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Color polymorphism is an adaptive strategy in which a species exhibits multiple color phenotypes in a population. Often, phenotypes are variably suited to different environmental conditions which may buffer the population against variable conditions. Modern climate change is creating novel selective pressures for many species, especially in winter habitats. Few studies have quantified the benefits of polymorphism for allowing species to cope with climate-induced environmental change, particularly for species with more cryptic differences between morphs. We investigated how color polymorphism mediates selective pressures in ruffed grouse Bonasa umbellus, a winter-adapted bird species of North American forests. Ruffed...
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Monitoring overwinter survival is valuable for understanding population dynamics of winter-adapted species. We quantified overwinter survival of Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) in Sandhill State Wildlife Area in Wisconsin using data from radio-collared birds. We used known fate survival models to quantify weekly survival across five winter seasons. This dataset includes encounter histories for each bird and individual covariate values for demographic information, weekly weather conditions, and land cover.
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