Abstract - Avian response to forest management and military training at Fort Benning, Georgia

ABSTRACT

Evaluating intensity and effects of land use disturbance is difficult, especially in sites with multiple land use, and reliable measures of disturbance are needed. Many bird species have been shown to respond to habitat heterogeneity and edge effects created by disturbance. We conducted select species point counts to determine if abundance of bird species could be used to assess military training and forestry management practices at Fort Benning. We selected resident and Neotropical migratory species that might be expected to respond to disturbance [Bachman's Sparrow ( Aimophila aestivalis), Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), Eastern Wood Pewee (Contopus virens), Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus), Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis), Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor), and Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)] and evaluated four disturbance combinations: 1) current burn year, heavy use (2002H); 2) current burn year, light use (2002L); 3) 2 years post burn, heavy use (2000H); 4) 2 years post burn, light use (2000L). Point counts were conducted in 16 upland forest stands, at the center of a 100 x 100 m plot and 50 m from both ends of two 300 m transects in each stand. Indigo Bunting and Northern Bobwhite abundance differed between the treatment extremes; i.e., 2002H and 2000L. Abundance did not differ among treatments for any other species. These results suggest it may be difficult to use bird species as indicators of differing levels of land use disturbance within upland forests.