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Game Birds
Managing Land for Upland Game Birds Helps All Birds
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Spotlight on
Resident Game Birds The majority of resident game birds are unable to fly long distances and usually move by running or walking. Some species may not be able to shift their distributions in response to changing habitats. In a changing climate, White-tailed Ptarmigan in alpine areas may be unable to find appropriate habitats and may have nowhere else to go. A number of resident game birds perform elaborate courtship displays on lekking grounds and are disrupted when vegetation changes occur. Western grouse and prairie-chicken populations are already fragmented and isolated because of habitat loss, causing concern about the effects of inbreeding. Increased drought in aridlands and grasslands could further stress these species. |
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| Image: Female Northern Bobwhite courtesy USFWS |
Observations and Predictions
Resident game birds in arctic and alpine habitats are likely to
experience the greatest impacts due to their inability to shift their
range. Ptarmigan depend upon arctic and alpine habitats that are
already experiencing temperature increases. Continued change could
result in vegetation shifts, leaving little or no habitat available in
some locations. Loss of ptarmigan could cause a ripple effect among
other wildlife by changing predator-prey relationships.
The inability to disperse is likely to negatively impact grouse in
aridlands and grasslands. Changing fire management regimes and
increasing invasion of nonnative vegetation (e.g. cheatgrass) in
aridlands will negatively impact Gunnison and Greater sage-grouse.
Because of their larger overall population sizes, forest grouse and
western quail will experience range shifts, but may not experience
large declines.
Key Steps
State agencies will need to adapt management strategies and increase
coordination among states as bird populations shift . Monitoring
programs that span entire ranges of game birds will be needed.
Alternative energy projects will need to carefully consider the needs
of grassland grouse and chickens.
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| Northern Bobwhite courtesy USFWS |
Because resident game birds have large clutch sizes and many breed
twice a year, populations may quickly rebuild if conditions are
suitable. Existing management programs could be shifted as vegetative
communities and land uses shift. For example, Farm Bill programs could
expand acreage allocations of retirement programs and shift to new
areas as agricultural production expands to new regions. Several
resident game bird species currently benefit from single species
regional initiatives where partnerships have been formed and are
implementing conservation measures to reverse
declines.
