Effects of oiling common raven nests on ravens and greater sage‐grouse in sagebrush ecosystems

Abstract

Common ravens ( Corvus corax ; ravens) are generalist avian predators whose populations have rapidly increased across North America, concomitant with anthropogenic development. Raven populations are bolstered by anthropogenic food and nesting resources in areas outside of their historical range and are impactful predators for many prey species of conservation concern, including greater sage‐grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus ; sage‐grouse), primarily through reductions in sage‐grouse nest survival. Previous research suggests that coating developing raven eggs in non‐toxic oil, a form of egg‐addling, positively affects sensitive prey species because the nesting ravens no longer need to provision for young, and thereby forage less. We sought to understand the effects of oiling raven eggs on raven population density and reproductive success, as well as nest survival and population growth rate of co‐occurring populations of sage‐grouse. By evaluating oil‐treated, control, and sham‐treated (applied water rather than oil) raven nests in a before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) research study design, we found that application of oil to raven eggs reduced raven egg hatchability by 94.5% and reduced raven densities at treatment sites relative to control sites. Sage‐grouse nest survival probabilities more than doubled at egg‐oiled treatment sites, resulting in a relative increase of 93.0% at treatment sites relative to control sites over the same period of inference. Finally, estimated abundances of sage‐grouse increased at oil‐treated sites by 44% relative to controls following oil treatments of raven eggs, also measured in a BACI framework. Oiling of raven eggs had strong and immediate impacts on co‐occurring populations of sage‐grouse and ravens.