Effects of Weather on Ground Nesting Birds?

[Frenchieboy]

I hope i have put this in the correct section, if not then maybe the Moderators could move it to a mose appropriate section.

With it being such a cold and wet year that we have had so far is the weather likely to effect the ground nesting birds and the sport for the coming season. I am asking this as a generalisation and out of general interest to help understand how the weather can effect the bird population in the latter part of the years when we have such ****ty wet and cold springs/early summers as the one we have had so far this year.

The way that I see is (And I could be well wrong here, which is why I am asking) is that with the ground being so cold and wet at this time of the year, basically the main breeding season for ground nesting birds, the hen birds are going to have a harder job to keep the eggs at the correct/optimum temperature for incubation and if and when the chicks do hatch out the chicks may well have trouble keeping warm enough to survive and find enough suitable food to put on enough weight to remain healthy.

Can anyone with more knowledge on the subject advise on if I am right, and if so how they feel this may have a "knock on effect" to the wildlife in general, especially the game birds like Pheasant, Grouse, Partridge, Woodcocks, etc for the coming season.

[scolopax]

Not too bad at the moment as any failed nesters have time to attempt to nest again. Last summer was a disaster for many ground nesters with the continual cold rain, we had a nice number of grey partridge pairs last spring but the weather devestated them. Another summer like last and it could well lead to a local extinction.

 

What you desribed in the first post is a classic example of why game shooters should continue to to feed the birds right through the Spring, as it ensures that the hens start incubation in excellent condition and can withstand any bad weather whilst sat clamped to a nest.

[Ferretboy111]

I doubt they will have any luck. My wild stock at the moment have a gape problem, every hen I see has the stuff. May get an extra tonne of pellet with flubenvet for them when I get my next order.

 

Cheess

[ColinF]

I think that the most critical period for weather is the first few days after the chicks hatch, as that's when they are most susceptible to the cold and wet. The other thing I believe wild game bird chicks need is a good supply of insects to eat for the first few days, the current weather and late spring won't help that either

[scotslad]

It could actually have helped mallard and other very early nesters slightly as been consistantly cold and wet unlike last year when had a 'false' spring in march so will not have tricked birds into nesting too early, not seen many early broods yet so hopefully there shoud be some high protien insects about when ducklings/chicks arrive.

 

From now on the next 2 months are the critical time, like others have said plenty time yet for 2nd brood's, for most the critical time is the early stage of their lifes finding enough high protien insects (as colin said )to keep them growing. Really need some heat to bring out insect life and start vegetation growing to give them some cover

Also very heavy rain down pours/flash floods can wash nests away if in low lying areas or river sides/flood plains, oyster catchers esp have a habitit of nesting on very low lying ground, heard a few grouse boys moaning about deserted nest's over the last few years because off 1 torrential rain storm, all it can take to ruin a years hard work

 

Ferret boy, i have never heard of gapes in wild birds before, i take it u are feeding the birds laying pellets the now instead of wheat?

 

Slightly off topic but does knock on. Even last year ith the false spring the blackthorn trees flowered really early but last autumn sloe berries where totally non existant in my area. I'm guessing flowered early with no insect life so flowers didn't get fertilised so no fruit? Does that make sense?

The follow up being no berries for birds to eat throu winter or more importantly for sloe whisky!! Just praying for a half decent summer atlast

[Ferretboy111]

Yeah wild pheasants get gapes all the time. This wet weather has made them more prolific- I went down a hedge of mine the other day and saw one hen bird with gapes snicking by the hedge and heard another snicking on her nest abit further down. She may aswell have a sign up saying come and kill me and my nest. They are eating wheat from hoppers but tend not to use them much this time of year.

 

Cheers

[scotslad]

I have never ever seen a wild bird with gapes, i thought it was just in the relese pens where u had high densities and the worm builds up over years. Do u have high numbers of birds or lots off birds released nearby?

Years ago we used to mix fluebevet powder with wheat pellets by hand in the bucket before we fed. Like u have said probably to late this year as natural food will be picking up now

[Ferretboy111]

Always got plenty of birds here (good keepering! !) of course wild birds get it- naturally they are the carriers that help spead it from worms, which is why poults get it.

 

If you type in

"gape worm pheasant" in google scholar there are lots of info/articles on gape worm and it's carriers etc.

 

We get flubenvet in growers feed for the poults. The wild hen birds may get over it but they are most likely to get killed by foxes.

 

Everything is agaisnt pheasants surviving!

 

 

Cheers

[scotslad]

I can honestly say never seen an adult pheas with it at least not at this time off year and never heard another keeper on about it either. Will have to ask a few now

 

In my area u generally don't see many wild/older released (very few wild birds unfortunately) birds hanging about the pens where the poults are and where the larvae/worms will be in the biggest numbers.

Cheers