Black bark as an indicator of bird peck defect in sugar maple

John H. Ohman; K.J. Jr. Kessler

Treesearch

Black bark as an indicator of bird peck defect in sugar maple

Informally Refereed

Authors:

John H. Ohman, K.J., Jr. Kessler

Year:

1964

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Northern Research Station

Source:

Res. Pap. LS-14. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Lake States Forest Experiment Station. 8 p.

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Download (PDF 3.11 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/37634.pdf

Abstract

Portions of the lower bole of occasional sugar maples (Acer saccharum Marsh.) in Lake States northern hardwood stands are sooty black in sharp contrast to the normal gray. The blackened areas may encircle the entire stem or be confined to a narrow band; they have been observed as high as 25 feet but generally extend about 15 feet above the ground. Preliminary investigations indicated that nearly all such trees had been heavily and repeatedly attacked by sapsuckers. The possibility of using the black bark as an external indicator of bird peck defect in sugar maple prompted this investigation.

Citation

Ohman, John H.; Kessler, K.J., Jr. 1964. Black bark as an indicator of bird peck defect in sugar maple. Res. Pap. LS-14. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Lake States Forest Experiment Station. 8 p.