Effects of Different Land Use Designations on Songbirds in Interior Douglas Fir Forests
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Effects of Land Use Designations on Songbird Communities In Interior Douglas Fir Forests near Kamloops, B.C.
Year 2 - 1997
Final Report Year Two Submitted: February 3, 1998
This project has been funded by Forest Renewal BC
Prepared by: Dr. Tom Dickinson, Dave Pehl and Jamie Piccin
Prepared for: B.C. Ministry of Environment, Lands & Parks 1.0 Executive Summary:
A variety of different land uses occur in the forested ecosystems of the Interior Douglas Fir (IDF) biogeoclimatic zone near Kamloops British Columbia. The purpose of this study has been to inventory the songbird species that currently breed in these ecosystems. This data will act as a baseline for future studies of how patterns of land use affect biodiversity and assist future land management decisions. For year two of this study three specific objectives existed. They were to establish permanent plot location at Wheeler Mountain, to provide a second consecutive year data for the Nobel Lake site before management prescriptions take effect, and to attempt a site series correlation of the vegetative community, through site series identification, with the communities of songbirds that currently breed in IDF forests.
Permanent census plots (averaging 225 ha) were established at four study sites northwest of Kamloops. Although they are all classified as being in the IDF, some of the areas had different vegetation characteristics as a result of different historical silvicultural activities. For example, the plot near Isobel Lake was more extensively harvested and differed from the other three plots that were only selectively harvested. Within each plot a 250m x 250m grid of census points was used to census the diversity and density of songbirds breeding in that particular area. Standard point count censuses were conducted from May 1 through to July 19, with each point being censused at least twice. Vegetation characteristics for each plot were formally described.
To obtain an inventory of songbirds across a larger landscape a second method was used. This was done by the use of a breeding bird survey (BBS) route, established in 1996, and following the criteria instituted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor songbirds across North America. Fifty monitoring stations were located along a 40km segment of secondary road that sampled a variety of habitats typically found in IDF forest types. One formal breeding bird survey was conducted in mid-June to allow comparison of our results with those of other BBS routes nationwide. A second breeding bird census was attempted twice in the month of July to monitor the route after the expected peak breeding season but was not completed because weather conditions did not follow the requirements of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protocol.
In addition to the information obtained through formal censuses, data was also collected on various aspects of habitat use by birds in IDF forest types. Nesting records were kept for 26 nests of 14 species, indicating the attributes of the habitat required for nesting.
The richness of species found in this study area is extremely similar to that reported for similar ecosystems in other parts of British Columbia. A total of 73 species, representing the majority of those likely breeding in the Kamloops area were identified in the study area. The density of breeding birds was highest in the study areas that provided the most diversity in habitats.
The methods used here to census songbirds has been proven to produce accurate inventories in this type of forested ecosystem. This data suggests that special habitat features, such as riparian areas, old growth forests and the presence of wildlife trees contribute greatly to the overall diversity of managed landscapes in the dry-belt Interior Douglas Fir zone.
2 2.0 Table of Contents
3 3.0 Introduction
3.1 Background The general goal of the project was to develop an inventory of forest-dwelling songbirds, that currently breed in the Interior Douglas Fir (IDF) Forests near Kamloops, B.C., in order to understand the impact of different land-use patterns on their abundance and diversity. Recently, as a result of the Kamloops LRMP and other land planning processes, landscapes in the Kamloops Forest District have been the focus of several land-based designations. These include, the creation of new protected areas, the expansion of existing wildlife management areas, and the designation of different biodiversity emphasis options for numerous landscapes. The managed forests in this area are also subject to a variety of other guidelines including those pertaining to woodlots, demonstration and research forests. The implications of these management designations for wildlife habitat is not fully understood. This project aims to develop a baseline of information that can be compared with information from future inventories, and used to assess the impacts of current land use decisions.
3.2 Summary of Existing Information Douglas fir forests, particularly those in the dry belt of the Kamloops Forest region, provide important habitat for a range of wildlife species (Mitchell and Green, 1981). Much of the area studied for this project provides a critical winter range for mule deer (Odocoileus hemonious). The silvicultural systems most often used in these forests (especially selective logging and shelterwood systems) have already considered many of the habitat requirements of game species (Dawson et al. 1990, Cade and Hoffman, 1990). One study designed to examine stand tending practices on game species was conducted in the Red Plateau area in 1990/1991. The Thompson/Nicola Mule Deer Forage and Slashing Project was a Habitat Conservation Fund project that consisted of thinning study areas and monitoring wildlife within these areas. In addition to documenting patterns of ungulate use in the treatment areas, a list of songbirds breeding in thinned and unthinned study sites is included in the report (Anonymous, Kamloops MOELP). See Table 11.8 in Appendix II. Recently, there has been a number of studies in other parts of North America that have examined the value of alternative silvicultural systems in Douglas fir forests for wildlife other than game species (Bevers et al. 1995, Thomas, 1988). Songbird communities have become the focus of an increasing number of studies aimed at understanding human influences on bird habitats (Morgan and Wetmore 1986, Morrison, 1992, Schwab and Sinclair, 1994). The community of songbirds breeding in forested areas has become a commonly used indicator of the effects of disturbances, especially man-made disturbances (Temple and Weins, 1989; Mauer, 1993). This attention to songbirds in forests has come about for several reasons. First, the forest resources that provide food, nest sites, song perches, and roosting sites, are precisely those altered by development activities (Blake and Karr 1987; Haila et al. 1989; Robbins et al. 1989). Second, many songbird species that breed in temperate forest ecosystems are neotropical migrants and recent changes in their populations have focused attention on the impact of activities on their breeding ground (Terborgh 1989; Sherry and Holmes, 1992). Finally, bird numbers are relatively easy to assess, because species-specific songs are used to advertise a male songbird's territories to potential mates and rivals. Monitoring songbird populations has proven to be an effective way to detect both large and smaller scale changes in ecosystems (Askins et al. 1987; Hunter 1990; Freemark and Collins 1993; Hagan et al. 1996). Traditionally, studies of wildlife and forestry have focused on questions about management and silviculture at the stand level. For example, in their study of the dry Douglas fir forests in the Kootenay region, Schwab and Sinclair (1994) examined how forest succession affects the diversity of breeding bird species. Their results indicated that songbird species were more abundant in shrub and mature Douglas Fir forests than in young conifer stands. Schwab and Sinclair essentially found a bi-modal density pattern in bird biodiversity with peaks at the shrub and climax seral stages. Booth 1994, examined how different thinning regimes and slash management affected songbird breeding in IDF stands near Kamloops. Both of these studies have provided lists of birds that can also be expected to be found in local forests. See Table 11.9 and Table 11.10 in Appendix II.
