Ruffed grouse brood habitat on reclaimed surface mines in West Virginia |
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| Authors: | Richard O Kimmel MS David E Samuel |
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| Institution: | (1) Wildlife Management, Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 6125, 26506 Morgantown, West Virginia, U.S.A.;(2) Wildlife Biology, Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 6125, 26506 Morgantown, WV, U.S.A.;(3) Present address: Minncsota Department of Natural Resources, Farmland Wildlife Populations and Research Group, Rt. 1. Box 181, 56062 Madclia, MN |
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| Abstract: | Human-imprinted ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) chicks were used to evaluate grouse brood food and cover conditions on reclaimed surface mines in northern West Virginia. Reclaimed surface-mined areas did not provide the quality of habitat for ruffed grouse chicks that unmined land provided. On the surface-mined areas, grasslegume reclamation provided the poorest cover and next to the lowest feeding rates. Of the surface-mined areas a 25-year-old reclaimed mine planted to autumn olive had canopy provided a more favorable micro-climate for insects and herbaceous vegetation was established around the edge. Planting rows of shrubs in addition to the current practice of planting grasses and legumes on surface-mined areas is suggested to create ruffed grouse brood habitat. |
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