Papers by Michael Conover
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals), Feb 1, 2017
The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, 1984
Human–Wildlife Interactions, 2007
Waterbirds, Jun 1, 2015
Abstract Nest depredation is the leading cause of waterfowl nest failures in much of the Prairie ... more Abstract Nest depredation is the leading cause of waterfowl nest failures in much of the Prairie Pothole Region, USA. In 2006 and 2007, spatial and temporal patterns of nest depredation were evaluated on 248 waterfowl nests and 88 simulated waterfowl nests in North Dakota, USA. The hypothesis that predators are able to locate adjacent nests using an area-restricted search once they find the first nest and that ducks will space their nests apart to reduce this from happening was tested. However, no evidence was found to support either part of this hypothesis or that density-dependent depredation was occurring. This lack of support, along with no relationship between nest density and nest success, indicate that density-dependent depredation may not have been a problem in our study area. Artificial nests were used to test the hypothesis that meteorological conditions impact nest depredation rates. Artificial nests were more likely to be depredated when either temperature or dew point was high. It was hypothesized that these meteorological conditions increase the evaporation rate of odorants, and thereby improve the ability of predators to locate food sources by using olfaction. These meteorological conditions could also increase odor release from the surfaces of nests or incubating hens, although additional studies are necessary to determine if the relationship between evaporation rates and foraging efficiency of olfactory predators holds for natural waterfowl nests.
Human–Wildlife Interactions, 2010
From colonial times until the 19th century, the dominant American view of wildlife and its manage... more From colonial times until the 19th century, the dominant American view of wildlife and its management was dualistic—wildlife species were divided into good animals (those which had commercial value or could be eaten) or bad animals (those which threatened the colonists’ safety or food supply). Philosophically, early colonial Americans believed that the environment was to be manipulated for man’s purposes. Under the impact of modernization, Darwinian influence, over-exploitation of resources, and environmentally-conscious professionals, Americans in the late 19th century began to appreciate the recreational value of wildlife and to develop a more protective attitude toward it. Still the dichotomy between good and bad wildlife prevailed, with “good” species now being those that could be hunted. The world wars and the Great Depression halted the tilt toward a more protective approach to wildlife as Americans became more concerned with economic matters and agricultural productivity. Onl...
Human–Wildlife Interactions, 2016
Selecting a nest site is an important decision for waterfowl. Because most nest failure is due to... more Selecting a nest site is an important decision for waterfowl. Because most nest failure is due to depredation, the primary selective pressure in choosing a nest site should be to reduce depredation risk. This task is dif cult, however, because predators use differing tactics to locate nests, such as olfactory or visual cues. The purpose of this research was to evaluate both the olfactory and visual components of waterfowl nest site selection and nest depredation in North Dakota. We located waterfowl nests, monitored them until termination (hatched or depredated), and collected both visual and olfactory concealment characteristics of nest sites and paired random sites in 2006 and 2007. Waterfowl nest sites and random sites did not differ in their olfactory concealment characteristics. However, waterfowl did select nesting sites with greater lateral concealment than random sites, a visual characteristic. The only difference found between successful and depredated nests consisted of la...
Human–Wildlife Interactions, 2009
Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference, 1998
Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2017
Human–Wildlife Interactions, 2013
Artificial nests have been used to study factors affecting nest success because researchers can m... more Artificial nests have been used to study factors affecting nest success because researchers can manipulate them more than natural bird nests. Many researchers have questioned the validity of generalizing the results from artificial nests onto naturally occurring nests. Other studies have assessed the validity of artificial nest studies by simultaneously comparing overall depredation or daily survival rates, depredation timing, predator species, or habitat characteristics of artificial and natural nests. To evaluate how well artificial nests simulated nest success of greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage- grouse), we used the unique approach of monitoring artificial nests (n = 69) placed in the natural nest bowls of sage-grouse in southern Wyoming, USA, during 2010 to 2011. Brown chicken eggs were placed in natural sage-grouse nests 7 to 14 days after the hatch or depredation of natural sage-grouse nests to compare artificial nest fate to the fate of natural...
Western North American Naturalist, 2017
Human–Wildlife Interactions, 2016
Human–Wildlife Interactions, 2015
Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations have declined throughout the western ... more Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations have declined throughout the western United States over the past century. Loss of large stands of sagebrush is a major factor leading to the decline of sage-grouse populations. We captured, marked, and tracked hen sage-grouse in Wyoming during the summer of 2012 to study where sage-grouse hens keep their chicks given the dual needs to provide them with food and to keep them safe from avian predators. Vegetation surveys and avian point counts were performed at earlyseason brood locations, late-season brood locations, and random locations. We conducted multinomial models to determine which habitat variables were most informative in predicting site selection by hen sage-grouse. Hens with and without broods selected sites that had more shrub cover during the early-brood season but not during the late-brood season. During the early-brood season, hens without broods avoided sites where there were American kestrels (Falco sparveri...
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Papers by Michael Conover