Using Phenology to Predict Commencement of Nesting of Female Spruce Grouse (Dendragapus canadensis)

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Abstract
Dates for loss of snow cover and beginning of plant growth were evaluated with respect to median dates for commencement of egg-laying and hatch of cultures by female spruce grouse (Dendragapus canadensis) in three widely separated localities in Canada. Female spruce grouse begin to lay eggs at a time when environmental conditions are predictable as witnessed by low variation in calendar dates among years in phenological events. Among the events that we monitored, the dates for first flowers of blueberry (Vacinium angustifolium) and trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens) and the dates for 50% snow cover were correlated best with median dates for commencement of egg-laying and hatch of clutches. Median nesting dates can be predicted well by these events. There is now circumstantial evidence that timing of plant development influences commencement times for egg-laying.