SHORT-TERM TEMPORAL PATTERNS IN A MEDITERRANEAN SHRUBLAND BIRD COMMUNITY AFTER WILDFIRE

The use of a burnt Mediterranean shrubland by birds was investigated d uring the first three years following a summer fire. Birds were census ed by point counts, and vegetation cover was estimated. The results sh ow an early and continuous use of the burnt area by birds. During this period, the variation in avifauna composition relate first to the sea son, and secondarily to the time elapsed since fire, as shown by Corre spondence Analysis of the birds x samples matrix. The main effect of f ire is to induce a rapid transition from a shrubland breeding avifauna (dominated by insectivorous species) to a grassland wintering avifaun a (dominated by seed-eating species). After fire, the overall abundanc e of birds at the breeding season is positively correlated with the fo liage volume, which seems to be the main limiting factor. Examples of postfire specific responses (colonisation, dispersion, or site tenacit y) are shown. Site tenacity of birds, favoured both by the presence of rocky patches and by the persistence of very small unburnt remnants, may explain the relatively moderate effect of fire on this community.