The Relationship between Breeding Bird Community and Forest Structure at a Deciduous Broad-leaved Forest in Hokkaido, Japan

일본 북해도 낙엽활엽수림의 산림한경구조와 번식 조류 군집과의 관계

This study was conducted to clarify the relationship between bird community and forest structure from early May to mid June, 1988 in two sites which had different forest structures due to silvicultural practice, located in the Tomakomai Experimental Forest of Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan. Quantitative ahbitat analysis was applied to elucidate difference between the two study sites, and territory mapping method and guild analysis were used for assessment of the bird community. Dominant tree species were Quercus mongolica, Magnolia obovata, Prunus sargentii, Acer mono and Tilia japonica. Unithinned site had more foliage coverage in upper and middle layers, but in lower layer had less coverage than thinned site. Thirty four species of birds were recorded and of them only 21 species occupied territories within the study area. Dominant species were Ficedula narcissina, Phylloscopus occipitalis, Parus major, Passer rutilans, Sitta europaea and Parus palustris in the study area. The unmber of breeding species of the two sites were equal, but the species composition of breeding bird communities was different between the sites. The number of species and pairs on hole-nesting guild were greater in the unthinned site, but those on ground-nesting guild were greater in the thinned site. Canopy-nesting guild showed no significant difference between the two sites. Silvicultural practice such as proper thinning appeared to be not inadequate to all of the forest birds, probably good to bush and ground nesting guild, and to tree & bush and ground foraging guild. The silvicultural practice also did not considerably affect the hole and canopy-nesting guild.