated average male abundance was 228,709 ± 46,213. Female population estimates ranged from 895,556 ± 635,146 in 2016 to 409,889 ± 290,702 in 2020. We estimated an average female population of 561,578 ± 396,507. Researchers and managers should continue banding Rio Grande wild turkeys to assess long‐term trends and conduct additional work to confirm the accuracy of harvest estimates in Texas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Availability of suitable roosting sites influences distribution of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) across the landscape. In semi‐arid environments, roosts are limited to riparian corridors capable of supporting trees large enough to provide suitable roost sites. Gould's wild turkeys (M. g. mexicana) are spatially restricted to mountainous semi‐arid areas of southwestern United States and Mexico, and information on their distribution and habitat use is limited. We evaluated roost site selection and fidelity of Gould's wild turkeys relative to environmental gradients and forested land cover during 2016–2017 in southeastern Arizona, USA. We monitored 51 global positioning system (GPS)‐tagged individuals and collected 7,954 night roost locations. We quantified specific roost site characteristics at 274 unique roost locations. Gould's wild turkeys roosted in forested communities dominated by mature pine (Pinus spp.) and oak (Quercus spp.), and exhibited substantive roost site fidelity. Roost sites were selected at moderate elevations (range = 1,254–2,894 m), and were predominately on north‐facing slopes with slight incline (<11°), suggesting little plasticity in selection of roost sites. Conserving habitat with topography and vegetative structure similar to those described in our study is likely to improve ongoing restoration and management of Gould's wild turkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate coyote (Canis latrans) introgression in the wild red wolf (Canis rufus) genome, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Red Wolf Recovery Program used a combination of reproductive sterilization and lethal removal of coyotes to minimize hybridization and increase the endangered red wolf population. Although sterilization assisted in limiting coyote introgression to ≤4% in the wild red wolf genome, its potential negative effect on coyote and hybrid abundance and density is unknown. Using long‐term capture–mark–recapture and radio‐telemetry data collected on red wolves, coyotes, and hybrids under the USFWS Red Wolf Adaptive Management Plan implemented during 2000–2013, we explored three areas of research: (1) spatial modeling to correlate land cover characteristics with the relative probabilities of capture for red wolves, coyotes, and hybrids; (2) survival analysis of radio‐marked canids; and (3) annual population estimates for the three Canis taxa. We detected no differences in the relative probability of capture among Canis taxa. Red wolves, coyotes, and hybrids were most frequently captured in areas proximate to road networks with low canopy cover (i.e., cropland) and away from coastal bottomland forests. Annual apparent survival for red wolves and hybrids was greater than survival for coyotes; however, wolves and hybrids exhibited similar annual survival. Mortality of coyotes and hybrids was predominately attributed to deliberate take through lethal control by the USFWS biologists and harvest by hunters and trappers. We observed annual densities of coyotes ranging between 2.5 and 21.5 coyotes/1000 km2, with densities annually increasing during 2005–2013 when the red wolf population plateaued before declining after 2013. Despite the increase in coyote density, our density estimates are less than most estimates reported throughout the coyote's geographic range, and similar to those reported in areas where coyote populations are limited by extreme environments such as their northern range limits in Alaska, United States, and Canada. Our findings indicate that red wolf presence and federal management of coyotes using fertility control may have limited coyote densities in northeastern North Carolina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource heterogeneity across the landscape prompts animals to make behavioral tradeoffs to survive and reproduce. Behavioral thermoregulation can buffer organisms from thermal extremes but may conflict with other essential activities such as predator avoidance or foraging, and necessitate tradeoffs among resource requirements. We evaluated patterns of habitat selection relative to thermal conditions, forage availability, and concealment cover for female eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) with broods to assess potential tradeoffs among resource requirements. We quantified air temperature (°C), vegetation characteristics (e.g., visual obstruction), and arthropod biomass (g/m2) at locations used by broods across 5 study sites in the southeastern United States during May–July 2019–2020. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate brooding female resource selection at the second (home range) and third (within home range) orders. Specifically, we identified differences in selection between brooding and non‐brooding females (second order), and factors influencing selection of sites used by brooding females during the day (when loafing and foraging) and night (roosting; third order). Brooding females selected sites with cooler temperatures (β = −0.22; 95% CI = −0.338–−0.102) and greater ground cover vegetation (β = 0.02; 95% CI = 0.013–0.033) than non‐brooding females. Additionally, biomass of large prey (Orthoptera) was positively related to ambient temperature, suggesting that use of thermal refuge by brooding females may limit availability of large prey. Brooding females appeared to balance the tradeoff between thermal refuge and forage availability by altering habitat selection patterns within home ranges. Brooding females selected for herbaceous areas that provided greater biomass of large arthropods during the day, and avoided areas dominated by woody vegetation during both the day and night. We did not observe brooding females using locations where woody cover exceeded 27% of understory vegetation. Thermal refuge is an important component of brood habitat, but within thermally suitable areas brooding females can select sites with greater availability of large prey to meet energetic demands of broods. Evaluation of multiple spatial scales is key when assessing tradeoffs among resource needs and determining the potential of behavioral thermoregulation to buffer an organism's thermal environment and allow persistence in a warming climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gobbling activity of Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris; hereafter, turkeys) has been widely studied, focusing on drivers of daily variation. Weather variables are widely believed to influence gobbling activity, but results across studies are contradictory and often equivocal, leading to uncertainty in the relative contribution of weather variables to daily fluctuations in gobbling activity. Previous works relied on road‐based auditory surveys to collect gobbling data, which limits data consistency, duration, and quantity due to logistical difficulties associated with human observers and restricted sampling frames. Development of new methods using autonomous recording