Snag Availability and Cavity Nesting Birds in Slash Pine Plantations

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Abstract
We examined snag densities and stand characteristics on 20 north Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii) plantations; cavity nesting bird densities were estimated on 15 sites and relationships examined between bird and snag densities and stand characteristics. Snag densities ranged from 2.6 to 38.6 snags/ha (x̄ = 10.6 ± 1.4 [SE]) and increased as number of snag clusters increased (P = 0.004). Eleven cavity nesting bird species were found with a mean density of 43.4 ± 7.2 birds/km2. Ninety-six percent of variations in cavity nesting bird density and diversity was explained by regressions on various stand and snag characteristics. Management for cavity nesters in pine plantations should involve increasing rotation age, limiting the size of a single-aged forest, avoiding the creation of forest islands, and retaining snags within the stand.