Cw. Wilson et al., BREEDING BIRD RESPONSE TO PINE GRASSLAND COMMUNITY RESTORATION FOR RED-COCKADED WOODPECKERS, The Journal of wildlife management, 59(1), 1995, pp. 56-67
Plans exist to restore the are-dependent pine (Pinus spp.)-grassland c
ommunity in Ouachita National Forest and potentially throughout the so
utheastern United States to benefit the endangered red-cockaded woodpe
cker (Picoides borealis). Restoration and management techniques includ
e wildlife stand improvement (WSI; thinning of midstory and codominant
trees) and prescribed fire. We evaluated how habitat improvement for
the red-cockaded woodpecker affected other breeding bird species. We c
ompared avian species frequency of occurrence and abundance during 2 b
reeding seasons in untreated pine-hardwood stands with that in treated
stands after WSI and in 3 growing seasons following WSI and prescribe
d fire. Total bird densities were highest (P = 0.037) in the second gr
owing season following WSI and fire and lowest in the control, whereas
species richness did not differ (P = 0.399) among treatments. Densiti
es of ground/shrub-foraging and shrub-nesting species increased (P = 0
.002 and 0.002, respectively) the most following WSI and fire. Only gr
ound-nesting species were more abundant (P < 0.001) in untreated stand
s than in treated stands. Restoration efforts may be beneficial to neo
tropical migrant species such as eastern wood-pewee (Contopus virens)
and prairie warbler (Dendroica discolor), in addition to declining spe
cies of regional interest such as red-cockaded woodpecker, Bachman's s
parrow (Aimophila aestivalis), and northern bobwhite (Colinus virginia
nus) that depend upon pine-grassland habitats.