units (ARUs) allows researchers to collect continuous data in more locations for longer periods of time, providing the opportunity to delve into factors influencing daily gobbling activity. We used ARUs from 1 March to 31 May to detail gobbling activity across multiple study sites in the southeastern United States during 2014–2018. We used state‐space modeling to investigate the effects of weather variables on daily gobbling activity. Our findings suggest rainfall, greater wind speeds, and greater temperatures negatively affected gobbling activity, whereas increasing barometric pressure positively affected gobbling activity. Therefore, when using daily gobbling activity to make inferences relative to gobbling chronology, reproductive phenology, and hunting season frameworks, stakeholders should recognize and consider the potential influences of extended periods of inclement weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coyotes (Canis latrans) are a highly adaptable canid species whose behavioral plasticity has allowed them to persist in a wide array of habitats throughout North America. As generalists, coyotes can alter movement patterns and change territorial strategies between residency (high site fidelity) and transiency (low site fidelity) to maximize fitness. Uncertainty remains about resident and transient coyote movement patterns and habitat use because research has reached conflicting conclusions regarding patterns of habitat use by both groups. We quantified effects of habitat on resident and transient coyote movement behavior using first passage time (FPT) analysis, which assesses recursive movement along an individual's movement path to delineate where they exhibit area‐restricted search (ARS) behaviors relative to habitat attributes. We quantified monthly movement rates for 171 coyotes (76 residents and 53 transients) and then used estimated FPT values in generalized linear mixed models to quantify monthly habitat use for resident and transient coyotes. Transients had greater movement rates than residents across all months except January. Resident FPT values were positively correlated with agricultural land cover during fall and winter, but negatively correlated with agriculture during spring. Resident FPT values were also negatively correlated with developed habitats during May–August, deciduous land cover during June–August, and wetlands during September–January except November. FPT values of transient coyotes were positively correlated with developed areas throughout much of the year and near wetlands during July–September. Transient FPT values were negatively correlated with agriculture during all months except June and July. High FPT values (ARS behavior) of residents and transients were generally correlated with greater densities of edge habitat. Although we observed high individual variation in space use, our study found substantive differences in habitat use between residents and transients, providing further evidence that complexity and plasticity of coyote habitat use is influenced by territorial strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In canids, resident breeders hold territories but require different resources than transient individuals (i.e., dispersers), which may result in differential use of space, land cover, and food by residents and transients. In the southeastern United States, coyote (Canis latrans) reproduction occurs during spring and is energetically demanding for residents, but transients do not reproduce and therefore can exhibit feeding behaviors with lower energetic rewards. Hence, how coyotes behave in their environment likely differs between resident and transient coyotes. We captured and monitored 36 coyotes in Georgia during 2018-2019 and used data from 11 resident breeders, 12 predispersing residents (i.e., offspring of resident breeders), and 11 transients to determine space use, movements, and relationships between these behaviors and landcover characteristics. Average home range size for resident breeders and predispersing offspring was 20.7 ± 2.5 km² and 50.7 ± 10.0 km², respectively. Average size of transient ranges was 241.4 ± 114.5 km². Daily distance moved was 6.3 ± 3.0 km for resident males, 5.5 ± 2.7 km for resident females, and 6.9 ± 4.2 km for transients. We estimated first-passage time values to assess the scale at which coyotes respond to their environment, and used behavioral change-point analysis to determine that coyotes exhibited three behavioral states. We found notable differences between resident and transient coyotes in regard to how landcover characteristics influenced their behavioral states. Resident coyotes tended to select for areas with denser vegetation while resting and foraging, but for areas with less dense vegetation and canopy cover when walking. Transient coyotes selected areas closer to roads and with lower canopy cover while resting, but for areas farther from roads when foraging and walking. Our findings suggest that behaviors of both resident and transient coyotes are influenced by varying landcover characteristics, which could have implications for prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat fragmentation and loss contribute to isolation of wildlife populations and increased extinction risks for various species, including many large carnivores. We studied a small and isolated population of American black bears (Ursus americanus) that is of conservation concern in central Georgia, USA (i.e., central Georgia bear population [CGBP]). Our goal was to evaluate the potential for demographic and genetic interchange from neighboring bear populations to the CGBP. To evaluate resource selection and movement potential, we used 35,487 global positioning system locations collected every 20 minutes from 2012 to 2014 from 33 male bears in the CGBP. We then developed a step selection function model based on conditional logistic regression. Male bears chose steps that avoided crops, roads, and human developments and were closer to forests and woody wetlands than expected based on availability. We used a geographic information system to simulate 300 bear movement paths from nearby bear populations in northern Florida, northern Georgia, and southern Georgia to estimate the potential for immigration to the CGBP. Only 4 simulated movement paths from the nearby populations intersected the CGBP. The creation of a hypothetical 1‐km‐wide corridor between the southern Georgia population and the CGBP produced only minor improvements in interchange. Our findings suggest that demographic connectivity between the CGBP and surrounding bear populations may be limited, and coupled with previous works showing genetic isolation in the CGBP, that creation of corridors may have only marginal effects on restoring gene flow, at least in the near term. Management actions such as translocation and the establishment of stepping stone populations may be needed to increase the genetic diversity and demographic stability of bears in the CGBP. