Bird Species Associated with Riparian Woodland in Fragmented, Temperate‐Deciduous Forest

Abstract

Abstract: Forest area is known to be correlated with bird‐species diversity. Most researchers of riparian forest avifauna have used riparian woodland width as an index of forest area. We conducted point counts at 135 locations along Big and Little Darby creeks in Ohio and used Landsat Thematic Mapper data to determine woodland area and width surrounding each point‐count station. Probability of detection was positively correlated with area for 11 bird species and negatively correlated with area for 8 species. Thus, along Big and Little Darby creeks, woodland area appeared to better predict bird‐species presence than woodland width. The proposed Little Darby National Wildlife Refuge located within the study area includes restoration of riparian forest habitat along the two creeks. If the riparian habitat zones are not sufficient in area, already common species, rather than declining Neotropical migrants, may be the only species to benefit from restoration efforts.