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Dr. Bradley J. Swanson: Sharp-tailed Grouse project
 
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Undergraduate Students: Cassie Damer and Gina Lamka

Many factors can influence flight initiation distance from a perceived predator. One model of escape suggests that prey should leave a feeding location when predation risk outweighs the benefits of staying. Cassie and Gina conducted an experimental field study at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute to evaluate how factors such as body size and type of locomotion influence flight initiation distance. A robotic predator named Herm, which was made out of a taxidermy badger and a remote-controlled car, was used to elicit a fear response in birds (Cardinalis cardinalis, Spizella passerine, Agelaius phoeniceus, Cyanocitta cristata) and mammals (Sciurus niger, Tamias striatus, Sciurus carolinensis). Flight initiation distances were recorded by measuring the time it took for animals to flee from a bait pile and the distances the animals allowed the robot predator to approach before flight. Our data showed that there were no significant differences in flight initiation distances based on body size or method of locomotion.

Funding provided by:
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

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