Food Selection and Competition

Food Selection and Location

Humans – love variety

Animals - Food preferences do exist But… survival prevails

In the wild – balance is key

Food Location

Some wildlife travel great distances Balance – energy expenditure and gain Short legs

Birds

Flight Takes a lot of energy Is not universal for all birds Short legs – small feeding range

Riparian areas

Provide important corridors for movement Lakes Bogs Streams Marshes

Human use can impeded wildlife travel for food sources

Safety

Safety Trade-off between food

and safety

“Edge” Transition between

ecological areas Provides food and safety

Competition

Limited food – leads to competition

Competition – affected by season Spring/summer Fall/winter

Browsers Grazers Intermediate Feeders

Mule Deer and Cattle

Competition – typically not serious Cattle stocking rates – don’t have a great

influence on mule deer Summer months – mule deer prefer forage not

previously grazed by cattle

Mule Deer & Sheep

Antelope Bitterbrush Sheep – ate throughout summer Mule Deer – ate mid- to late-summer

Competition existed

Elk and Cattle

Summer Substantial overlap in diet Differences in elevation preferences

Spring/Fall Habitat and diet overlap Differences in timing of use

Elk and Sheep

Diets are similar, but the actual graminoids and shrubs differ

Winter months Largest potential for overlap

Bighorn Sheep & Cattle

Both consume graminoids But differ in preferences Bighorn sheep – rugged terrain, higher elevation;

decreases competition

Geographic differences Montana B.C. Colorado

Pronghorn Antelope & Cattle

Competition dependent upon Habitat selection Season Drought Forage Availability

Pronghorn Antelope & Sheep

Competition dependent upon Geographic location Forb vegetation for that location

For example: California Idaho Utah