Song Post and Foraging Site Characteristics of Breeding Varied Thrushes in Northwestern California

Beck, Maurie J.; George, T. Luke

doi:10.2307/1370410

Cited by 13 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Conservation of legacy structures may be especially valuable for some species impacted by thinning and other forest management activities in these landscapes. For example, retention of some large trees with deeply furrowed bark may provide preferred foraging habitat for Brown Creepers (Mariani and Manuwal 1990, ) and song posts for Varied Thrush (Beck and George 2000). In these landscapes, thinning young stands still will benefit a number of species, but if thinning is extensively implemented across these landscapes, special attention should be given to species that are strongly negatively impacted by thinning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of Birds to Thinning Young Douglas‐fir Forests

Hayes

Weikel

Huso

2003

Ecological Applications

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Silvicultural practices, such as thinning, are increasingly performed both for commodity production and to help achieve biodiversity goals and promote ecological restoration. However, relatively little research has examined effects of thinning conifer forests on vertebrates. We experimentally manipulated stands using a randomized block design to evaluate influences of two thinning intensities on populations of diurnal breeding birds in western Oregon. We conducted point counts of birds seven times each year in 1994 (prior to treatment) and from 1995 through 2000 (subsequent to treatment). We analyzed data using multiple linear regression and information‐theoretic approaches to model selection. Of the 22 species for which we had sufficient data for analysis, detections of nine species decreased and eight species increased in thinned stands relative to controls, and there was no strong evidence that thinning influenced numbers of five species. Of the 17 species that responded to thinning, the magnitude of response of eight species varied with thinning intensity; for each of these species, response was greatest in the more heavily thinned stands. Although no species was extirpated from stands following thinning, detections of Hutton's Vireos (Vireo huttoni), Golden‐crowned Kinglets (Regulus satrapa), Brown Creepers (Certhia americana), Black‐throated Gray Warblers (Dendroica nigrescens), and Varied Thrushes (Ixoreus naevius) decreased to less than half of the detections in controls in one or more treatment types, suggesting thinning significantly reduces their numbers. In contrast, American Robins (Turdus migratorius), Townsend's Solitaires (Myadestes townsendi), and Hammond's Flycatchers (Empidonax hammondii) were rare or absent in controls but regularly present in thinned stands, and detections of Western Tanagers (Piranga ludoviciana), Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus), and Hairy Woodpeckers (Picoides villosus) increased by threefold or more in thinned stands relative to controls. Only Pacific‐slope Flycatchers (Empidonax difficilis), Warbling Vireos (Vireo gilvus), and Western Tanagers showed strong evidence of temporal trends in response. For these species, differences between numbers in controls and treated stands became more extreme through time. Our findings suggest that thinning densely stocked conifer stands in landscapes dominated by younger stands enhances habitat suitability for several species of birds, but that some unthinned patches and stands should be retained to provide refugia for species that are impacted by thinning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of Birds to Thinning Young Douglas‐fir Forests

Hayes

Weikel

Huso

2003

Ecological Applications

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show abstract

“…Conservation of legacy structures may be especially valuable for some species impacted by thinning and other forest management activities in these landscapes. For example, retention of some large trees with deeply furrowed bark may provide preferred foraging habitat for Brown Creepers (Mariani andManuwal 1990, Weikel and and song posts for Varied Thrush (Beck and George 2000). In these landscapes, thinning young stands still will benefit a number of species, but if thinning is extensively implemented across these landscapes, special attention should be given to species that are strongly negatively impacted by thinning.…”

Section: Management Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response of birds to thinning young Douglas-fir forests

