Effects of Wildland Fires on Buff-Breasted Flycatchers and Other Forest Birds in Southeastern Arizona

摘要

Long-term fire suppression in forests of the southwestern U.S. is thought to have influenced the distribution and abundance of many bird species, including rare species such as the buff-breasted flycatcher (Empidonax fulvifrons). Few studies have examined the effect of wildfires on buff-breasted flycatchers or other forest bird species in the Southwest, despite the historical importance of wildfires in shaping these forest ecosystems and the recent increase in large wildfires in the region. We took advantage of the extreme wildfire seasons of 2002, 2003, and 2004 in southeastern Arizona to examine the role of recent (1-3 years post-burn) fires of varying severities on the distribution and relative abundance of buff-breasted flycatchers and other forest bird species. We conducted post-burn surveys in 2004 and 2005 along survey routes established in 2000 so that we could compare relative abundance of forest birds before and after the recent wildfires. We also collected samples from fire-scarred trees in forests with and without buff-breasted flycatchers to examinee the role of fire history in influencing the current distribution of buff-breasted flycatchers in southeastern Arizona. We found that most forest bird species were negatively associated with recently burned areas and were associated more strongly (either positively or negatively) with areas affected by severe as opposed to less-severe fires.