Landscape use and resource selection during the breeding season and migration for American woodcock (Scolopax minor) in New York State

Abstract

Globally, bird populations have declined at a rate of 29% in the last 50 years, and shorebirds have some of the fastest rates of decline of any species group (Rosenberg 2019). Among shorebirds, the American woodcock (Scolopax minor) has been showing a steady population decline over the past 50 years. One of the leading causes of population declines experienced by Woodcock, and other early successional species, is the loss and fragmentation of habitat. I used Woodcock location data from GPS transmitters to understand how woodcock used landscapes within New York State during the breeding season and fall and spring migrations. I used a mixed effect generalized linear model to describe woodcock resource selection during the breeding season, utilizing a layer digitized from aerial imagery and the Nature Conservancy Terrestrial Habitat Map. I also developed a generalized linear model to describe woodcock landscape selection during fall and spring migration using the Environmental Protection Agency Level III Ecoregions. I found woodcock in New York used a larger area during the breeding season than previous breeding season studies, and selected for open areas such as shrublands, grasslands, and wet meadows. There were notable differences between how male and female woodcocks select for available resources. Male and female woodcocks showed similar trends in selection of ecoregions during spring and fall migration. I recommend managers consider differences in male and female selection when developing habitat management plans for woodcock. I also recommend migration stopover location patterns to be considered when developing these management plans, as stopover locations double as potential breeding locations for females in New York State.