Cavity-nesting birds and the cavity-tree resource in plains cottonwood bottomlands
Journal of Wildlife Management
By: James A. Sedgwick and Fritz L. Knopf
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Abstract
Densities of, and potential nesting substrates for, cavity-nesting birds were examined in a mature plains cottonwood (Populus sargentii) community in northeastern Colorado. Although snag (dead tree) densities were low (0.66/ha), the cavity-nesting guild included 7 species with densities ≤ 463 birds/100 ha. 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 (≥ 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.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Cavity-nesting birds and the cavity-tree resource in plains cottonwood bottomlands |
| Series title | Journal of Wildlife Management |
| DOI | 10.2307/3801906 |
| Volume | 50 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Year Published | 1986 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wildlife Society |
| Publisher location | Washington, D.C. |
| Description | 6 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Journal of Wildlife Management |
| First page | 247 |
| Last page | 252 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |