Some effects of Dutch elm disease on nesting farmland birds

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Abstract
Dutch elm disease [DED] has caused the death of a huge number of elm trees in Britain: this paper is the 1st in a series looking at how this has affected birds. Elms were important for cavity-nesting birds because of their susceptibility to fungal heart-rots, causing cavities to form in both limbs and trunk. The changing use of elms as nest sites before and after DED is examined for 12 cavity nesters and for the rook, using nest record cards. Kestrels, stock doves and tawny owls used elms less after DED than formerly but were able to find alternative sites. The barn owl also used fewer elms after DED but is declining; alternative sites may be rare. No adverse effects of DED on rooks were noted. The woodpeckers and nuthatch have benefited from an abundance of beetle larvae on dead elms, and nest in elms more often than formerly. The nest record cards indicate that oak and ash are potentially suitable replacements for elm for use by cavity nesters.