Farmland habitat use by breeding birds in southern Quebec

Recent changes in agiculture in eastern Canada has resulted in changes in f arming techniques and loss of farmland habitats which can have adverse effe cts on birds. Our knowledge of farmland bird communities in southern Quebec is rather incomplete. Twenty-minute surveys were used to study farmland ha bitat use by 28 species of farmland birds in the Sr. Lawrence Lowlands of s outhern Quebec in June 1992. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) was the s pecies detected in largest numbers followed by House Sparrow (Passer domest icus), Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Common Crackle (Quiscalu s quiscula) and Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustical. Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes g ramineus), Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda), American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) and Northern Oriole (Ictepus galbula) were the least detected species, pastures, old fields and hayfields supported the highest bird abun dances whereas figures were lowest in cornfields. Species richness was high est in old fields and pastures and lowest in urban areas and monocultures ( corn, soybeans). Several species (House Sparrow, European Starling, Barn Sw allow, Common Crackle, free Swallow [Tachycineta bicolor]) were mainly obse rved on and around houses and farm dwellings. Species abundance and richnes s would be higher on dairy farms than on farms with cash crops because of t he reduced vegetation cover and intensive farming practices in cash crop fi elds.