4 Recently, there has been a growing interest in the accumulated effects of stand management on a larger scale--the scale of entire forested landscapes (Hutto 1995; Flather and Sauer 1996). Fragmentation of forested landscapes by numerous human activities such as road construction, agriculture, settlements, and forestry have placed species requiring forest interior habitats at risk (Harris 1984; Hunter 1990; Hansen et al. 1991).
Relatively few systematic studies have been made of landscape level effects on songbird communities. Hutto (1995) did however study the effects of stand-replacing fires in Rocky Mountain conifer forests on songbirds. One of the landscape types that he identified was a mixed conifer type; this category includes the IDF types. His study produced a bird list amalgamated from several separate studies. More generally, the detection of landscape-level effects has come to rely heavily on information made available through the North American Breeding Bird Survey --BBS (Sauer and Droge 1992). The BBS consists of more than 3000 formal roadside counts conducted on secondary roads throughout the United States and Southern Canada. A number of formal BBS survey routes exist in the Kamloops area, many of them surveying of Interior Douglas Fir forests. These bird lists are available from the various volunteers involved in the program. In addition, a very well documented list of birds to be found in the Kamloops area has been published by Rick Howie (1994).
3.3 Specific Objectives Several specific objectives were planned for this year’s study. The first objective was to produce a comprehensive inventory of the songbirds that breed in habitats associated with the IDF biogeoclimatic zone near Kamloops and an assessment of how the abundance of several common species differ in abundance in relation to current land uses and stand diversity. A second year of data was required at the Nobel Lake study area before forest harvest occurred. Another objective was to identify vegetation suitability at the site series level for songbird communities. The approach used was to install permanent census sites in locations that differ in their history of management and are likely to differ in their future management. In addition, a formal BBS route was added to a growing array of routes in the Southern Interior of B.C.. By conducting annual censuses of the breeding bird community in these locations, a baseline will thus be available to evaluate the impact of different management strategies at the landscape level.
5 4.0 Study Area All of the sites inventoried for songbirds lie within the Tranquille Landscape Unit designated in the Kamloops LRMP. The landscapes are dominated by ecosystems classified as the IDF-xh2 and IDF-dk1 biogeoclimatic zones (Lloyd et al. 1990). Historical and current silviculture practices in this area have created diverse stand structures at various seral stages. A portion of the study area has been assigned a high biodiversity emphasis classification by the Kamloops LRMP. Other portions of the study area lie within the Lac du Bois Provincial Park, a woodlot license, Isobel Lake demonstration forest, or are adjacent to the Dewdrop-Rousseau Creek Wildlife Management Area (See Appendix III ) A permanent grid of songbird census points were established at four different locations within the study area (See Appendix III ).The four studied areas were located on the Red Plateau, Wheeler Mountain, Isobel Lake and Noble Lake. These plots were chosen for their particular stand attributes and histories. Three of the four areas studied in the 1997 breeding season were part of a permanent grid of songbird census points established in 1996 for songbird inventories. The fourth study plot located at Wheeler Mountain was established in the 1997 season and contained some unique attributes from the other three study plots. Although they varied slightly in size and shape, the plots averaged approximately 225 ha. Census points were placed at 250 m intervals along the transects and transects were separated from each other by a distance of 250 m, yielding a grid of permanent monitoring stations. The array of habitats represented in these plots provided a cross section of the land uses that songbirds would experience in this forest type.
4.1 Red Plateau The area that was monitored on Red Plateau consists of mature climatic forest, dominated by Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) with mixed Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta), Ponderosa Pine (Pinus ponderosa) and Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides). The average crown closure for the area falls into class 5 (46-55 %). Four parallel 1.25 km transects were established to monitor the study plot. Two of the transects lie within the IDFdk1 biogeoclimatic zone and the site series are dominated by submesic and subxeric subzones (site series 03-04) with limited mesic sites. The other two transects are within the IDFxh2 biogeoclimatic zone and are dominated by mesic and submesic subzones (04-01) with total site series ranging from xeric to mesic (See Appendix III ). The south facing slope of the designated study plot contain dry rocky outcroppings with mature Ponderosa Pine, the north facing slopes consist of a dense moss layer with mixed Lodgepole Pine.