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. : Demographic connectivity between the central Georgia bear population (CGBP) and surrounding bear populations may be limited, and creation of corridors may have only marginal effects on restoring gene flow. Management actions such as translocation and the establishment of stepping stone populations may be needed to increase the genetic diversity and demographic stability of bears in the CGBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nest success is a primary component of productivity for wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo; turkeys) and there is concern that turkey productivity is declining across the southeastern United States. We evaluated the influence of nest site and landscape characteristics on risk of nest failure for turkeys in pine (Pinus spp.)‐dominated forests across the southeastern United States. We used Cox proportional hazard models to evaluate daily hazard of nest failure associated with nest site and landscape metrics within 500‐m and 1‐km buffers centered on nests. Of 451 nests monitored (n = 320 females) between 2014 and 2018, 76% failed, with predation as the primary cause. Daily hazard of nest failure increased by 1.2% for each day that females delayed nest incubation following the mean nesting date (29 Apr; βday = 0.010 ± 0.002 [SE]; hazard ratio [HR] = 1.01, 95% CI = 1.006–1.015). Environmental covariates associated with risk of nest failure included the maximum enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and distance to the nearest ecotone. Daily hazard increased with increasing distance away from an ecotone (βecotone = 0.16 ± 0.06; HR = 1.17, CI = 1.03–1.32) and with lower EVI around the nest (βEVI = −0.30 ± 0.06; HR = 0.74, CI = 0.65–0.83). Additional nest site or landscape covariates were included in competitive models but did not influence risk of nest failure significantly. Our study highlights the importance of considering landscape context when designing and implementing land management actions intended to enhance wild turkey reproduction. Our findings suggest that landscape metrics thought to be important to turkeys in northern agro‐forested landscapes may not be relevant to turkeys in pine ecosystems of the southeastern United States. © 2021 The Wildlife Society. Relatively high rates of nest failure in wild turkeys (76%) in pine‐dominated forests of the southeastern United States were associated with variation in local ground cover conditions around nests but were not influenced by landscape characteristics at larger spatial extents. We recommend managers of pine forests focus on providing a mosaic of forest types to provide availability of areas with adequate understory vegetation for female wild turkeys during the reproductive period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degree of reproductive synchronization in prey is hypothesized as a predator defense strategy reducing prey risk via predator satiation or predator avoidance. Species with precocial young, especially those exposed to specialist predators, should be highly synchronous to satiate predators (predator satiation hypothesis), while prey with nonprecocial (i.e. altricial) young, especially those exposed to generalist predators, should become relatively asynchronous to avoid predator detection (predator avoidance hypothesis). The white‐tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus in North America is an example of a nonprecocial ungulate that uses the hider strategy early in life; its primary predator (coyote; Canis latrans) is a generalist, making white‐tailed deer a good model species to test the predator avoidance hypothesis.We used birth dates and known fates of white‐tailed deer neonates (n = 1,032) across nine study sites varying in relative synchrony and predator assemblages to test the predator avoidance hypothesis. We predicted that relative birthing asynchrony of the population would increase relative survival at the population level; therefore, at the individual scale, neonate birth date nearer to mean birthing date in a respective population would not influence individual survival.Coyotes were responsible for the majority of predation events, and survival of those neonates increased the closer the individual was born to peak birthing season in each respective population. Also, at the population level, reproductive asynchronization negatively affected survival.Contrary to the predator avoidance hypothesis, our data indicate patterns in neonate survival for white‐tailed deer better support the predator satiation hypothesis at the individual and population level. Additionally, coyotes may present a selective force great enough to shift reproductive synchrony such that predator satiation may become a feasible defense strategy for neonates at local spatial scales.Our results indicate that synchronizing reproduction may still be the most effective strategy to reduce individual predation risk from generalist predators, particularly when the window of heightened resource availability to the prey is narrow. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing predator communities have been implicated in reduced survival of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns. Few studies, however, have used field‐based age‐specific estimates for survival and fecundity to assess the relative importance of low fawn survival on population growth and harvest potential. We studied white‐tailed deer population dynamics on Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge (TRNWR) in Louisiana, USA, where the predator community included bobcats (Lynx rufus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and a restored population of Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus). During 2013–2015, we radio‐collared and monitored 70 adult (≥2.5 yrs) and 21 yearling (1.5‐yr‐old) female deer. Annual survival averaged 0.815 (95% CI = 0.734–0.904) for adults and 0.857 (95% CI = 0.720–1.00) for yearlings. We combined these estimates with concurrently collected fawn survival estimates (0.27; 95% CI = 0.185–0.398) to model population trajectories and elasticities. We used estimates of nonhunting survival (annual survival estimated excluding harvest mortality) to project population growth (λ) relative to 4 levels of harvest (0, 10%, 20%, 30%). Finally, we investigated effects of reduced fawn survival on population growth under current management and with elimination of female harvest. Despite substantial fawn predation, the deer population on TRNWR was increasing (λ = 1.06) and could sustain additional female harvest; however, the population was expected to decline at 20% (λ = 0.98) and 30% (λ = 0.94) female harvest. With no female harvest, the population was projected to increase with observed (λ = 1.15) and reduced fawn survival (λ = 1.02), but the population could not sustain current female harvest (10%) if fawn survival declined (λ = 0.90). For all scenarios, adult female survival was the most elastic parameter. Given the importance of adult female survival, the relative predictability in response of adult survival to harvest management, and the difficulty in altering fawn survival, reducing female harvest is likely the most efficient approach to compensate for low fawn survival. On highly productive sites such as ours, reduction, but not necessarily elimination, of harvest can mitigate effects of low fawn survival on population growth. