A Land Manager's Guide to Improving Habitat for Forest Thrushes

A land manager's guide to improving habitat for forest thrushes. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology. and federal and state wildlife agencies for discussions of forest-bird management and for helping us improve this document. Special thanks to Cristina Faustino for her numerous contributions to the data analysis and Barb Kott for her coordination of the project in conjunction with the Forest Service. Most importantly we appreciate the dedication, time, and continued effort of thousands of Birds in Forested Landscapes participants who collected the data on forest birds. Without their support and hard work in the field this publication would not be possible. Nearly every forest in North America is inhabited by one or more thrush species. These drab-colored songbirds are not often seen, yet their beautiful, flute-like songs are one of the most characteristic sounds of our forested landscapes in summer. Forest thrushes, like their more familiar cousin the American Robin, feed primarily on the ground and build their nests on or near the ground in low, dense vegetation. Each species selects its own habitat, in terms of forest type, elevation, and moisture regime, and all are sensitive to the structure, productivity, and configuration of the forest. These birds are therefore good indicators of forest health and the ability of our forests to support healthy bird populations. As several thrush species continue to decline, managing forest habitats for these and other songbirds is one way that landowners and managers can contribute to bird conservation efforts. Preface 2 This is the second publication in a series of forest habitat management guidelines produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology as a tool to help those interested in managing and protecting habitat for birds. The first publication, A Land Manager's Guide to Improving Habitat for Scarlet Tanagers and other Forest-interior Birds, was published in 1999 and has been used widely by agencies and private landowners. These guidelines offer a set of " management prescriptions " —descriptions of the kinds and amounts of habitat that are required to sustain healthy bird populations. This guide is focused on improving habitat for five forest-dwelling thrushes, including the Veery (Catharus fuscescens), Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus), Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus), Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), and Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius). Providing well-managed habitat for these wide-ranging species that use a variety of forest habitats also will benefit a host of other forest birds. We first offer a series of general …