Do Sharp-Tailed Grouse Select Loafing Sites to Avoid Visual or Olfactory Predators?

ABSTRACT Grouse should seek loafing sites hidden from predators; however, good hiding sites from predators that use vision to locate prey differ from good hiding sites from predators that use odor to locate prey. We compared characteristics of control sites to sites used for loafing by sharp-tailed grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) to determine whether selection of loafing sites was more influenced by the need to hide from visual or olfactory predators. Sites used for loafing were similar to control sites in characteristics that would help hide a grouse from visual predators (i.e., visual obstruction, lateral visibility, visual obstruction, cover ht, and surface roughness), but loafing sites differed from control sites in characteristics that would help hide a grouse from olfactory predators (i.e., greater updrafts, wind velocities, and atmospheric turbulence).