PREDATION OF ARTIFICIAL GROUND NESTS AT 2 TYPES OF EDGES IN A FOREST-DOMINATED LANDSCAPE

Artificial ground nests were placed in medium-age or older forests adj oining (a) stands of regenerating forest (vegetation < 2 m high) were 'hard' edges were created, and (b) stands of young forest (vegetation 2-8 m high) where 'soft' edges were created. Nests were placed at thre e distances from the forest edge (0 m, 50 m, and 100 m). Two Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) eggs were placed in each nest and monitored after 7 and 14 days of exposure between late May and mid-Ju ly, 1994. Overall nest predation was 72% after 7 days and 85% after 14 days of exposure. Predation near soft edges was significantly higher than near hard edges after both 7 and 14 days of exposure. Predation n ear the edges: was significantly higher than away from the edges after both 7 and 14 days of exposure. Two motion-sensitive cameras were use d Co record the identity of predator species. Cameras documented 28 pr edation events Juring 1,728 hours of operation, caused by eight specie s of mammals. The predators included, in order of decreasing predation : fisher (Martes pennanti), Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus), red-ba cked vole (Clethrionomys gapperi), red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonic us), deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), black bear (Ursus americanus ), gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), and striped skunk (Mephitis m ephitis). Tile relationship between edges, predator assemblages, and n est success is complex, more studies at the landscape level are requir ed to better understand the effects of these factors on avian populati on dynamics.