SPACE-USE PATTERNS OF BOBCATS RELATIVE TO SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING OF NORTHERN BOBWHITES

In the southeastern United States, supplemental feeding of northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) is a common management practice. To determine whether bobcats (Lynx rufus) are attracted to supplemental food provided to northern bobwhites and whether this food affects bobcat home-range size, we radiomarked bobcats and assessed space use relative to supplemental feeding. We found little evidence to suggest that bobcat home-range sizes were affected by the supplemental food, but we observed bobcats to be approximately 10 times closer to supplemental food than expected under a null model. Our data suggest that supplemental feeding of prey can result in a spatial response by predators. Further research is needed to determine whether supplemental feeding of prey attracts other top predators and whether supplemental feeding results in decreased prey survival by attracting predators.