[TN-Bird] Re: Tornado Toll/ how do birds compensate?

In a message dated 5/26/2003 6:21:36 PM Central Daylight Time, 
Imboden@xxxxxxx writes:

> 
>        Can anyone tell me what happens to some of the birds when their 
> nesting is disrupted by nature in such drastic fashion or does it vary by 
> specie?  I 
> know that chickadees only nest once, but will they try a second time in such 
> 
> circumstances?  Is there any evidence that birds compensate in their nesting 
> 
> patterns?  Thanks for any info.
> 

The response does vary by specie, but as long as the habitat has not changed 
drastically (like when a grassland is mowed for hay, or an area is clearcut) 
and the structure they use to build their nest is still in the area, many can 
renest this early in the season.  I am not sure about chickadees specifically 
(the Birders Handbook lists number of broods as ?), but I know Wood Thrush and 
Robins will start building within a day or two of losing a nest.  I had one 
Wood Thrush who rebuilt a new nest in the same exact spot where her first nest 
was blown out of the tree.  

Major disturbance like this are not all bad for birds.  Many bird species 
need periodic disturbance (fire, tornado, grazing...) to provide or maintain 
habitat for nesting (and other activities).  A tornado moving through a large 
forest patch would create an opening in the forest canopy, and allow the forest 
floor in the area to be covered with dense shrub and sapling vegetation.  This 
vegetation could provide nesting habitat for some species like American 
Redstart (see 
http://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/rpc/2002-01/rpc_02january_27.pdf if you would 
like to read more about disturbance-dependent bird species and why they are 
in trouble).

Jim Giocomo
Knoxville, TN (but currently at Fort Campbell in Stewart and Montgomery 
Counties) 


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