SURVIVAL OF DISPERSING SPRUCE GROUSE

Survival of dispersing spruce grouse equipped with radio transmitters was studied in central Ontario during autumn 1986 and 1987. Ninety-two percent of females and 74 % of males dispersed from brood range. Females dispersed farther than males in only 1 year. Birds that dispersed did not exhibit lower survival than birds that did not disperse. There were no meaningful differences in survival between birds that dispersed and birds prior to dispersal, between short- and long-distance dispersers, or between sexes. Dispersal did not appear to contribute unduly to mortality.