Bird Response to Clearings 91 



Wintering northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis, used clearcuts 

 more than other treatments except 23 kg/ ha plots (P<0.05) (Table 2). 

 Both treatments resulted in dense understory vegetation (>100%) and 

 low basal area (<17.5 m^ha). Cardinals showed no association with 

 edge. Northern cardinal abundance was correlated with snag and tree 

 distance (r =+ 62.4, + 57.7), and basal area (r =- 54.1). Snags provide 

 singing perches for cardinals. 



Rufous-sided towhees, Pipilo erythrophthalmus, used clearcuts 

 more than any other treatment (P<0.05) (Table 2). Clearcuts had the 

 lowest basal area (9.3 m^/ha 4-year-old regrowth) and the highest 

 ground cover (logs, 3.5/ 12 m^; rocks, 6.7% cover; stumps, 0.8/ 12 m^) of 

 any of the plots. Towhee numbers were correlated with distance to the 

 nearest tree (r =+ 80.0) and basal area (r =- 70.3) (P<0.01). Trees near 

 young clearcuts probably provide singing perches for towhees. These 

 results concur with those of Crawford et al. (1981) and Conner and 

 Adkisson(1975). 



Sample sizes for 13 other winter resident species were too small to 

 detect meaningful differences among treatments or aspects (Table 2). 



Breeding Birds. — We found no differences in BSD or equitability 

 among treatments or aspects (P>0.05). Average breeding bird density 

 was higher on 23 kg/ ha plots than on other treatments except 45 and 68 

 kg/ ha plots (P<0.05) (Table 3). Density was higher on south- and 

 north-facing slopes (x = 1.6 birds/ plot/ visit) than on ridge-tops (x = 1.2 

 birds/ plot/ visit) (P<0.05). Smith (1977) reported that moist forests 

 were of more importance to most species of breeding birds in Arkansas 

 than extremely dry sites. 



The red-eyed vireo was the most abundant species and it used 

 south- and north-facing slopes (31 and 26 individuals) more than ridge- 

 tops (13 individuals), and edges (54 individuals) more than centers (16 

 individuals) (P<0.05). Because edges of most plots had more complete 

 canopy development than plot centers (except control plots), it is not 

 surprising that red-eyed vireos used edges. Anderson and Shugart 

 (1974), Stauffer and Best (1980), and Crawford et al. (1981) reported 

 red-eyed vireos associated with closed canopies and sparse understory. 

 We also found that red-eyed vireo numbers were correlated with tree 

 density (r=+ 47.8). 



Hooded warblers, Wilsonia citrina, were ubiquitous over treat- 

 ments and aspects. Plots used by hooded warblers had lower basal area 

 (x = 7.1 m^/ha) than plots not used (18.6 m^ha) (P<0.05). Occurrence 

 of hooded warblers was associated with understory diversity (r =+ 59.3) 

 and understory density (+ 50.1), similar to Anderson and Shugart 's 

 (1974) findings. 



Black-throated green warblers, Dendroica virens, were ubiquitous 

 over treatments and aspects. Plots used by black-throated green 



