Future projection for forest management suggests a decrease in the availability of nesting habitats for a mature-forest-nesting raptor

Common Buzzard, Buteo buteo, nest site selection pattern in relation to stands and their location factors in Central Lithuania, Central Eastern Europe

“…In conclusion, our study did not indicate deterioration in nest site quality or decrease in availabilities of potential stands during nearly two decades, because overall forestry in Lithuania is strictly regulated and regarded as non-intensive during that period (Mozgeris et al 2021). However, modelling of nesting habitats of predatory birds under conservative and intensive forestry scenarios in Lithuania suggested a decrease in habitat availability in upcoming decades (Mozgeris et al 2021, Mörtberg et al 2021. Further, despite the Common Buzzard nest site preferences were not affected by agricultural areas, we cannot omit the possibility that the recently estimated population decline is related to the changes in the agriculture cultivation pattern.…”

“…The availability of stands potentially suitable for the Common Buzzard to nests in terms of tree age was not reduced despite commercial forestry oriented for tim-ber supply prevails in the forests of the study area. This finding is not surprising, because forestry in Lithuania is characterised by detailed planning, legal prescriptions, and scrupulous control to assure an even flow of timber in long run (Mozgeris et al 2021). But why has the age of nest stands used by buzzards recently, despite no obvious changes in the mean age of stands available in the study area, significantly increased?…”