Use of Early-Successional Managed Northern Forest by Mature-Forest Species during the Post-Fledging Period

Abstract

In eastern North America, after the young fledge, both adult and juvenile mature-forest birds may use regenerating clearcuts, although which species frequent early-successional forest and during which life stages is not well documented. To assess whether birds nesting in mature forest in north-central Minnesota use regenerating clearcuts 2-10 years old, we netted after birds fledged (2006)(2007)(2008)(2009) and during the breeding season (2009). In addition, we monitored Ovenbird (Seiurus aiirocapilla) nests and banded nestlings in adjacent mature forest and estimated the age at which juveniles used regenerating clearcuts. While banding, we also recorded nests of any species encountered opportunistically in regenerating elearcuts as evidence of breeding in this cover type. During July and August, we captured 4556 birds of 62 species, of which 1746 (38%) were of 28 mature-forest species. As reported elsewhere, most (76%) mature-forest birds we captured were of only a few species: Ovenbird, American Redstart (Setophaga riiticilla). Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus), and Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia). In 2009, 21% of captures during the nesting period were of mature-forest birds. Comparing dates of fledging from monitored nests to dates of capture in clearcuts implies that nearly all (95%) hatch-year Ovenbirds using clearcuts were independent of adult care. Capture dates of juveniles of other mature-forest species were similar. Although we captured 340 hatch-year Ovenbirds in regenerating clearcuts, we captured only one of 424 Ovenbirds we had banded as nestlings in adjacent mature forest. Within the clearcuts, we encountered nests of five species that typically nest in mature forest.

Long-term dynamics of bird use of clearcuts in post-fledging period

“…Removal of timber by clearcutting results in the absence of breeding by mature forest birds within the harvested stands for a period of time, plus shifting densities of forest-breeding birds around the harvested stands ). Although loss of breeding habitat for mature forest birds has been considered a negative effect for this group, a number of recent studies have shown that mature forest breeding birds often use the early-successional habitats created by these harvests after nesting (Anders et al 1998, Vega Rivera et al 1999, Pagen et al 2000, Lang et al 2002, Marshall et al 2003, Vitz and Rodewald 2006, and Bowen et al 2007, Whitaker and Warkentin 2010, Streby et al 2011, Chandler et al 2012, Burke 2013). In addition, clearcutting of forest creates breeding habitat for early-successional species that require regenerating forest, with species varying in their responses to clearings of different sizes (King et al 2001, Gram et al 2003, Brito-Aguilar 2005, Shake et al 2012).…”

Within-Site Variation in Feather Stable Hydrogen Isotope (δ2Hf) Values of Boreal Songbirds: Implications for Assignment to Molt Origin

“…For example, Hache et al [29] found no difference in δ 2 H f between nestlings from recent selection harvesting (open) vs unharvested stands (closed). However, most adult songbirds start molting during the post-fledgling period and some mature forest specialists have been shown to aggregate in open-canopy clearcuts for concealment from predators during this period [30, 53]. Thus, many focal species might have used similar microhabitat and experienced similar temperatures and sun exposure during the molting period irrespective of their nesting substrate.…”

The Effect of Local and Landscape-Level Characteristics on the Abundance of Forest Birds in Early-Successional Habitats during the Post-Fledging Season in Western Massachusetts

“…This study also provides further evidence that the use of early-successional habitat by forest-nesting birds during the post-fledging season is a generalized phenomenon that occurs across a wide range of species [8], [9], [13], [45], [47], [48], [59], [61], [74]. These findings suggest that management for forest birds is not necessarily in conflict with management for early-successional species, and that forest birds could benefit from management focused on providing habitat for early-successional birds, provided such management carefully weigh the potential cost of removing breeding habitat for forest-nesting species.…”