Cavity-Nesting Birds and the Cavity-Tree Resource in Plains Cottonwood Bottomlands

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Densities of, and potential nesting substrates for, cavity-nesting birds were examined in a mature plains cottonwood (Populus argentii) community in northeastern Colorado [USA]. Although snag (dead tree) densities were low (0.66/ha), the cavity-nesting guild included 7 species with densities .ltoreq. 463 birds/100ha. This finding suggests that cavity nesters are not limited by snag densities. Most (94.2%) of the nest substrate for cavity-nesting birds was provided by live trees with large, dead limbs (.gtoreq. 10 cm in diam). Both total dead limb length and the number of trees with dead limbs were highly correlated (P < 0.001) with the number of cavities excavated. Large trees (> 55 cm in diam at breast ht [dbh]) and dead limbs 15-30 cm in diameter were preferred for cavity excavation. Because snags were a minor component of potential nest substrate, snag management may not be a useful concept for cavity-nesting birds in cottonwood bottomlands, and snag retention aspects of habitat models would be relatively unimportant for this forest type. Live-tree management is recommended.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: