Landscape Level Effects on Forest Bird Populations in Eastern Broadleaf Forests: Principles for Conservation

Abstract

Forest fragmentation, urbanization, and forest management are important issues for bird conservation in the eastern broadleaf forest of North America. Fragmentation of forest by agricultural and developed land uses increases the numbers of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) and nest predators in the landscape, which results in decreased productivity of songbirds. Reproductive success is so low in some Midwestern landscapes that the only way populations could persist is through immigration, which provides circumstantial evidence that populations are structured as sources and sinks. Recent hypotheses that put nest-site factors in a habitat context, habitat or local factors in a landscape context, and landscapes in a geographic context provide guidance for conservation planning. At a landscape scale conservation efforts should focus on providing necessary habitats, conserving existing large contiguous landscapes, and reducing fragmentation in moderately fragmented landscapes. Minimizing habitat fragmentation at a landscape scale may be the best approach to addressing local effects such as edge and patch size effects.

Parent Publication

• Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1 and 2

Citation

Thompson III, Frank R. 2005. Landscape Level Effects on Forest Bird Populations in Eastern Broadleaf Forests: Principles for Conservation. In: Ralph, C. John; Rich, Terrell D., editors 2005. Bird Conservation Implementation and Integration in the Americas: Proceedings of the Third International Partners in Flight Conference. 2002 March 20-24; Asilomar, California, Volume 1 Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-191. Albany, CA: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: p. 290-295