Hayes¹,

Weikel²,

Huso³

et al. 2003

Fact Sheet

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Silvicultural practices, such as thinning, are increasingly performed both for commodity production and to help achieve biodiversity goals and promote ecological restoration. However, relatively little research has examined effects of thinning conifer forests on vertebrates. We experimentally manipulated stands using a randomized block design to evaluate influences of two thinning intensities on populations of diurnal breeding birds in western Oregon. We conducted point counts of birds seven times each year in 1994 (prior to treatment) and from 1995 through 2000 (subsequent to treatment). We analyzed data using multiple linear regression and information-theoretic approaches to model selection. Of the 22 species for which we had sufficient data for analysis, detections of nine species decreased and eight species increased in thinned stands relative to controls, and there was no strong evidence that thinning influenced numbers of five species. Of the 17 species that responded to thinning, the magnitude of response of eight species varied with thinning intensity; for each of these species, response was greatest in the more heavily thinned stands. Although no species was extirpated from stands following thinning, detections of Hutton's Vireos (Vireo huttoni), Golden-crowned Kinglets (Regulus satrapa), Brown Creepers (Certhia americana), Black-throated Gray Warblers (Dendroica nigrescens), and Varied Thrushes (Ixoreus naevius) decreased to less than half of the detections in controls in one or more treatment types, suggesting thinning significantly reduces their numbers. In contrast, American Robins (Turdus migratorius), Townsend's Solitaires (Myadestes townsendi), and Hammond's Flycatchers (Empidonax hammondii) were rare or absent in controls but regularly present in thinned stands, and detections of Western Tanagers (Piranga ludoviciana), Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus), and Hairy Woodpeckers (Picoides villosus) increased by threefold or more in thinned stands relative to controls. Only Pacificslope Flycatchers (Empidonax difficilis), Warbling Vireos (Vireo gilvus), and Western Tanagers showed strong evidence of temporal trends in response. For these species, differences between numbers in controls and treated stands became more extreme through time. Our findings suggest that thinning densely stocked conifer stands in landscapes dominated by younger stands enhances habitat suitability for several species of birds, but that some unthinned patches and stands should be retained to provide refugia for species that are impacted by thinning.

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“…Some birds may also choose exposed perches to enable visual components of their advertisement displays (e.g. Beck & George 2000). Conversely, some birds sing within more foliated areas, perhaps to conceal themselves from predators (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Song Perch Height in Rufous‐and‐White Wrens: Does Behaviour Enhance Effective Communication in a Tropical Forest?

Barker

Mennill

2009

Ethology

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Animal signals are distorted as they transmit through the environment, but many species have evolved strategies to minimize distortion of vocal signals. Song structure can change over evolutionary time, or signallers can modify their behaviour, to reduce attenuation and degradation in a specific habitat. We investigated signalling behaviour in rufous‐and‐white wrens, Thyothorus rufalbus, a Neotropical songbird in which both sexes sing, with a specific focus on perch height. Based on previous findings, including a detailed sound transmission study, we predicted that rufous‐and‐white wrens would choose elevated song perches in order to maximize the distance their songs travel, and that males and females would show different perch height choices. We observed 30 birds in 18 territories in a tropical forest in Costa Rica to determine the perch heights of birds when singing, producing non‐song vocalizations, collecting nesting material, foraging, and engaging in other behaviours. We found that both activity and sex influenced perch height. Birds sang from a variety of heights, but the highest perches were used as song posts by males. Males minimized singing from within 1 m of the ground, and they generally perched higher than females, which may reflect sex differences in communication strategies. Both sexes foraged on or near the ground. The finding that rufous‐and‐white wrens vary their perch height with specific activities suggests that they modify their singing behaviour to enhance long‐distance communication.

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Song Post and Foraging Site Characteristics of Breeding Varied Thrushes in Northwestern California

Cited by 13 publications

References 15 publications

Response of Birds to Thinning Young Douglas‐fir Forests

Response of Birds to Thinning Young Douglas‐fir Forests

Response of birds to thinning young Douglas-fir forests

Song Perch Height in Rufous‐and‐White Wrens: Does Behaviour Enhance Effective Communication in a Tropical Forest?

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