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1 June 2017 Evidence of Nest Tenacity in Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) Following an Anthropogenic Disturbance
Evan P. Tanner, R. Dwayne Elmore, Craig A. Davis, Samuel D. Fuhlendorf
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Abstract

Nest tenacity, defined as the persistence of an individual to continue nesting during and/or following a disturbance, can be an important behavior to influence reproductive potential of individuals and species. Anthropogenic disturbance is a known cause of nest abandonment or destruction, and nest tenacity may be a coping mechanism in response to this source of disturbance. We observed nest tenacity behavior in a female Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) that initiated a nest on 3 July 2013 near Beaver River Wildlife Management Area, Beaver County, Oklahoma, USA. Ten days into nest incubation, roadside mowing occurred that removed all overhead protective vegetation. Ambient temperatures exceeded 35 °C (the ambient temperature in which Scaled Quail become hyperthermic) on 8 days following the disturbance. However, the female continued to incubate the exposed nest for another 15 days, despite potential thermal stress and being located 7.5 m from a county road with moderate vehicle traffic. This observation indicates that Scaled Quail, a species for which we have limited information on breeding behavior, can exhibit strong nest tenacity.

Evan P. Tanner, R. Dwayne Elmore, Craig A. Davis, and Samuel D. Fuhlendorf "Evidence of Nest Tenacity in Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata) Following an Anthropogenic Disturbance," The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 129(2), 354-359, (1 June 2017). https://doi.org/10.1676/16-055.1
Received: 20 April 2016; Accepted: 1 July 2016; Published: 1 June 2017
KEYWORDS
Anthropogenic disturbance
Callipepla squamata
nest ecology
Oklahoma
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