4.2 Isobel Lake The area that was studied near Isobel Lake is within an area designated as demonstration forest. The forest has undergone a variety harvesting prescriptions over the past 20 years, ranging from clearcuts and selective logging to extensive thinning projects. The diversity of forest management has resulted in several seral stages. Of the four areas that were studied the Isobel Lake area had the largest seral trembling aspen component. The remaining forest is divided between young climatic IDF forest with an average age of about 81 years and maturing climatic forest. Crown closure on average was class 2-3 (16-35 %). Four transect lines 1.25 km in length were located in this plot. Two transects were divided between IDFxh2 and IDFdk1 biogeoclimatic zones. One transect was only within the IDFxh2 and the fourth transect was primarily IDFdk1 with a small area consisting of a IDFdk1a component (See Appendix III ). The upper plateau of the Isobel Lake study plot consist of varying seral stages with frequent deciduous patches. Site series showed mesic soil conditions with few exceptions of slightly submesic and subhygric areas. The north facing slope is slightly wetter than the upper plateau.
6 4.3 Noble Lake The Noble Lake plot represented a variety of habitats to be found in an old forest in the IDF that has experienced very little timber harvesting. The majority of the study area is IDFxh2 with the higher elevation portions being IDFdk1. Parts of the plot consisted of hygric zones associated with riparian habitat along Dairy Creek. The riparian habitat provided a lush deciduous and shrub component. This hygric subzone also contains hybrid white spruce (Picea englelmanni x glauca). The rest of the study zone contains xeric sub-zones that consist of a very steep, dry, south facing slope. This steep slope provided some habitats that had not been previously inventoried, such as large talus slopes and numerous rocky outcroppings. The study area was dominated by mature Douglas Fir with an average age class code of eight (141-250 yrs), Ponderosa Pine could be found in the lower elevation levels throughout the site. Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine dominate the canopy in the upper elevations of the area. The past logging history consisted of a 1% selective harvesting in 1957/58 and again in a small area in 1979, the limited harvesting in this area has allowed the continued existence of numerous large Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir snags throughout the study area. Four transects, 1.75 km. in length, were located in this plot to sample this variety of habitats and site series.. See Appendix III ).
4.4 Wheeler Mountain This area was chosen as a new study location for 1997. The plot lies within the boundaries of the Lac du Bois Provincial Park that was established within the past year. The study plot has four transects 1.5 km. that start at the border the Lac du Bois grasslands (BG and IDFxh2a biogeoclimatic zones) and proceed up steep east and northeast slopes. The average age class code for this area is eight (age 141-250 years). Douglas Fir dominates the canopy with Ponderosa Pine present at the lower elevations and limited Lodgepole Pine present at the upper elevations. The area is dominated by mesic and submesic subzones (See Appendix III ). Areas of this study plot have been lightly selectively logged in the 1950’s but, with the establishment of the Lac du Bois Provincial Park, this area will be protected from future logging and has restricted road access. Each census point along each of the transect lines was located using a Global Positioning System tied into monuments established by the B.C. Forest Service.
4.5 Red Lake Road In order to inventory birds on a much larger spatial scale, a Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) route was established along Red Lake road. This method of sampling avian communities consists of 50 census points located every 0.8 km along a secondary road. Once each year, during the height of the breeding season the route is traveled and the abundance and diversity of birds is recorded. In order to assure conformity across North America, a stringent protocol is adhered to during the survey. The census must begin within one-half hour before sunrise and must be completed within four hours. Censuses cannot be conducted during periods of excessive wind or rainfall. At each station only one individual acts as an observer and a second individual records the results. At each station, birds are recorded for a total of only three minutes. The route chosen along Red Lake road begins at 6 Km (approximately 0.5 km past a local landmark known as the "pimple"). Permanent census stops were established every 0.8 of a km for fifty census points (40 km). The Red Lake road travels through a very diverse range of habitat types starting in Bunchgrass and Ponderosa Pine ecosystems on the South side of the Tranquille River valley. As the road gains elevation it passes out of the Ponderosa pine zone and enters into the Interior Douglas Fir zone. Stops made during this section of the road survey numerous habitat types as the road follows west along Tranquille Creek. The riparian habitats include deciduous trees and shrubs including aspen, black cottonwood (Populus balsamifera) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and alder (Alnus spp.). Lodgepole Pine occupies areas of the plateau where past fires have burned. Development has also altered the landscape with occasional clearings for hay fields, livestock and dwellings. Around Red Lake itself there are numerous recreational developments such as cabins and snowmobile trails. Wetlands and a large riparian area surround the lake. To the south and west of Red Lake, the elevation begins to drop and the IDF zone becomes very dry as the
7 landscape consists of mainly south facing slopes. The area has a history of seasonal cattle grazing and selective timber harvesting. The forest becomes mixed with Ponderosa Pine again towards the end of the route, with occasional riparian areas associated with small streams. A brief description of the habitat sampled at each of the stops was kept for future reference. All of the survey stops were located with GPS technology and verified using forest service monuments.
5.0 Methods
5.1 Song censuses We used unlimited-radius point counts to monitor the abundance and diversity of breeding birds in our study plots (Reynolds et al. 1980; Ralph et al. 1995 and references therein). These point counts consist of recording all birds seen or heard within a period of twelve minutes. In addition locations of birds relative to the observer and movements are plotted on a Cartesian plane with the census point at the center, to guard against counting the same individual more than once. All censuses for the first round of censusing was conducted by two individuals (an observer and a recorder). This allowed for sufficient training of the field assistants by the project leader during the first month of the study. A sample data sheet used is enclosed in Appendix I.
