MANAGING MID-ROTATION PINE PLANTATIONS TO ENHANCE BACHMANS SPARROW HABITAT

Bachman's sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis) ranks high among the bird spe cies of greatest management concern in the southeastern United Stares. Bachman's sparrows typically occur in mature pine (Pinus spp.) forest s that have a limited shrub layer and a dense, herbaceous ground cover , and in recently planted (within 1-5 yrs) clearcuts. Middle-aged pine stands usually are not occupied by Bachman's sparrows. At Tyndall Air Force Base in northwest Florida, we found Bachman's sparrows exclusiv ely within burned, mid-aged (17- to 28-yr-old) slash pine (P. elliotti i) plantations. Bachman's sparrows were more abundant (Z = 2.74, P = 0 .006) in burned stands than in similarly managed unburned stands. With in burned stands, a positive correlation existed between number of Bac hman's sparrows and relative volume of grass (r(s) = 0.46). Prescribed burning in pine plantations can produce suitable habitat conditions f or Bachman's sparrow in stands younger than most studies have suggeste d.