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. : White‐tailed deer population dynamics on Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana, USA, where the predator community included bobcats, coyotes, and a restored population of Louisiana black bear are characterized by high fecundity rates, low non‐harvest mortality for adults and yearlings, and low probability of survival for fawns. Given the importance of adult female survival to population growth, the relative predictability in response of adult survival to harvest management, and the difficulty in altering fawn survival, reducing female harvest is likely the most efficient approach to compensate for low fawn survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there have been increasing efforts to understand effects of prescribed fire on population dynamics of wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo; turkeys) in pine (Pinus spp.) forests. Although distribution of turkeys is not limited to pine forests, these forests provide nesting and brood‐rearing habitat throughout the southeastern United States. Previous studies have investigated direct (e.g., nest loss to fire) and indirect (e.g., nest‐ and brood‐site selection) effects of prescribed fire, but little is known about how turkeys are influenced by the spatial scale and shape of prescribed fire. We constructed an individual‐based model (IBM) with landscapes of 2 burn unit shapes and 17 spatial scales. We used telemetry data obtained from global positioning system‐marked female turkeys to replicate movement behaviors of turkeys within the model. We hypothesized that use of units burned during the current year (<1 yr) would decrease as scale of fires increased, and that shape of burn units would influence use by turkeys. Spatial scale most influenced turkey use; the greatest use was in burned stands of approximately 23 ha in size, whereas least use was associated with burned stands >1,269 ha. At a spatial scale of 23 ha, the daily percent use of rectangular burn units was 7% greater than square‐shaped burn units. Likewise, daily percent use of rectangular burn units was 34% greater than square‐shaped burn units at a spatial scale of 1,269 ha. When burn units were rectangular‐shaped, daily percent use decreased by 48% as the spatial extent of the fires increased from 23 ha to 203 ha. Likewise, when burn units were square‐shaped, turkey use decreased by 49% as spatial extent of fires increased from 23 ha to 203 ha. Our findings suggest the importance of managing forested landscapes with prescribed fires not exceeding approximately 200 ha if wild turkeys are a management concern. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. : Our findings suggest that predicted use by wild turkeys declined consistently as spatial scale of prescribed fires increased. We recommend that resource agencies managing upland pine forests with prescribed fire conduct burns at spatial scales ≤200 ha when possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Females must balance physiological and behavioral demands of producing offspring with associated expenditures, such as resource acquisition and predator avoidance. Nest success is an important parameter underlying avian population dynamics. Galliforms are particularly susceptible to low nest success due to exposure of ground nests to multiple predator guilds, lengthy incubation periods, and substantive reliance on crypsis for survival. Hence, it is plausible that nesting individuals prioritize productivity and survival differently, resulting in a gradient of reproductive strategies. Fine‐scale movement patterns during incubation are not well documented in ground‐nesting birds, and the influence of reproductive movements on survival is largely unknown. Using GPS data collected from female wild turkeys (n = 278) across the southeastern United States, we evaluated the influence of incubation recess behaviors on trade‐offs between nest and female survival. We quantified daily recess behaviors including recess duration, recess frequency, total distance traveled, and incubation range size for each nest attempt as well as covariates for nest concealment, nest attempt, and nest age. Of 374 nests, 91 (24%) hatched and 39 (14%) females were depredated during incubation. Average nest survival during the incubation period was 0.19, whereas average female survival was 0.78. On average, females took 1.6 daily unique recesses (SD = 1.2), spent 2.1 hr off the nest each day (SD = 1.8), and traveled 357.6 m during recesses (SD = 396.6). Average nest concealment was 92.5 cm (SD = 47). We found that females who took longer recess bouts had higher individual survival, but had increased nest loss. Females who recessed more frequently had lower individual survival. Our findings suggest behavioral decisions made during incubation represent life‐history trade‐offs between predation risk and reproductive success on an unpredictable landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral and movement ecology of broods are among the most poorly understood aspects of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) reproductive ecology. Recent declines in wild turkey productivity throughout the southeastern United States necessitate comprehensive evaluations of brood ecology across multiple spatial scales. We captured and marked 408 female wild turkeys with global positioning system (GPS)‐transmitters across 9 pine (Pinus spp.)‐dominated study sites in the southeastern United States during 2014–2019. We evaluated various aspects of the behavioral and movement ecology of 94 brood‐rearing females until brood failure or 28 days after hatch (i.e., when poults are classified as juveniles). We found that 34 (36.2%) females had broods (≥1 poult) survive to 28 days after hatch. Broods moved >500 m away from nest sites the day after hatching, and then moved progressively farther away from nest sites over time. Daily movements increased markedly the first 3 days after hatching, and broods moved >1,000 m/day on average thereafter. Females roosted broods an average of 202 m away from nest sites the first night after hatching, but distances between consecutive ground or tree roosts were variable thereafter. Daily core areas increased from 0.8 ha the day of hatch to 4.6 ha by day 28, and range sizes increased from 6.9 ha to 27.9 ha by day 28. Broods tended to consistently select open land cover types, whereas selection for other land cover types varied temporally after hatch day. Broods spent 89% of their time foraging. Predicted daily survival for broods decreased rapidly with increasing distance moved during the initial 3 days after hatching and showed less variation during the subsequent 2 weeks post‐hatch. Our findings parallel previous researchers noting that the most critical period for brood survival is the first week after hatch day. Previous researchers have attempted to identify vegetative communities used by broods under the assumption that these communities are a primary factor influencing brood success; however, our results suggest that brood survival is influenced by behavioral decisions related to movements during early brooding periods. