long-term studies on how cavity-nesting birds respond to different fire conditions in ponderosa pine1Douglas-fir forests of western Idaho. The work was started in response to the high-intensity wildfires of 1992 and 1994 on the Boise National Forest. This publication provides information to managers and biologists on the effects of stand-replacement wildfire (a no-action alternative to the Forest Health Initiative [USDA 1994a1) and salvage logging on cavity-nesting birds.Cavity-nesting birds were selected for these studies because many are (1) dependent on fire processes and patterns over large landscapes for their dispersal and movements, (2) designated as sensitive species by Federal or State agencies, and(3) responsive to fire and timber management activities. We know little about the implications of fire suppression, stand-replacement wildfire, or prescribed fire with timber management for sensitive bird species. Thus, we need to gather information on the "forest health" action and no-action alternatives to understand the trade-offs associated with future decisions in green areas for sensitive cavity-nesting birds, and to identify possible conflicts for sensitive species management.The first phase of the project was to evaluate effects of high-intensity, standreplacement wildfire on cavity-nesting birds and their associated habitats. This paper summarized results from 1994 to 1996 and was first distributed as a progresslinterim report in 1997 (Study No. 4202-1-7-7, Progress Report 94-96, April 1997). We encourage managers and biologists to provide comments on this ongoing project.

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We monitored the nest densities and nest survival of seven cavity-nesting bird species, including four open-space foragers (American Kestrel [Falco sparverius], Lewis's Woodpecker [Melanerpes lewis], Western Bluebird [Sialia mexicana], and Mountain Bluebird [S. currucoides]) and three wood-foragers (Hairy Woodpecker [Picoides villosus], Black-backed Woodpecker [P. arcticus], and Northern Flicker [Colaptes auratus]), after two wildfires (one partially salvage-logged and one unlogged) in western Idaho from 1994–2004. We estimated the relationship between nest density and time since fire, tested for statistical differences in nest densities and nest survival in the partially salvage-logged vs. unlogged wildfires, and tested for differences in nest survival between early (1–4 years after fire) and late (5–12 years after fire) postfire periods. Nest densities of open-space foragers and Northern Flickers generally increased with time since fire, whereas nest densities of Black-backed and Hairy Woodpeckers peaked 4–5 years postfire. Nest densities of wood-foraging species and Mountain Bluebirds were significantly higher in the unlogged burn, whereas Lewis's Woodpeckers had significantly higher nest densities in the partially logged burn. Kestrels tended to favor the partially logged burn, while Western Bluebird nest densities were nearly equal in both burned areas. For most species, postfire period and treatment (partially logged vs. unlogged) had little influence on nest survival. However, Hairy Woodpecker nest survival was significantly lower in the partially logged burn versus the unlogged wildfire in the early postfire period, and Lewis's Woodpecker nest survival was significantly reduced in the later postfire period versus the early postfire period in the partially logged burn. Importantly, the salvage logging was designed to retain more than half of the snags over 23 cm in diameter, which provided suitable nesting habitat for open-space foragers during the decade following fire.