Census points were placed at least 100 meter’s from the edge of each plot boundary to minimize edge effects and 250 meters from each other census point to avoid counting individual birds twice. Each grid of points was censused twice. The censusing was during the peak breeding season (May -July). One transect was censused per day while the field assistant was in training and two transects were censused per day after sufficient training of the field assistant. All song censuses were conducted between 05:00 and 08:30 (PDT). A twelve minute sampling period was chosen to minimize the probability of missing rare and shy species (Dickinson and Leupin, 1996).
To analyze the data, an Effective Detection Distance (EDD) was first calculated for some of the more frequent species using the frequency with which individuals were recorded in successive 10m intervals radiating outward from the from census point. The maximum effective detection distance was calculated separately for each species and was taken to be the distance beyond which two successive declines in the abundance of recording individuals was noted. The estimation of an EDD for Warbling Vireos is illustrated in Appendix III Table 11.2. This EDD becomes the radius of a circle circumscribing the area effectively monitored during a census. This effective area is then used in calculating the densities of each species in the different study sites (Reynolds et al, 1980). Estimates of species diversity combine measures of abundance with those of species richness (i.e. the # of species listed). Species diversity and density statistics were calculated using standard equations (Weins, 1989).
8 5.2 Breeding Bird Survey The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) method of sampling avian communities was developed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service in order to standardize the information collected during monitoring programs across North America. Each survey route consists of 50 census points located at 0.8 km intervals along a 40 km segment of a passable secondary road. Once each year, during the height of the breeding season, the route is traveled by an experienced observer and recorder and the abundance and diversity of birds observed is recorded. In order to assure conformity across North America, a stringent protocol is adhered to during each survey. Each survey begins one-half hour before sunrise and must be completed within a maximum of four hours. Survey results cannot be included if observations were made during days of excessive wind or rain. At each station the same individual acts as an observer and the second individual records the results (see survey form in Appendix I). Visual sightings and oral detection’s within 400 m of the stop are combined in the survey results and at each stop observations are made for a total of only three minutes.
5.3 Nest Searches To determine nesting habitat requirements of individual species nest searches were conducted daily between the hours of 09:30 and 11:30. Records were kept of the number of eggs produced, number of fledglings hatched, and predation incidences were recorded. (A copy of the nest record data form is included in Appendix I) Nest searches and transect surveys data will be combined with those obtained in subsequent years of the study to develop a description of the habitat attributes that show associations important for each species.
5.4 Vegetation Plots Vegetation was sampled in order to characterize each study site. (Appendix I contains a copy of the forms used to collect data in the field.). Vegetation samples were taken at all census location along the transects. At each census point five 20m radius plots were taken within 100m radius from the census point. At each plot estimated percentages were given described the forest stratification of the dominant and regeneration trees species. The strata were separated using guidelines in Describing Ecosystems in the Field. Through identification of plant communities a dominant site series was given to each plot. These plots were used to describe the "average" structure of the stands we were censusing.
9 6.0 Results
6.1 Species Detection Rates A total of 73 species were recorded during the second field season of the project (See Appendix II, Table 11.7). This represents about 25% of the formal bird list for the entire Kamloops area (Howie 1994), which includes all occasional migrants and accidentals. Of the birds on the Kamloops list that typically breed in the forests of the dry Interior Douglas Fir (Cannings et al . 1987), our combined observations recorded about 70% of the total. Very few raptors were recorded during formal censuses although they were frequently recorded outside of the census periods. For example Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) were commonly viewed at many study areas but very few were actually detected during formal censusing. Other birds that were not detected included game species such as Blue Grouse, Dendragapus obscurus, and species that are uncommon such as the Williamson's sapsucker, Sphyrapicus thyroideus which are possible inhabitants of specific habitats of the study areas but are at the northern limit of their geographical range.
6.2 Densities of Songbird The data from formal point censuses were sufficiently abundant to calculate EDD's and estimate their densities for 15 core species in the community (See Appendix II, Table 11.1). Because of similarities in song the Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees were group together as were the Dusky and Hammond’s Flycatchers. The densities for the total of these 15 species on the four study sites are shown and compared in Table 11.3 of Appendix II. Some general points emerge from these data. For the second consecutive year the highest density of the common breeding songbirds occurs in the Red Plateau study site. This site has a high topographic variation (i.e. Aspects, slopes etc.) and provides diverse microhabitats, especially in the area represented by old growth and mature climax stands. The second highest density for common species of songbirds occurs in Isobel Lake, this area is characterized by several different habitat including old growth stands and areas of forest harvest. The Isobel Lake study area also has a larger deciduous component than the other three sites and contains unique habitats such as grassland phase areas which can create a number of diverse habitats. These factors of habitat diversity contribute to the Isobel Lake study area having a higher percent of less common species in our study. The third highest density of songbirds occurs at the Wheeler Mountain site. The percent composition of mature climax and old growth is similar to the Red Plateau sites, the slightly lower densities could likely be a consequence of the less productive rocky areas that are present at the upper portions of this study site.