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. We report that predicted daily survival for wild turkey broods decreased with increasing distance moved during the initial 3 days after hatching. Although our results parallel previous researchers noting that the most critical period for brood survival is the first week after hatch day, they suggest that brood survival is influenced by behavioral decisions related to movements during early brooding periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Central Georgia Bear Population (CGP) is the least abundant and most isolated of Georgia's 3 American black bear (Ursus americanus) populations. Beginning in 2011, changes to regulations governing harvest of the CGP resulted in an increase in female bear harvest, creating concern that future harvest could be an important influence on population viability. Hence, our objective was to assess viability of the CGP under various levels of female mortality. During 2012–2016, we used barbed‐wire hair snares to collect bear hair samples from within the range of the CGP in Georgia, USA. We used microsatellite genotyping to identify individual bears and created robust‐design, spatial detection histories for all female bears detected. We fit open population spatial capture‐recapture (SCR) models to the detection histories in a Bayesian framework. We used the Widely Applicable Information Criterion (WAIC) to rank models that varied with respect to sources of variation in detection probability, survival, and per capita recruitment, and used the model with the lowest WAIC to forecast dynamics of the CGP 50 years into the future under various levels of female mortality. We assessed the 50‐year extinction probability under a continuation of mortality levels documented during 2012–2016, and under incremental increases in female mortality above this baseline. The top model included density‐dependent per capita recruitment, annual variation in detection probability, and a trap‐level behavioral response. Abundance increased from 106 (95% CI = 86–132) females in 2012 to 136 (95% CI = 113–161) females in 2013 and remained relatively stable thereafter. Annual female survival was 0.75 (95% CI = 0.69–0.82) and did not vary among years. The per capita recruitment rate decreased over time as density increased, and was 0.49 (95% CI = 0.33–0.66) during the first time interval and 0.29 (95% CI = 0.20–0.38) during the final time interval. Annual growth rate (λt) was 1.28 (95% CI = 1.07–1.52) between 2012 and 2013 but decreased throughout the study, ending at 1.04 (95% CI = 0.93–1.17). Forecasts indicated continuation of the female mortality levels experienced from 2012–2016 were sustainable over 50 years, with the estimated extinction risk being <0.001%. Increasing annual harvest by 5 females introduced a negligible increase in the 50‐year probability of extinction, but harvesting an additional 10 females/year caused extinction risk to rise to 1.15%. We recommend that harvest regulations are structured such that mortality rates remain at current levels or do not increase by more than an annual average of 5 females above levels observed during our study. Furthermore, we recommend that managers continue to monitor the population so that harvest regulations and population models can be refined over time. © 2020 The Wildlife Society. We found that increasing annual harvest by 5 females in a black bear population introduced a negligible increase in the 50‐year probability of extinction, but harvesting an additional 10 females/year caused extinction risk to rise to 1.15%. We recommend that harvest regulations be structured such that mortality rates remain at current levels or do not increase by more than an annual average of 5 females above levels observed during our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Listeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of the foodborne illness listeriosis, which can result in severe symptoms and death in susceptible humans and other animals. L. monocytogenes is ubiquitous in the environment and isolates from food and food processing, and clinical sources have been extensively characterized. However, limited information is available on L. monocytogenes from wildlife, especially from urban or suburban settings. As urban and suburban areas are expanding worldwide, humans are increasingly encroaching into wildlife habitats, enhancing the frequency of human–wildlife contacts and associated pathogen transfer events. We investigated the prevalence and characteristics of L. monocytogenes in 231 wild black bear capture events between 2014 and 2017 in urban and suburban sites in North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and United States, with samples derived from 183 different bears. Of the 231 captures, 105 (45%) yielded L. monocytogenes either alone or together with other Listeria. Analysis of 501 samples, primarily faeces, rectal and nasal swabs for Listeria spp., yielded 777 isolates, of which 537 (70%) were L. monocytogenes. Most L. monocytogenes isolates exhibited serotypes commonly associated with human disease: serotype 1/2a or 3a (57%), followed by the serotype 4b complex (33%). Interestingly, approximately 50% of the serotype 4b isolates had the IVb‐v1 profile, associated with emerging clones of L. monocytogenes. Thus, black bears may serve as novel vehicles for L. monocytogenes, including potentially emerging clones. Our results have significant public health implications as they suggest that the ursine host may preferentially select for L. monocytogenes of clinically relevant lineages over the diverse listerial populations in the environment. These findings also help to elucidate the ecology of L. monocytogenes and highlight the public health significance of the human–wildlife interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roosting is an important component of wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo; turkey) ecology as roosts provide security from predators and inclement weather. Males call (gobble) from roosts during the reproductive season, and roost locations are important for maximizing access to females and transmission of calls across the landscape, while also minimizing predation risk. Spring hunting of male turkeys occurs during the reproductive season, and hunting activity influences male behaviors and calling. Because roost sites are important for wild turkey ecology, we evaluated roost site selection and fidelity of male turkeys relative to land cover types, vegetative characteristics, and the presence of hunting activity during 2017–2018 in Georgia, USA. Prior to onset of hunting, males selected roosts nearest to hardwood and pine (Pinus spp.) forests. Roost site fidelity was low and distances between roosts were large. After onset of hunting, males selected pine forests less and exhibited greater plasticity in roost selection while fidelity remained minimal, suggesting that males may have altered selection to mitigate risk from hunting while maintaining the strategy of moving about their ranges and roosting at different sites on consecutive nights. Future research should examine potential effects of hunting‐induced shifts in resource selection on other aspects of male turkey behavior and ecology. © 2019 The Wildlife Society. Our findings suggest that hunting activity had little influence on roost site fidelity, as male wild turkeys exhibited low fidelity to nightly roosts before and after the onset of hunting. However, after hunting began males exhibited greater plasticity in roost selection, suggesting they may have altered selection to mitigate risk from hunting while maintaining the strategy of moving about their ranges and roosting at different sites on consecutive nights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) use a polygynous mating system whereby males engage in multiple courtship behaviors, including vocalizations (gobbling) to attract females and compete with other