Species-Area Relations of Song Birds in the Black Hills, South Dakota

Abstract

We investigated the effects of stand size resultingfrom current logging practices on occurrence and species richness of song birds in the Black Hills. Richness off orest interior andf orest interior/ edge song birds was not related to stand area (P ≥ 0.40) in stands of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in the Black Hills. Brown creepers (Certhia americana) occurred only in stands of unmanaged forest > 18 ha, but large diameter trees appeared to be more strongly associated with brown creepers than stand area. Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapillus) occurred in all size categories of stands but more frequently in stands 25-35 ha. Western tanagers (Piranga ludoviciana) did not occur in stands less 10 ha but do not appear to depend on dense late-seral forest in the Black Hills. These sizes of forest stands are within the normal range of stand sizes in the Black Hills National Forest. We offer an explanation why logging in the Black Hills might not fragment the forest for song birds.