Example of Density Calculation for Chipping Sparrow at the Isobel Lake Site. Density = # birds per 40 ha 17 CHSP were recorded during the first round of censusing at the Isobel Lake Site EDD for CHSP is 70 (meters)
Step 1. Area = 3.14 x 70 x 70 = 15393.8 15393.8 x 24 (Census Points) = 369451.3 369451.3/10000 = 36.945 Step 2. 36.945/40 = 0.924 17/.924 = 15.1 Birds per 40 ha
The same core of 15 species was used to calculate the density (#/40 ha) of breeding songbirds with respect to mesic and submesic sites in the IDF xh2 and dk1 subzone (Appendix II, See Table 11.4). The average densities of the four subzone was relative equal and showed no significant different. The densities were first calculated separately for the two rounds of censusing. This would demonstrate any fluctuations from the early and late breeding season. The only significant difference occurred in the dk1 mesic sites and
10 these large fluctuations in the densities between the two rounds of censusing of the dk1 mesic sites can be most likely attributed to the relatively small sample size represented by this subzone.
6.3 Diversities of Songbirds A species diversity index for each study area was calculated using all of species observed during formal song census. This was done by taking calculating a diversity for each point in a study area and summing the total . A comparison of this diversity measured across the four sites is shown in Figure 6.31
Figure 6.31 Diversities comparisons of the four study areas.
The results of the diversity indexes show that the Isobel Lake study area had the largest diversity among the four study areas. To determine whether the diversities of these areas was significantly different and if so which areas were different, an one-way anova test followed by a Tukey’s test were performed. The results of these test determined that the Isobel study area has significantly higher diversity than the other three study sites. Results for the statistical test can be seen in Appendix IV Table 13.1.
Example Calculation for the Diversity of Songbird.
38 Individuals of species A were recorded at the Site B 585 songbirds in total were recorded at the Site B
Step 1. X number of Spec. A 38 Pi = ------= ------= 0.065 TOTAL NUMBER SONGBIRDS 585
Step 2. H’ = - SUM (Pi LN Pi) = - 1.0 (0.65 LN 0.65) = 0.178
11 6.4 Species Totals and Abundance To calculate the average species at each study area the number of individuals counted during formal censusing, at each census point within the selected areas was calculated and averaged for the four study areas. A comparative graph of the results for species total and abundance are seen in Figure 6.41 and Figure 6.42.
Figure 6.41 Comparison of the average species per census point for the four study areas.
Figure 6.42. Comparison of the species abundance at the four study areas. Similar to the results of species diversity the Isobel Lake study area showed slightly higher than the other study areas in both categories. The same statistical analysis was performed and results concluded that the Isobel study area was significantly different for species totals and abundance. The results for the statistical test are available in Appendix IV Table 13.2 and Table 13.3.
6..5 Vegetation Correlation The objectives of this year’s study, with respect to vegetation correlation, was to determine whether site series classification could be used to represent songbird diversities within IDF forest types. The dominant site series were taken for each quadrant within the 100m radius of each census point. Figures showing the representation of the site series distribution within the xh2 and dk1 subzones for each study site can be seen in Appendix II. Diversity indices, similar to the those created for songbird diversities was created for each study site. When comparing the site series diversity indices with the songbird diversity indices, minimal correlation was determine. The concern with comparing the site series diversity indices with the songbird diversity indices was that, although site series can represent the vegetation composition and topography it provides minimal information as to the structural diversity of the ecosystem. Techniques to test the relationship of songbirds to structural diversity are currently being looked at. Results from preceding studies will focus more closely on the relationship with songbirds and the structural significance of the forest.
6.6 Breeding Bird Survey In the second year of the BBS route at Red Plateau Road 51 species were detected. Table 11.12 in Appendix II, shows a comparison of the results obtained on the BBS route in this study and a similar route conducted approximately 50 km away, at about the same time by a BBS volunteer (Rick Howie). The results obtained in the first two years of the study are relatively equal and are fairly similar to Howie’s. However, Howie’s BBS route composes a greater elevation gradient along the North Thompson River. These differences allow for a much more diverse range of habitats, which in turn provide a greater diversity of birds.
12 7.0 Discussion The results that have been obtained so far in this project must be viewed as preliminary. The information gathered in the third year of the study will assist in understanding the changes that take place within the songbird communities in IDF forests in the Kamloops Forest Region, as well as characterizing the specific forest attributes required by each species. Nevertheless, a few observations are possible at this stage, regarding the sensitivity of our methods as well as how current communities of songbirds appear to be responding to existing land uses.
7.1 Critical Evaluation of the Inventory Protocol There have been numerous approaches to the problem of monitoring the abundance and diversity of birds in different habitats (Ralph et al 1995a.) Indeed, there is no one "perfect" methodology that is suitable for all types of bird communities in all habitats. The method we chose to examine the breeding songbird abundance’s and diversities of alternative silvicultural activities was by VCP counts from permanent points evenly distributed through differently managed stands. Considerable effort has been expended to test the sensitivity of the VCP method (see Hamel 1984, DeSante 1986, Dawson et al 1995, Dickinson and Leupin 1997). Although there has been some disagreement about the absolute accuracy of point counts (Verner 1985) guidelines have been developed for their use that maximizes the reliability of density and diversity estimates and provide for consistency among studies (Ralph, Droege, and Sauer 1995). The details of how we have used the VCP technique--from the separation of grid points to the length of the count intervals-- reflects our compliance with these guidelines. We are in the process of analyzing data that will ultimately allow us to determine the actual sensitivity of our point counts. However, the similarity of our findings with those from studies in similar ecosystems lead us to believe that VCP censuses produce both accurate and precise estimates of the abundance and diversity of birds breeding in IDF forests. In subsequent years of this study we plan to introduce additional census grids to sample habitats that are currently under represented in our study areas. We chose to use a road survey (the BBS route) to determine the landscape effects of different land use patterns on songbirds. This technique has also been the subject of extensive scientific scrutiny. Hutto et al. (1995) compared the detection rates of on and off road point count censuses in Douglas fir forests in Montana. They found that "edge" species were overly represented in road censuses. However, they also concluded that the two methods produced essentially the same list of birds when counts were made in the same vegetation cover type. The similarity of our bird list with the one produced by those workers gives us confidence that our survey route gave accurate measures of the diversity of the bird communities breeding in these habitats. Because we carefully followed the BBS methodology for conducting our survey in the final analysis of these data we will be able to separate habitat effects from nationwide, year-to-year, trends in songbird populations. Three general conclusions that are apparent at this stage of the study are that first, old growth stands have provided habitat for high density of songbirds throughout the first two years of the study. Secondly, diverse seral stage stands and areas such as riparian habitat influence both the abundance and diversity of species. Finally, structurally simple forests provide the least valuable habitat for songbirds. All of these observations lead to specific management concerns.
