Response of Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus
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EFFECTS OF SINGLE-TREE SELECTION HARVESTING ON ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS (PHEUCTICUS LEUDOVICIANUS) IN A PREDOMINANTLY FORESTED LANDSCAPE by Sonya Richmond A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Forestry University of Toronto © Copyright by Sonya Richmond 2011 Effects of Single-tree Selection Harvesting on Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (Pheucticus leudovicianus) in a Predominantly Forested Landscape Sonya Richmond Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Forestry University of Toronto 2011 ABSTRACT Single-tree selection harvesting is frequently used in the tolerant hardwood forests of North America but relatively little is known about how this silvicultural system affects wildlife, including many avian species. I investigated Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus leudovicianus) habitat use, survival, and nestling provisioning behaviour in twelve hardwood stands in Algonquin Provincial Park which had been harvested by single-tree selection 0-5, 16-20, 21-25, and > 50 years previously. Density, pairing success, and the number of fledglings per successful nest were all significantly lower in the > 50 years post-harvest stands than in at least one other post-harvest treatment. Density and pairing success were significantly higher in the 16-20 year post-harvest stands than in other treatments. Neither nest nor fledgling survival differed significantly among post-harvest treatments, but all stands were population sinks except those cut 16- 20 years previously. Nests that were initiated earlier in the season and built in areas with higher basal area were more likely to survive, whereas fledgling survival increased with days since fledging. Nest sites had higher cover from regenerative growth, saplings, and understory, and lower basal area than random locations. During their first week out of the nest, fledglings used locations with significantly higher cover from regenerative growth, saplings, small shrubs, and raspberry and elderberry bushes than were present at ii random locations. Habitat characteristics at nest and fledgling locations were significantly different, and estimates of nest and fledgling survival were not correlated among harvested stands. Nests attended by after-second-year (ASY) males were initiated significantly earlier, and territory density and productivity were significantly higher for ASY males than for second-year (SY) males. Nestling provisioning rates, male contribution to nestling provisioning and nest attendance, and mean nestling weights at the time of fledging were also significantly higher at nests attended by ASY males than at nests with SY males. This study found that single-tree selection did not have significant negative effects on Rose-breasted Grosbeaks breeding in a predominantly forested landscape, but like many other species of birds, experienced breeders were more successful than less experienced breeders were. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Jay Malcolm for his helpful advice and feedback, and for patiently and enthusiastically sharing his statistical expertise during the writing phase of this project. Thank you to Dr. Erica Nol and Dr. Dawn Burke for encouraging me to continue with my studies at the doctoral level and for giving me the opportunity to be part of this project. I am also grateful to Dr. Sandy Smith for her comments and direction as a committee member, and to Ken Elliott for his role in designing and implement the forestry components of the project. The scientific insight and direction you have all given me has made this a much stronger project on all levels. I am thankful to Karla Falk and Doug Tozer for their patience, enthusiasm, and skill in coordinating the fieldwork crews, and to Nick Bartok, Alex Hood, J.-P. LeBlanc, Rhiannon Leshyk, Meghan Noad, Andrea Orr, Eleanor Proctor, Kris Van de Sompel, and especially Phil Wilson, Brad Woodworth, and Gillian Humphries for their help with nest searching and monitoring, banding and radio-tracking fledglings, sitting patiently amidst the blackflies to conduct hour-long nest watches, surveying vegetation, driving long hours, and generally helping out with all the other aspects of fieldwork. Without the dedication and hard work you all generously put in there would have been no data. I would like to thank the Algonquin Forestry Authority, Bancroft-Minden Forest Co., Canadian Forest Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, Enhanced Forest Productivity Science Program, Mazinaw-Lanark Forest Inc., Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Ottawa Valley Forest Inc., Tembec Inc., and Westwind Forest Stewardship for providing funding and iv support for this project. I was supported by an NSERC scholarship and grants from the University of Toronto and Trent University. Last but by no means least I would like to thank my family for their support, encouragement, and unlimited interest in this project. Without your help this endeavour would definitely not have been possible for me. Thank you especially to Sean Morton for frequently driving “across the province” to visit me during the four month field seasons, for generously volunteering to help in every way possible, and for always being willing to listen. Most of all, thank you all for the endless encouragement and for reminding me why it was important to see this through. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................vi LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................viii LIST OF FIGURES .....................................................................................................x LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................................xi GENERAL INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................1 Background................................................................................................................1 Study species .............................................................................................................5 Study rationale ..........................................................................................................7 CHAPTER 1: DEMOGRAPHY OF ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS IN STANDS HARVESTED BY SINGLE-TREE SELECTION....................................11 Abstract..........................................................................................................................11 Introduction ..................................................................................................................13 Methods .........................................................................................................................18 Study species ............................................................................................................18 Study area .................................................................................................................19 Habitat measurements ..............................................................................................22 Nest monitoring .......................................................................................................22 Density and pairing success .....................................................................................23 Population productivity ............................................................................................24 Statistical Analysis ...................................................................................................25 Results ...........................................................................................................................28 Habitat measurements ..............................................................................................28 Demographic variables ............................................................................................29 Relationship between habitat and demographic variables .......................................31 Age of male parent ...................................................................................................34 Discussion ......................................................................................................................37 Demographic measures ............................................................................................37 Population productivity ............................................................................................40 Population age structure ...........................................................................................42 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................44 CHAPTER 2: SURVIVAL AND HABITAT USE BY ADULT AND FLEDGLING ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS (PHEUCTICUS LEUDOVICIANUS) IN A FORESTED LANDSCAPE HARVESTED BY SINGLE-TREE SELECTION....45 Abstract .........................................................................................................................45 Introduction ..................................................................................................................47