University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers Graduate School 1968 Breeding bird populations in the coniferous forests of western Montana David Allen Manuwal The University of Montana Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Manuwal, David Allen, "Breeding bird populations in the coniferous forests of western Montana" (1968). Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers. 4648. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/4648 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. / -? f BREEDING BIRD POPULATIONS IN THE CONIFEROUS FORESTS OF WESTERN MONTANA by David A. Manuwal B.S., Purdue University, 1966 Presented in partial fulfillment for the requirements for the degree of Master of Science UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA 1968 Approved by: Chairman, Board of Examiners De^m, Gra d Ucf td- S choo 1 October 2, 1968 Date UMI Number: EP40112 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI Dissertation Publishing UMI EP40112 Published by ProQuest LLC (2014). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest "CT ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 "o „ . That there is a harmony in the natural world which makes the right thing easy and the wrong thing chaos; that the right thing is revealed in being right, not just for now and for us, but for the earth and all those who will inherit it; that there are natural principles, if we can discover them, to guide everything men may wish to do with land and water and the life they support." Durward L. Allen (1962) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to my advisor, Dr. R. D. Taber for his advice and criticisms of this manuscript and for the several valu­ able discussions we shared. I would like to thank Dr. R. S. Hoffmann for his assistance and interest throughout the study. I also extend my appreciation to Dr. W. L. Pengelly and Dr. J. R. Habeck for their comments and criticism on various aspects of the study. For their assistance in supplying background information on the Lubrecht Forest, I wish to thank Dr. T. Nimlos and Dr. G. Blake of the School of Forestry, University of Montana. To Dennis Kelly, I extend my appreciation for the use of his weather data. To Dr. Pearson, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, for supplying bird weights. Special thanks is due Bruce M. Timpano for his interest, compan­ ionship, and assistance throughout the study. To my fellow graduate students, L express my gratitude. I thank the Montana Forest and Conservation Experiment Station for financial support and use of facilities. To my wife, Naomi, I extend my warm appreciation for her interest, encouragement, and assistance. > 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION .......... ........ 1 STUDY AREA ........... 3 Douglas fir Forest Type ........... 3 Lodgepole Pine Type ............... ........... 8 Riparian. 13 Other Vertebrates on the Study Area .............. 15 Climate . ......... 17 METHODS. .................. ...... 18 Population Determination. ......... ................. 18 Determination of Territory Boundaries ............. 19 Analysis of Spot-map Method ....... ..... 20 Daily Singing Pattern ........ ........ 22 Song Initiation ............. 22 Foraging Niche. .......... ..................... , 22 Singing-post Selection. ........ ....... 23 Vegetation Analysis ...................... 25 RESULTS. ....................... ........ , 25 The Winter Population .......... ...... 25 Spring Migration. ....................... 26 TERRITORIALITY .... ................ 26 SPECIES ACCOUNTS .................. .......... 28 Song Sparrow. 28 Chipping Sparrow. ....................... 29 Oregon Junco. .................... ........ 37 V Page SPECIES ACCOUNTS (continued) Pine Siskin . .......................................... 41 Cassin Fineho .............................................. 43 Evening Grosbeak.............. ............... 44 Western Tanager ............................................. 47 American Redstart................................. 48 MacGillivray Warbler............... 55 Audubon Warbler . ............... 58 Warbling Vireo. ............................... ....... 61 Solitary Vireo........................................... 67 Ruby-crowned Kinglet . 74 Golden-crowned Kinglet. ............................. 77 Townsend Solitaire. ........................................... 