13 7.2 Management Concerns The first concern identified in this study involves the lack of intact old growth stands in this landscape. In searching for study sites, no stands could be located that contained mature old growth that had not been at least selectively harvested in the past 100 years. The resulting age class distribution present in this landscape includes a noticeable over representation of young stands. Schwab and Sinclair (1984) have shown that diversity in IDF stands is the lowest in young stands and highest during the shrub stage of succession and in old growth. Manuwal and Huff (1987) also discuss songbird abundance in different IDF forest seres. These authors concluded that there was no significant difference in songbird abundance, species richness, diversity, even-ness and species composition among stand ages in dry forest ecosystems in California in the spring. The largest differences were between the young and the old growth age classes, old growth abundance’s were larger due to the presence of a larger snag component.
The greatest impact of young age stands will occur with resident species that rely on tree cavities or conifer seeds. These species had the closest association with old-growth forests. The most severe effect of forest management is on permanent residents that apparently rely on old-growth for winter cover and food (Manuwal and Huff, 1987). The results of the above mentioned study differ slightly from a study conducted by Raphael and Barrett in 1984, these authors concluded that there was no difference between avian density in different age classes (Raphael and Barrett, 1984). Bull (1978) pointed out the importance of snags to birds. Feeding activity on snags is restricted primarily to the woodpeckers and nuthatches, which forage for insects, superficially, in the bark and in the interior of the tree. Nest and roost cavities are used by a variety of birds, called cavity nesters. Woodpeckers and nuthatches, referred to as primary excavators, are capable of excavating holes. These cavities are in turn used as nest and roost sites by secondary cavity nesters, species that are not capable of excavating. There are 13 species of birds which breed in these forests that are associated with snags for either feeding, roosting, or nesting. These 13 excavating species provide habitat for an additional 27 species of secondary cavity nesters and another 9 species which sometimes nest in cavities (Bull, 1978). See Table 11.6 in Appendix II for Cavity and Secondary Cavity nesters found in Interior Douglas Fir ecosystems..
14 Conclusion The results we report here represent those obtained in the second year of a planned five year study. As such, they must be considered preliminary. At this stages of this study several general conclusions have affected the planning for collecting data in the future.
By comparing our results with those obtained in other studies in the IDF in southern BC, we feel confident that our census methods are obtaining a full inventory of the species in these forests. Nevertheless, in future years we feel we need to increase the diversity of sites that we are including in our inventory. Some of the differences we detected among study sites may have been the result of biogeoclimatic differences among them. In 1997 we focused our efforts in four sites: two were primarily in the "dk" variant of the IDF and two were in the "xh" variant. In future we should pair management histories and ecosystem variants, to control for any differences in songbird communities driven by intrinsic differences in these forest types. This will require locating and laying out addition permanent census grids in new sites. Amongst our study area, the Isobel Lake area is significantly different in age and structural diversity from the other three areas. The results on species diversity and abundance obtained from the Isobel Lake site has prompted us to look for new sites that age similar to this area. It should be possible to match stands for the Red Plateau, Isobel Lake, Wheeler Mountain and Nobel Lake sites.
We also believe it would be beneficial to locate a second Breeding Bird Survey route to transect the area in a different direction from the existing one. Although these routes are very long, the diversity of habitats that are sampled lead too specific habitats to be sampled for only once or a very few times. (A second BBS route was attempted in 1996, but because the road paralleled streams for much of its length, birds were not audible and the results were not reliable.) Recent road construction in the area, however, has produced an interconnected route that could possibly meet the conditions necessary to fulfill BBS requirements.
Finally, the data we collected on vegetation characteristics in the different study sites has allowed us to see general trends in species abundance and diversity. Continued analysis with different habitats could allow us to make management recommendations regarding forestry practices. In addition, a land-use classification system is being developed to relate differences in the breeding birds detected along the BBS routes to different categories of management.
15 9.0 Literature Cited
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Bull, Evelyn. 1978. Specialized Habitat Requirements of Birds: Snag Management, Old Growth, and Riparian Habitat Proceedings of the Workshop on Non-game Habitat Management in the Coniferous Forests of the Western United States. USDA FOREST SERVICE GENERAL TECHNICAL REPORT PNW-64 1978.
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16 Hagan, J.M. and D.W. Johnston 1992. Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Migrant Landbirds. Washington, D.C.:Smithsonian Institution Press.
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17 Ralph, C.J. and J.M. Scott. 1981. Estimating Numbers of Terrestrial Birds. Studies in Avian Biology 6:630p.
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Schwab, F.E. and Sinclair, A.R.E. 1993. Biodiversity of diurnal bird communities related to succession in the dry Douglas-fir forests of southeastern British Columbia. Canadian Journal for Forestry Research. Vol. 24: 2034-2040.1994.
