PREDATION ON FREE-RANGING COMMON POORWILLS IN SASKATCHEWAN

Although losses of Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii) nests to predators are common, little is known about predation on adults. Rema ins of three adults, radio-tagged in Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Sa skatchewan, were found. The transmitter of a female was found woven in to the base of a Northern Harrier's (Circus cyaneus) nest. Telemetry r ecords show that the bird was killed in the daytime, consistent with h arrier predation. The wing and transmitter of the female's mate were f ound on a stump surrounded by a marsh, suggesting avian predation. Thi s male was also killed in the daytime, implicating harrier predation. The decapitated body of a second male was found buried next to a stump . It is speculated that this bird was taken by a coyote (Canis latrans ) or badger (Taxidea taxus) because both are known to bury prey and we re often observed in the study area.