78 Swainson Thrush ............. 81 Hermit Thrush ........... 84 Varied Thrush ....... ... 88 Robin ............. 89 Winter Wren . ................. 95 Red-breasted Nuthatch ........ ..... ................... 96 Mountain Chickadee. ......................................... 98 Black-capped Chickadee. ........ 101 Gray Jay............... 103 Dusky Flycatcher............. 104 Hammond Flycatcher.......... 105 Williamson Sapsucker................. Ill Pi lea ted Woodpecke r ................. 112 VI Page SPECIES ACCOUNTS (continued) Red = sha f ted. Flicker ........... ...... 112 Common Nighthawk............... 113 Ruffed Crouse ........... ........ ......... 114 Sp ruce Grouse . ......... ........... 115 Other Species ............. 117 MORNING SONG INITIATION ......... 121 Time of Song Initiation .................... 121 Order of Initiation ...................... 122 Daily Singing Pattern of Swainson Thrush. ........... 122 Cessation of Singing. ..................... 122 THE BIRD COMMUNITIES ............. ............ .... 123 Trophic Levels. ........... .......... ....... 123 Density and Biomass ........ ........ ......... 124 Species Density .......... ............. ...... 134 Effects of Spruce Budworm ................... 137 Regulation of the Population. ................. 139 Bird Populations in Other Habi tats............... 140 SUMMARY. ............. 9 ...... 144 LITERATURE CITED ..... ............. 146 APPENDIX . ......... 152 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Quarter method vegetation analysis for Douglas Fir Type. 7 2. Quarter method vegetation analysis for Lodgepole Pine Type . 10 3. Tree assocatxon on the Lodgepole Pine Type .......... 11 4. Weekly precipitation on the Lodgepole Pine and Douglas Fir Types during 1967 and 1968 .................. 153 5. Snow depths of the North Fork of Elk Creek,, 1967 ....... 154 6 . Snow depths of the. North Fork of Elk Creek., 1968 ....... 155 7. Monthly average temperatures for the Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine Types ..................... 156 8 . Arrival dates for breeding birds of the North Fork ...... 27 9. Foraging groups for breeding birds of the North Fork of Elk Creek (June - August) ................. 158 10. Breeding bird populations of the North Fork, 1967. ...... 125 11. Breeding bird populations of the North Fork, 1968. ...... 126 12. Avian standing crop biomass per 100 acres. .......... 128 13. Distribution of species per habitat on each feeding group. 136 14. Change, in territory size of selected species breeding in the North Fork. ...................... 140 15. Territory sizes of birds breeding in the, Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine Types . „ ................ 159 16. Bird densities of major habitats ............... 141 17. Bird densities of the, coniferous forest biome. ........ 161 18. Bird densities of the deciduous forest biome ......... 164 19. Breeding bird densities of selected habitats in southeastern. Washington (from Dumas, 1950) .......... 166 20. Bird densities of selected habitats in Colorado and Wyoming compared to the present study. ............ 167 vi ii Table Page 2'1. Avian standing crop biomass f the Lodgepole Pine Type, 1967 ............ 172 22. Avian standing crop biomass f the Lodgepole Pine Type, 1968 . .................. 173 23. Avian standing crop biomass f the Douglas Fir Type, 1967. 174 24o Avian standing crop biomass f the Douglas Fir Type, 1968. 175 25o Avian standing crop biomass f the Riparian, 1968. ........ 176 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. General location of the study area ......... 4 2. Aerial photograph of study area, ............... 5 3. Open grassy area on Douglas Fir Type . 6 4. Old logging skid on Lodgepole Pine Type, ........... 6 5. Quantitative plant data on ground cover of the Douglas Fir and Lodgepole Pine Types ............. 9 6 . Heavily-grazed creek bottom. „ ............. 14 7. Moderately-grazed creek bottom ................. 14 8 . Alder-dogwood creek bottom showing fallen logs and other debris ......................... 16 9. Creek bottom showing well-used road and old railroad bed . 16 10. Pure Engelmann spruce. 18a 11. Alpine fir, spruce and Douglas fir .............. 18a 12. Lodgepole pine, spruce-Douglas fir, alpine fir ........ 18b 13. Larch3 lodgepole pine-Douglas fir. .............. 18b 14. Lodgepole pine and Douglas fir . ................... 18c 15.