Sherry, T.W. and R.T. Holmes 1992. Are populations of neotropical migrant birds limited in summer or winter? Implications for management. Pp.431-442. In: Hagan, J.M. and D.W. Johnston (eds). 1992. Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Migrant Landbirds. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
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18 Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-149. Albany CA.:Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
19 10.0 Appendix I.
Forms and Data Sheets BBS Survey Form Songbird Data Form Nest Site Form Vegetation Plot Forms Breeding Bird Survey Form Songbird Data Form Nest Site Description Form Vegetation Plot Forms
11.0 Appendix II.
List of Tables and Figures
Table 11.1 Effective Detection Distances Figure 11.2 Example of EDD for Warbling Vireo Table 11.3 Songbird Density Table for abundant species for each study areas Table 11.4 Songbird Density Table for mesic and submesic sites Table 11.5 Detection Rate Curve Table 11.6 Cavity and Secondary Cavity Nesters Table 11.7 Species List IDF-songbird inventory 1997 (Dickinson and Pehl) Table 11.8 Species List from Anonymous Study Table 11.9 Species List from Schwab and Sinclair Study Table 11.10 Species List from Booth Study Table 11.11 Comparison of species list totals Table 11.12 BBS Comparison Table
20 SPECIES EDD (m) Black-capped/Mountain Chickadee Parus atricapillus/P. gambeli 100 Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata 90 Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 80 Townsend’s Solitaire Myadestes townsendi 100 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina 80 Hammond’s/Dusky Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii/E. oberholseri 60 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula 100 Solitary Vireo Vireo solitarius 90 Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 80 Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata 80 Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis 100 Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus 100 Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis 80
21 Table 11.1 Effective Detection Distances for 15 core species.
Figure 11.2 Example of EDD for Warbling Vireo
Area Area #/40ha #/40ha Total Sampled Period 1 Period 2 #/40ha Isobel approx. 185 ha over 24 census 171.3 110.6 281.9 points Nobel approx. 185 ha 107.2 125.8 233 over 24 census points Red approx. 185 ha 169.2 157.1 326.3 over 24 census points Wheeler approx. 185 ha 122 130 252 over 24 census points
22 Table 11.3. The Total Density of 15 core species(# birds/40 ha) for each of the four study areas.
Area #/40ha #/40ha Ave#/40ha Sampled Period 1 Period 2 xh2 mesic approx. 295 ha 152.89 157.02 154.955 over 38 census points xh2 submesic approx. 165 ha 162.27 131.5 146.885 over 21 census points dk1 mesic approx. 38 ha 227.92 96.99 162.455 over 5 census points dk1 submesic approx.155 ha 156.43 120.61 138.52 over 20 census points
Table11.4. Density (#/40 ha) of songbirds breeding in xh2 and dk1 mesic and submesic IDF stands.
Table 11.5 Detection rate curve for total individuals over a 12 minute census period.
23 Cavity and Secondary Cavity Nesters Excavating Species red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) pygmy nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea) black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) hairy woodpecker (Dendrocopus villosus) downy woodpecker (Dendrocopus pubescenes) pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) rednaped sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) williamson’s sapsucker (Sphyrapicus thyroideus) Lewis woodpecker (Asyndesmus lewis) northern flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Nest in Cavities wood duck (Aix sponsa) common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) barrows goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) harlequin duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucllatus) sawhet owl (Aegolius acadicus) screech owl (Otus asio) (wrong-Otis kennicottii-don’t know where he got Otus asio from-perhaps confused with Asio otus-Long Eared Owl) pigmy owl (Glaucidium gnoma) (actually spelt Pygmy owl) flammulated owl (Otus flammeolus) sparrow hawk (Falco spaverius) tree swallow (Iridoprocne bicolor) black-capped chickadee (Parus atricapillus) mountain chickadee (Parus gambeli) mountain bluebird (Sialia currucides)
Sometimes Nest in Cavities common merganser (Mergus merganser) starling (Sturnus vulgaris) house sparrow (Passer domesticus) violet-green sparrow (Tachycineta thalassina) house wren (Trglodytes aedon) winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
