A sad farewell to Ruffed Grouse?

I'd love to see someone do their masters or Phd thesis paper on correlation between grouse decline and neonic useage /neonic bioaccumulation in the province. As a casual personal observation, the birds appear to be gone from all the wmus that are in ag country, esp. corn and soya cash crop regions that use neonic treated seed almost exclusively. The start of the decline times out perfectly with the initial date of approval and useage of thbese chemicals.

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Originally Posted by Fenelon

I'd love to see someone do their masters or Phd thesis paper on correlation between grouse decline and neonic useage /neonic bioaccumulation in the province. As a casual personal observation, the birds appear to be gone from all the wmus that are in ag country, esp. corn and soya cash crop regions that use neonic treated seed almost exclusively. The start of the decline times out perfectly with the initial date of approval and useage of thbese chemicals.

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Actually not sure if it’s the neonics or is it the air planter that is puffing it out

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Originally Posted by Fenelon

I'd love to see someone do their masters or Phd thesis paper on correlation between grouse decline and neonic useage /neonic bioaccumulation in the province. As a casual personal observation, the birds appear to be gone from all the wmus that are in ag country, esp. corn and soya cash crop regions that use neonic treated seed almost exclusively. The start of the decline times out perfectly with the initial date of approval and useage of thbese chemicals.

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I'm in 82a and have significant corn and beans in my area. Still decent #s at my place and although there are year over year variations I would not say any significant changes in the average over the last 10 or 15 years. A 2 hour walk this year without a dog and you will still flush half a dozen birds here.

Fenelon, that could be part of the problem,but wouldn't that same senerio pose a problem to ducks and geese in the same agricultural area as you mentioned. They would feed on the same corn...

In my home unit of 82a I’ve probably flushed 15 or so while walking to various deer stands. I would probably have seen more if I was hunting them. At our place in Sturgeon falls, we could shoot them right behind the house. Walking through the bush there are plenty of them!

On Dec 27th, I had 7 grouse eating buds in the tree outside my camp kitchen window. Nice to see those kind of numbers. Camp is in 72A btw.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fenelon

I'd love to see someone do their masters or Phd thesis paper on correlation between grouse decline and neonic useage /neonic bioaccumulation in the province. As a casual personal observation, the birds appear to be gone from all the wmus that are in ag country, esp. corn and soya cash crop regions that use neonic treated seed almost exclusively. The start of the decline times out perfectly with the initial date of approval and useage of thbese chemicals.

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I don't think you need a study for that. They are missing from many areas many miles from ag areas.
I'll guess I've spent 40 hrs hiking the bush since the start of Dec and have flushed one grouse. 55B.

I've heard a similar theory that it's the wild turkeys destroying nest in areas where they overlap grouse. I can't buy that in that there are very few turkeys in the north part of 55B where the grouse have vanished as well.

The turkeys-harming-grouse theory has been long de-bunked.

However I have no doubt that other environmental factors as already mentioned in this thread are at play, and will vary regionally.

Grouse may be doing fine in some locals, but overall the North American trend is a downward one.

Very good numbers southern Ontario. I was a bit dissapointed in 79.

I am most definitely not saying a farewell to the ruffed grouse. This afternoon while walking a part of the the bush lot the dog and I don't normally visit during the summer the dog we flushed six all at once. I'm assuming one hen and some juvenile birds from the same nest. I'd heard lots of drumming earlier and this would appear to be the result.