Effects of continuous grazing on habitat and density of ground-foraging birds in south Texas
Issue Date
1990-01-01Keywords
wildlife food plantssturnella magna
birds
Zenaida macroura
Colinus virginianus
population density
habitats
clay soils
sandy loam soils
grazing intensity
cattle
Texas
grazing
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Baker, D. L., & Guthery, F. S. (1990). Effects of continuous grazing on habitat and density of ground-foraging birds in south Texas. Journal of Range Management, 43(1), 2-5.Publisher
Society for Range ManagementJournal
Journal of Range ManagementDOI
10.2307/3899109Additional Links
https://rangelands.org/Abstract
We analyzed the response of the key habitat features and ground-foraging birds to 2 intensities of continuous grazing on sandy loam and clay soils in the Texas Coastal Bend during 1984-1985. Heavy continuous grazing increased the dispersion but not necessarily the availability of bare ground in comparison with moderate continuous grazing. Responses of habitat features (structure of ground cover, key food plants) depended on soil type. Seasonal densities of eastern meadowlarks (Sturnella magna) were higher on clay than on sandy loam soils and higher under moderate than under heavy grazing. Mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) were more abundant on sandy loams than on clays and more abundant under heavy than under moderate grazing. Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) abundance was uniformly low, regardless of grazing intensity and soil type.Type
textArticle
Language
enISSN
0022-409Xae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.2307/3899109