24 Table 11.6. Cavity and secondary cavity nesting birds. SPECIES SPECIES American Kestrel Black-capped Chickadee Red-tailed Hawk Mountain Chickadee Northern Saw-whet Owl Alder Flycatcher Long-eared Owl American Robin Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Cowbird White-breasted Nuthatch Cassin's Finch Clarke's Nutcracker Cedar Waxwing American Crow Common Nighthawk Common Raven Common Snipe Gray Jay Dark-eyed Junco Downy Woodpecker Dusky Flycatcher Hairy Woodpecker Evening Grosbeak Northern Flicker Hammond's Flycatcher Pileated Woodpecker Olive-sided Flycatcher Red-naped Sapsucker Pacific-slope Flycatcher Three-toed Woodpecker Pine Siskin Calliope's Hummingbird Red Crossbill Rufous Hummingbird Red-winged Blackbird Ruffed Grouse Say's Phoebe Blue Grouse Swainson's Thrush Chipping Sparrow Townsend's Solitaire Song Sparrow Western Tanager Vesper Sparrow Western Wood-Peewee White-crowned Sparrow White-winged Crossbill MacGillivary's Warbler Sora Rail Nashville Warbler Lazuli Bunting Orange-crowned Warbler Willow Flycatcher Townsend's Warbler Violet-green Swallow Wilson's Warbler Barn Swallow Yellow Warbler Northern Rough-winged Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler Western Meadowlark Solitary Vireo Brewer's Blackbird Warbling Vireo Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Brown Creeper Ruby-crowned Kinglet
25 Table 11.7. Species list for year two IDF songbird inventory 1997
37 Species in Total
American Kestrel Cassins Finch Merlin Red Crossbill Evening Grosbeak Ruffed Grouse Pine Sisken Blue Grouse
Common Nighthawk
Calliope Hummingbird Rufous Hummingbird
Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Pileated Woodpecker Red-naped Sapsucker Northern Flicker
Dusky Flycatcher Hammonds Flycatcher
Common Raven Clarks Nutcracker Gray Jay
Black-capped Chickadee Mountain Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
American Robin Golden-crowned Kinglet Swainsons Thrush Townsends Solitaire
Solitary Vireo Warbling Vireo
Brown-headed Cowbird Chipping Sparrow Dark-eyed Junco Orange-crowned Warbler Townsends Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Western Tanager
26 Table 11.8. Species List for Anonymous Thinning Study at Red Plateau
35 Species in Total
Brewers Blackbird Mountain Bluebird Mountain Chickadee Brown Creeper American Crow Cassins Finch Northern Flicker Dusky Flycatcher Blue Grouse Ruffed Grouse Dark-eyed Junco American Kestrel Horned Lark Western Meadow Lark Clark’s Nutcracker Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Common Raven American Robin Pine Sisken Townsends Solitaire Brewers Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Clay-coloured Sparrow Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow European Sparrow Western Tanager Swainsons Thrush Rufous-sided Towhee Solitary Vireo Yellow-rumped Warbler Cedar Waxwing Western Wood Peewee Lewis’ Woodpecker
27 Table 11.9. Species List for Schwab and Sinclair’s Study
29 Species in Total
Red-tailed Hawk Cooper’s Hawk Sharpshinned Hawk American Kestrel Ruffed Grouse Northern Pygmy Owl Great Horned Owl Common Night Hawk Vaux’s Swift Pileated Woodpecker Black-backed Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Northern Flicker Red-naped Sapsucker Three-toed Woodpecker Dusky Flycatcher Western Wood Peewee Tree Swallow Gray Jay Common Raven American Crow Black-capped Chickadee Mountain Chickadee Red-breasted Nuthatch White-breasted Nuthatch Winter Wren Ruby-crowned Kinglet American Robin Swainson’s Thrush
28 Table 11.10 Species List for Booth Study
Study Dickinson/Pehl Dickinson/Bennett Booth Shwab/Sinclair Anonymous Total Sp. 73 75 29 35 37
Table 11.11. Comparison of year two Total Specie with Dickison/Bennett(1996), Schwab/Sinclair, Booth and Anonymous
SURVEYOR DATE ROUTE TOTAL SPECIES R. Howie Jun-93 Chu Chua 69 R. Howie Jun-94 Chu Chua 83 R. Howie Jun-95 Chu Chua 72 Dickinson Jun-96 Red Lk. Rd. 53 Dickinson Jun-97 Red Lk. Rd. 51
Table 11.12. Comparison of species total for local BBS routes.
29 12.0 Appendix III
List of Maps of Study Areas
1:90,000 Map of LRMP Designated Areas 1:90,000 BEC Map With All Study Plots and BBS Route Site Series Representation of the Red Plateau Area Site Series Representation of the Isobel Lake Area Site Series Representation of the Nobel Lake Area Site Series Representation of the Wheeler Mountain Area 1:90 000 Map of LRMP Designated Areas 1:90 000 BEC map showing all study areas and BSS route. Site Series Representation of the Isobel Lake Area Site Series Representation of the Red Plateau Area Site Series Representation of the Wheeler Mountain Area Site Series Representation of the Nobel Lake Area
30 13.0 Appendix IV
Result for statistical tests (ANOVA and Tukey’s Test) Table 13.1 ANOVA and Tukey’s test for Species Diversity Table 13.2 ANOVA and Tukey’s test for total species. Table 13.3 ANOVA and Tukey’s test for Abundance
Analysis of Variance
D.F. Sum of squares Mean Squares F ratio F prob. Source Between Groups 3 0.5662 .1887 10.2168 .0000 Within Groups 188 3.4726 .0185 Total 191 4.0387
Tukey’s Test
WM RP NL IL Mean Area .7975 WM .7727 RP .7643 NL .9004 IL * * *
WM= Wheeler Mountain RP= Red Plateau NL= Nobel Lake IL = Isobel Lake
Table 13.1. ANOVA and Tukey’s test for Species Diversity
Analysis of Variance
D.F. Sum of squares Mean Squares F ratio F prob. Source 3 139.0156 46.3385 11.0627 .0000 Between Groups 188 787.4792 4.1887 Within Groups 191 926.4948 Total
Tukey’s Test
WM RP NL IL Mean Area 7.0000 WM 6.6875 RP 6.6250 NL 8.7083 IL * * *
Table 13.2. ANOVA and Tukey’s test for total species.
31 Analysis of Variance
D.F. Sum of squares Mean Squares F ratio F prob. Source 3 218.8906 72.9635 8.7184 .0000 Between Groups 188 1573.3542 8.3689 Within Groups 191 1792.2448 Total
Tukey’s Test
WM RP NL IL Mean Area 9.2708 WM 9.8125 RP 8.8125 NL 11.6250 IL * * *
Table 13.3. ANOVA and Tukey’s test for Abundance
IDF Songbird Inventory
32