males for breeding opportunities. Males must balance the risk of courtship behaviors with the reproductive potential of each courtship behavior. Male turkeys are primarily hunted during the reproductive period, so the associated risk of courtship behaviors is increased. Many state agencies attempt to set hunting season frameworks that maximize hunter satisfaction by allowing hunting when gobbling activity is greatest and most females are theoretically incubating nests, but the relationship between gobbling activity and nesting phenology is unclear. We used autonomous recording units and global positioning system transmitters to monitor gobbling activity by male turkeys and reproductive behaviors of female turkeys in the Piedmont region of Georgia, USA. We used 13,177 gobbles, behavioral data from 82 females during the reproductive season, and daily estimates of harvest of males by hunters to examine relationships between daily gobbling activity, cumulative removal of males, and reproductive behaviors (laying, incubating) of females during 2017–2018. We observed a weak negative relationship between daily gobbling activity and gobbling activity the following day. As the reproductive season progressed, gobbling activity decreased. As the proportion of females engaged in laying or incubating behaviors increased, expected daily gobbling activity increased. Conversely, we observed that hunting and removal of males had a negative effect on daily gobbling activity, and this effect was disproportionately greater than the positive effect of female reproductive behaviors. Our findings suggest that hunting and removal of males are important determinants of gobbling activity, and that corresponding reductions in gobbling activity may have mediating effects on the mating system of wild turkeys. © 2019 The Wildlife Society. Our findings suggest that hunting and removal of male wild turkeys had a negative effect on daily gobbling activity, and this effect was disproportionately greater than the positive effect of female reproductive behaviors. We found that hunting and removal of males were important determinants of gobbling activity, and offer that corresponding reductions in gobbling activity may have mediating effects on the mating system of wild turkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ground nesting upland birds, reproductive activities contribute to elevated predation risk, so females presumably use multiple strategies to ensure nest success. Identification of drivers reducing predation risk has primarily focused on evaluating vegetative conditions at nest sites, but behavioral decisions manifested through movements during incubation may be additional drivers of nest survival. However, our understanding of how movements during incubation impact nest survival is limited for most ground nesting birds. Using GPS data collected from female Eastern Wild Turkeys (n = 206), we evaluated nest survival as it relates to movement behaviors during incubation, including recess frequency, distance traveled during recesses, and habitat selection during recess movements. We identified 9,361 movements off nests and 6,529 recess events based on approximately 62,065 hr of incubation data, and estimated mean nest attentiveness of 84.0%. The numbers of recesses taken daily were variable across females (range: 1‒7). Nest survival modeling indicated that increased cumulative distance moved during recesses each day was the primary driver of positive daily nest survival. Our results suggest behavioral decisions are influencing trade‐offs between nest survival and adult female survival during incubation to reduce predation risk, specifically through adjustments to distances traveled during recesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to 1900, coyotes (Canis latrans) were restricted to the western and central regions of North America, but by the early 2000s, coyotes became ubiquitous throughout the eastern United States. Information regarding morphological and genetic structure of coyote populations in the southeastern United States is limited, and where data exist, they are rarely compared to those from other regions of North America. We assessed geographic patterns in morphology and genetics of coyotes with special consideration of coyotes in the southeastern United States. Mean body mass of coyote populations increased along a west‐to‐east gradient, with southeastern coyotes being intermediate to western and northeastern coyotes. Similarly, principal component analysis of body mass and linear body measurements suggested that southeastern coyotes were intermediate to western and northeastern coyotes in body size but exhibited shorter tails and ears from other populations. Genetic analyses indicated that southeastern coyotes represented a distinct genetic cluster that differentiated strongly from western and northeastern coyotes. We postulate that southeastern coyotes experienced lower immigration from western populations than did northeastern coyotes, and over time, genetically diverged from both western and northeastern populations. Coyotes colonizing eastern North America experienced different selective pressures than did stable populations in the core range, and we offer that the larger body size of eastern coyotes reflects an adaptation that improved dispersal capabilities of individuals in the expanding range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mottled ducks (Anas fulvigula) were released by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) in South Carolina, USA, during 1975–1983 and expanded into Georgia, USA, in the 1990s. Banding data suggest that birds marked in Georgia are often harvested in other states. Because the South Carolina reintroduced population was able to expand into Georgia via long‐distance dispersal, a more thorough understanding of mottled duck spatial ecology in Georgia and South Carolina is needed to direct future management decisions to accommodate expanding duck populations. We used global positioning system (GPS) telemetry to investigate movements and habitat selection by 47 mottled ducks (17 males, 30 females) during 4 seasons from 2013–2016. Mean seasonal home ranges varied from 2,002–4,598 ha across sexes and seasons. We found mean distances moved within seasonal ranges varied from 3.5–11.3 km/day for birds captured in Georgia, and 1.3–5.6 km/day for those captured in South Carolina. We observed 23 excursions, in which individuals left established seasonal ranges for >6 hours and moved ≥5 km; these excursions ranged from 5 km to 139.5 km. We documented 5 dispersals ranging from 52.6 km to 245.8 km. We also documented several long‐distance movements, with 7 birds captured in Georgia moving to South Carolina and 2 moving to Florida, USA. These movements suggest mottled ducks in South Carolina and Georgia may constitute a single population. Notably, we observed dispersal and long‐distance movements only from birds marked in Georgia, suggesting that habitat may be a limiting factor along the Georgia coast. We quantified third‐order selection for mottled ducks and found seasonal selection for managed impoundments and avoidance of palustrine emergent marsh during breeding and teal seasons. Managed impoundments were limited to 4 river systems along coastal Georgia and South Carolina, resulting in much of the coastal wetlands in both states being unused by mottled ducks. We suggest the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) and SCDNR work cooperatively to manage mottled ducks and their habitats by focusing efforts to create and manage impoundments throughout the Santee, Savannah, Altamaha, and Ashepoo‐Combahe‐Edisto (ACE) river basins in coastal Georgia and South Carolina where we documented use. