BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

Long-term variation in white-tailed deer abundance shapes landscape-scale population dynamics of forest-breeding birds

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Clark S.Rushing^af Ronald W.Rohrbaugh^bCameron J.Fiss^cChristopher S.Rosenberry^dAmanda D.Rodewald^eJeffery L.Larkin^cf

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117629

 [Comments and attributes from the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny contained within brackets]

Not long ago I received this report from Mary Hosmer of the Allegheny Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society. I thank Mary for sharing this report with the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny.

We, the RGS [Ruffed Grouse Society] volunteers, are concerned about conservation of all birds, not just grouse and woodcock. Here is a short summary of a research paper just published in Forest Ecology and Management 456 (2020) 117629. The paper is titled, Long-term Variation in White-tailed Deer Abundance Shapes Landscape-Scale Population Dynamics of Forest-Breeding Birds. Basically, the paper indicates that deer do have negative impacts to breeding bird populations in a small space and timeframe, particularly birds that feed and breed within 6 feet of the forest floor, but positive effects can also be associated with some other forest birds. The landscape scale effects of deer on birds are more difficult to sort out, and indicate that non-breeding habitats also have an impact. Here is the abstract.

In an article I wrote, "A couple of months back I presented my opinion in this publication and I labelled the article, “TROUBLE IN PARADISE”. I listed the difficulties cottontail rabbits, snowshoe hare, turkey and ruffed grouse are having finding suitable nesting and escape cover on the Allegheny High Plateau and, possibly, in all the forests of Pennsylvania. In my article I declared, “Hard times for the magnificent snowshoe hare and other small game animals like the ruffed grouse and eastern cottontail rabbits are here, now, on the Allegheny and no one is doing anything about it”. Wild game everywhere is suffering from lack of suitable habitat whether it’s from over development caused by the persistent incursion of civilization or from modern farming practices.

I blamed the problem on the lack of suitable forest management. I also stated, “In the twentieth century, white-tailed deer emerged as one of the greatest threats to Pennsylvania’s forests. Pennsylvania’s deer population exploded devastating the state’s forests. Escape cover, nesting cover, and food sources became severely limited for the snowshoe hare as well as ruffed grouse, woodcock, cottontail, turkey and many non-game species including songbirds”.

Long-term variation in white-tailed deer abundance shapes landscape-scale population dynamics of forest-breeding birds

Author links open overlay panel Clark S.Rushing^afRonald W.Rohrbaugh^bCameron J.Fiss^cChristopher S.Rosenberry^dAmanda D.Rodewald^eJeffery L.Larkin^cf

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117629

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Abstract

Over-browsing by white-tailed deer impedes forest regeneration, alters floristic [relating to the study of the distribution of plants] and structural attributes of stands, and reduces biodiversity. Although numerous exclosure [an area from which unwanted animals are excluded] experiments have demonstrated negative impacts of deer on songbirds at small spatial scales [relating to or occupying space] the effects of deer on avian communities at large spatial and temporal scales [or the time period] [Spatial ecology studies the ultimate distributional or spatial unit occupied by a species] In a particular habitat shared by several species, each of the species is usually confined to its own microhabitat [a habitat which is of small or limited extent and which differs in character from some surrounding more extensive habitat]. or spatial niche because two species in the same general territory cannot usually occupy the same ecological niche for any significant length of time remains poorly understood. We integrated data from the Breeding Bird Survey with historic information on deer abundance in a multi-species hierarchical model to assess spatio-temporal relationships between deer and bird abundances across the state of Pennsylvania between 1981 and 2015.

Our results provide evidence of strong links between deer and both avian functional groups and individual species, depending upon the extent each relied upon particular forest strata. Specifically, species that forage or nest near the ground were more negatively affected by deer than canopy-associated species. Likewise, mature-forest species were more sensitive to deer than successional-forest species or habitat generalists. With only a few exceptions, species-level responses to deer were consistent with group-level effects. Given the diverse suite of spatio-temporal stressors impacting migratory songbirds throughout their annual cycle, it was not surprising that long-term population trends of focal species were not significantly associated with deer abundance. Our findings, however, provide evidence that deer play an important role in songbird community structure, as mediated by the reliance of individual species upon particular forest strata and, as such, should be considered within the context of forest bird conservation.