Maternal attendance in Prairie Rattlesnakes: deterring smaller avian predators and other insights from a seven-month model study
Goetz, Scott M.
U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Wildlife Research Center
Fort Collins, Colorado USA
Boback, Cole J.
Biology Department
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
Crowell, Hayley L.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Zoology (UMMZ)
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan USA
Robinson, W. Douglas
Oak Creek Lab of Biology
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon USA
Boback, Scott M.
Biology Department
Dickinson College
Carlisle, Pennsylvania USA
Maternal attendance in pitvipers, including Prairie Rattlesnakes (Crotalus viridis), is presumed to protect neonates from predators during the vulnerable period immediately following parturition. However, the effect of adult female presence on predation attempts targeting neonates has not been empirically tested. Additionally, key aspects of rattlesnake natural history remain incomplete, including the identification of their predators across life stages and the relative threat these predators pose. These knowledge gaps hinder our understanding of pitviper ecology and limit our ability to accurately model survival and population dynamics. To address these gaps, we conducted a field study using hand-painted, 3D-printed models of Prairie Rattlesnakes at a site in northwestern Colorado. Our primary objective was to evaluate whether maternal attendance reduces predation risk for juvenile rattlesnakes. A secondary goal was to gather natural history data on rattlesnake predators and document interspecific interactions. We employed a two-factor experimental design, deploying models in two treatment groups: (1) a mother with two neonates (N = 25), and (2) two neonates without a mother (N = 25). Each setup was monitored using trail cameras to capture predator interactions throughout the active season. Our study recorded eight predator species interacting with the models, including four previously undocumented predators. Black-billed Magpies (Pica hudsonia) were the most frequent predator of neonate models and exhibited a significant preference for attacking neonates in the absence of a mother. These findings support the hypothesis that maternal attendance deters some predators, and thus, enhances the survival of juvenile rattlesnakes. Moreover, our results provide insights into the predator-prey dynamics of Prairie Rattlesnakes and contribute to our understanding of rattlesnake mortality.