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. We observed dispersal and long‐distance movements from birds marked in Georgia to South Carolina and Florida, which may be related to limited managed impoundments. We suggest the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources work cooperatively to manage mottled ducks and their habitats by focusing efforts to create and manage impoundments throughout the Santee, Savannah, Altamaha, and Ashepoo‐Combahe‐Edisto (ACE) River river basins in coastal Georgia and South Carolina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) use a polygynous‐promiscuous mating system, wherein males compete for mating opportunities and communicate with females via courtship behaviors. One courtship behavior is vocalization (gobbling), which attracts females and signals dominance to other males. However, temporal variation in gobbling activity may be influenced by external stimuli, environmental variation, and hunter activity. Gobbling activity is a key determinant of hunter satisfaction, and gobbling chronology is often used by state agencies to inform regulatory processes. To identify factors influencing gobbling activity, we evaluated daily gobbling chronology on 3 sites in South Carolina, USA (Webb Wildlife Management Area [WMA] Complex, Savannah River Site, Crackerneck WMA) with different levels of hunter activity. We used autonomous recording units (ARUs; n = 45) across 8,280 days to collect 53,937 hours of ambient sound recordings and identified 68,426 gobbles. Gobbling activity varied daily and site interacting with minutes since sunrise best predicted daily gobbling activity. We noted distinct differences in predicted numbers of gobbles between hunted sites and an unhunted site, suggesting that hunting may be an important determinant of gobbling activity. Across our study sites, we observed that ≥72% of gobbling activity occurred between 30 minutes before and 60 minutes after sunrise. We found no clear evidence of well‐defined unimodal or bimodal peaks in daily or weekly gobbling activity. Across sites, <44% of gobbling activity occurred during legal hunting seasons in South Carolina, with between 30% and 48% of gobbling activity occurring after legal hunting seasons. Because hunter satisfaction is primarily influenced by gobbling activity, wildlife managers in South Carolina may consider adjusting dates of turkey hunting seasons to correspond hunting with periods when most gobbling occurs. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. Our results indicated that eastern wild turkey gobbling activity was best predicted by time since sunrise while varying according to hunting regimes. Additionally, most gobbling occurred outside of the current public land hunting season framework in South Carolina. We suggest that accurate assessments of gobbling chronology, combined with reproductive phenology, harvest rates of males, and measurements of hunter satisfaction be considered by agencies when establishing season frameworks and bag limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forests relies on frequent prescribed fire to maintain desirable plant communities. Prescribed fire is often applied while female wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are reproductively active and may immediately affect habitat availability and demographic outcomes. We identified covariates affecting selection of areas used by nesting and brooding females and determined if these covariates influenced nest and brood survival in a longleaf pine ecosystem. We captured 63 female wild turkeys and measured vegetation and landscape characteristics surrounding nests, brood roosts, and daytime use sites. We used conditional logistic regression to determine which vegetation and landscape‐scale characteristics influenced nest, brood roost, or daytime use sites. We generated Cox proportional hazard models at multiple spatial scales to determine if selection influenced nest and brood survival. Females selected nest sites with greater visual obstruction and increased ground cover, and also nested closer to roads. We observed relevant differences in vegetation and landscape variables associated with where females chose to roost broods compared to sites chosen for foraging or loafing. Females roosted broods at sites with increased ground cover and decreased visual obstruction, and daytime use by broods was most related to increases in ground cover. Time‐since‐fire was an informative covariate for brood site selection but not for nest site selection. Females selected brood roost sites in stands not recently burned (3–6 yr post‐fire), and selected daytime use sites in stands burned the current year (0 yr post‐fire) and 2 years post‐fire. We failed to observe links between selection of vegetation and landscape covariates and probability of nest or brood survival. Notably, our results suggest short (i.e., 1–2 yr) fire return intervals do not provide vegetation communities selected by females to roost broods. Conversely, stands burned within the current year were important for daytime use by broods. Collectively, our findings demonstrate the importance of maintaining diverse fire return intervals to ensure availability of vegetation conditions necessary for nesting and brooding. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. Our findings generally support other recent works suggesting that a 3‐year fire return interval provides vegetation communities important throughout the reproductive phases of wild turkeys. We found, however, that the intensive fire regimes used on our study site are not uniformly ideal for producing conditions needed by brooding females; these short (i.e., 1–2 yr) fire return intervals were not selected by females to roost broods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Range expansion is a widespread biological process, with well‐described theoretical expectations associated with the colonization of novel ranges. However, comparatively few empirical studies address the genomic outcomes accompanying the genome‐wide consequences associated with the range expansion process, particularly in recent or ongoing expansions. Here, we assess two recent and distinct eastward expansion fronts of a highly mobile carnivore, the coyote (Canis latrans), to investigate patterns of genomic diversity and identify variants that may have been under selection during range expansion. Using a restriction‐associated DNA sequencing (RADseq), we genotyped 394 coyotes at 22,935 SNPs and found that overall population structure corresponded to their 19th century historical range and two distinct populations that expanded during the 20th century. Counter to theoretical expectations for populations to bottleneck during range expansions, we observed minimal evidence for decreased genomic diversity across coyotes sampled along either expansion front, which is likely due to hybridization with other Canis species. Furthermore, we identified 12 SNPs, located either within genes or putative regulatory regions, that were consistently