Bioenergetics of wintering greater prairie-chickens.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how efficiently greater prairie-chickens (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) would utilize ten different seeds, three different commercial feeds and western wheat grass under simulated winter conditions. The ten seeds were sunflower (Helianthus sp.), Blackwell switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), soybean (Glycine max), pearlmillet pennisetum (Pennisetum glaucum), amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus), buckbrush (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus), milo (Sorghum vulgare), corn (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum spp.) and Korean lespedeza (Lespedeza stipulacea). The three commercial feeds were Cole soy pellets, Purina chick starter/grower and a maintenance mix. Using variables of body weight change, assimilated energy and energy utilization efficiency, individual seed diets were classified as extremely poor, very poor, poor, or good to excellent energy sources for wintering prairie-chickens. Western wheat grass and buckbrush were rated extremely poor and very poor, respectively, while Blackwell switchgrass and amaranth were rated poor energy sources for wintering prairie-chickens. Korean lespedeza, soybean, pearlmilllet pennisetum, wheat, sunflower, corn and sorghum were rated good to excellent energy sources for wintering greater prairie-chickens.