Comparing bird assemblages in successional black spruce stands originatingfrom fire and logging

Comparisons of the effects of logging and fire as disturbance agents on the composition of bird assemblages in boreal ecosystems are still lacking or are limited to the short-term impacts of clear-cutting. In Quebec, where th e boreal forest is largely dominated by black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) stands, we surveyed 140 point-count stations in 3 postlogging and 4 postfire development stages determined according to the height of the reg enerating spruce trees. Species richness did not vary among forest developm ent stages, but bird abundance was higher in recent clearcuts. Recently dis turbed areas were characterized by open-land bird assemblages dominated by Neotropical migrants, which reached their highest abundance in clearcuts. M oreover, logged stands were distinguished from burned sites by the absence of cavity-nesting birds. Forest-bird assemblages reestablished themselves a s soon as young spruces reached the sapling stage. However, the Black-backe d Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus), Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactyl us), and Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) were restricted to mature stands or recent burns and are thus likely to be negatively affected by modern fo restry, which involves fire suppression and short logging rotations. We sug gest that retention of larger areas of continuous mature forest might be es sential to maintain these species in managed regions.