associated with range expansion. Of these 12 genes, three (CACNA1C, ALK, and EPHA6) have putative functions related to dispersal, including habituation to novel environments and spatial learning, consistent with the expectations for traits under selection during range expansion. Although coyote colonization of eastern North America is well‐publicized, this study provides novel insights by identifying genes associated with dispersal capabilities in coyotes on the two eastern expansion fronts. Here, we evaluate two recent and distinct eastward expansion fronts of a highly mobile carnivore, the coyote (Canis latrans), to investigate patterns of genomic diversity and identify variants that may have been under selection during range expansion. Counter to theoretical expectations for populations to bottleneck during range expansions, we observed minimal evidence for decreased genomic diversity across coyotes sampled along either expansion front. Furthermore, we identified 12 SNPs, located either within genes or regulatory regions, that were consistently associated with range expansion, some of which have functions putatively associated with dispersal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Anthropogenic hybridization of historically isolated taxa has become a primary conservation challenge for many imperiled species. Indeed, hybridization between red wolves (Canis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) poses a significant challenge to red wolf recovery. We considered seven hypotheses to assess factors influencing hybridization between red wolves and coyotes via pair‐bonding between the two species. Because long‐term monogamy and defense of all‐purpose territories are core characteristics of both species, mate choice has long‐term consequences. Therefore, red wolves may choose similar‐sized mates to acquire partners that behave similarly to themselves in the use of space and diet. We observed multiple factors influencing breeding pair formation by red wolves and found that most wolves paired with similar‐sized conspecifics and wolves that formed congeneric pairs with nonwolves (coyotes and hybrids) were mostly female wolves, the smaller of the two sexes. Additionally, we observed that lower red wolf abundance relative to nonwolves and the absence of helpers increased the probability that wolves consorted with nonwolves. However, successful pairings between red wolves and nonwolves were associated with wolves that maintained small home ranges. Behaviors associated with territoriality are energetically demanding and behaviors (e.g., aggressive interactions, foraging, and space use) involved in maintaining territories are influenced by body size. Consequently, we propose the hypothesis that size disparities between consorting red wolves and coyotes influence positive assortative mating and may represent a reproductive barrier between the two species. We offer that it may be possible to maintain wild populations of red wolves in the presence of coyotes if management strategies increase red wolf abundance on the landscape by mitigating key threats, such as human‐caused mortality and hybridization with coyotes. Increasing red wolf abundance would likely restore selection pressures that increase mean body and home‐range sizes of red wolves and decrease hybridization rates via reduced occurrence of congeneric pairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Prescribed fire is widely used in southeastern pine ( Pinus spp.) forests to maintain desirable forest conditions and provide early successional vegetation. However, it is unclear how fires applied just prior to and during the reproductive cycle of ground nesting Galliformes influence resource selection. We examined the short-term influence of prescribed fire on habitat selection of female eastern wild turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) throughout their reproductive cycle (Feb−Aug) at Kisatchie National Forest in west-central Louisiana, USA during 2014 and 2015. Kisatchie was dominated (>60%) by pine stands managed with prescribed fire at a frequent (i.e., 1-3 yr) return interval. We captured 46 females and equipped them with backpack-style global positioning system (GPS) transmitters programmed to collect relocation data hourly from 0600 to 2000 each day. We used distance-based analysis to estimate selection or avoidance of vegetation communities relative to reproductive phenology of individual females. Hardwood and mixed-pine hardwood vegetation communities were selected for before and after reproductive efforts; hardwood stands were avoided during brooding. While laying their first clutch of the reproductive period, females selected mature pines burned 0-5 months prior. Females avoided mature pine stands 2 growing seasons post-burn prior to initiating their first nests. Females avoided mature pine stands 3 growing seasons post-burn when brooding. Turkeys did not select for pine stands that had experienced ≥3 growing seasons post-burn during any reproductive period, and may avoid these stands during pre-nesting and brooding. Frequent fire return intervals maintain vegetation communities that females select at some point during the reproductive season in pine-dominated landscapes. © 2017 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Pine ( Pinus spp.)-dominated forests are commonly managed with prescribed fire in the southeastern United States to reduce fuel loads, maintain diverse plant communities, and increase habitat quality for wildlife. Prescribed fire alters understory vegetation, which is a key component of nesting habitat for ground-nesting birds. We assessed the influences of vegetation, prescribed fire, and landscape features (e.g., roads, edge) on nest site selection and nest survival of eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) in a pine-dominated ecosystem in west-central Louisiana. We radio-marked 55 female wild turkeys and evaluated vegetation and landscape characteristics associated with 69 nests during the 2014 and 2015 reproductive periods. We used conditional logistic regressions with matched-pairs case-control sampling and information-theoretic approaches to determine if vegetation characteristics within 15 m of a nest site, distances to surrounding vegetation communities and edges, and prescribed fire history of patches where a nest was located influenced nest site selection. We calculated hazard ratios for covariates in our top-performing models to determine if any of these characteristics affected nest site survival. Turkeys in our study had a longer reproductive season and higher nesting and renesting rates relative to other populations in the southeastern United States. At the local scale, turkeys nested in areas with higher percent ground cover vegetation. At the landscape scale, turkeys nested closer to roads and farther from edges of 2 plant communities. Turkeys selected to nest in forest stands burned 2 years prior. Nest survival was not affected by percent ground cover, distance to roads, or distance to edge but was negatively associated with time-since-fire; turkey nests in stands burned ≥3 years prior had lower survival than nests in stands burned the current year. We suggest that burning on a 3-year fire return interval is compatible with management for wild turkeys in southeastern pine-dominated forests. © 2017 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]