Roberts et al. • WILDFIRE AND GRASSLAND BIRDS 
27 
TABLE 2. Avian abundance (percent composition) on burned and unburned short-grass plots associated with 
the East Amarillo, Texas Complex wildfires of 2006. 
Short-grass 
2007 
2008 
Species 
Burned (/i = 5) 
Unbumed (n = 5) 
Burned (n = 5) 
Unbumed (n = 5) 
Totals 
Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) 
0 
0 
1 (0.8) 
0 
1 (0.2) 
Scaled Quail ( Callipepla squamata) 
0 
2(1.9) 
0 
0 
2 (0.4) 
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous) 
1 (0.7) 
0 
1 (0.8) 
1 (0.8) 
3 (0.6) 
Mourning Dove ( Zenoida macroura) 
0 
0 
4(3.1) 
5 (4.3) 
9(1.8) 
Common Nighthawk ( Chordeiles minor) 
X (5.8) 
1 (0.9) 
7 (5.3) 
5 (4.3) 
21 (4.3) 
ScissOr-tailed Flycatcher (Tymnnus jorfieatus) 
2(1.4) 
3 (2.9) 
2(1.5) 
4 (3.4) 
11 (2.2) 
Homed Lark ( Eremophila alpestris) 
31 (22.4) 
15 (14.4) 
25 (19.1) 
15 (12.9) 
86 (17.6) 
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 
0 
1 (0.9) 
1 (0.8) 
0 
2 (0.4) 
Bam Swallow ( Hirundo rustica) 
1 (0.7) 
1 (0.9) 
2 (1.5) 
0 
4 (0.8) 
Dickcissel i Spiro americana) 
2(1.4) 
1 (0.9) 
0 
0 
3 (0.6) 
Cassin's Sparrow ( Peucaea cassinii) 
4 (2.9) 
2(1.9) 
6 (4.6) 
6 (5.2) 
18 (3.7) 
Grasshopper Sparrow ( Ammodramus savannarum) 
33 (23.9) 
33 (31.7) 
27 (20.6) 
30 (25.9) 
124 (25.3) 
Lark Sparrow ( Cltondestes grarnmacus) 
26(18.8) 
11 (10.6) 
21 (16.0) 
12 (10.3) 
70 (14.3) 
Western Meadowlark ( Stumella neglecta) 
28 (20.3) 
33 (31.7) 
26 (19.8) 
33 (28.4) 
120 (24.5) 
Brown-headed Cowbird ( Molothrus ater) 
2(1.4) 
1 (0.9) 
6 (4.6) 
5 (4.3) 
14 (2.9) 
Common Crackle (Quiscalus quisculd) 
0 
0 
2(1.5) 
0 
2 (0.4) 
Totals 
138 
131 
104 
89 
490 
Mixed-grass.— We observed 12 species on 
mixed-grass plots in 2007 during the breeding 
season with nine detected on burned and 11 on 
unburned plots (Table 1). We detected 17 species 
tut mixed-grass plots in 2008. Bam Swallow 
(Hirundo rustica). Eastern Kingbird (Ty ramus 
tyrunnus), Killdeer ( Chamdrius vociferous ), and 
Lesser Prairie-Chicken ( Tym/mmchus pallidicinc- 
tus) were all observed in low numbers on burned 
plots, but were not detected on unbumed plots 
(Table 3). There was no difference in diversity 
between burned and unburned plots in 2007. 
However, diversity on unburned mixed-grass plots 
in 2008 increased (a 6 s = 3.45. P < 0.001) from 
that in 2007 and was higher (r^s = 2,59, P = 
0.01) among burned plots (Table I). No change 
was detected in diversity between years on burned 
plots. 
We analyzed Western Meadowlark. Cassin's 
Sparrow ( Peucaea cassini /), Lark Sparrow, and 
Grasshopper Sparrow densities on mixed-grass 
plots. Western Meadowlark densities ranged from 
0.31 to 0.45 birds/ha; no differences were detected 
between bum conditions (/ 8 = 0.39. P = 0.35) or 
years (t H = 0.17 ,P = 0.43). Estimated densities of 
Cassin’s Sparrows in 2007 were 0.36/ha on 
unburned compared to 0.29/ha on burned plots 
( { h = 0.35, P = 0.36, d 0.3). Densities did nol 
change significantly on burned plots (/ 8 = 0.07. 
P = 0.47, d = 0.1) or unburned plots (/ 8 = 0.39. 
P = 0.35, d = —0.3); Cassin’s Sparrows occurred 
at identical abundance by 2008 on both plot types 
(0.30/ha). Grasshopper Sparrows occurred at 
significantly higher (/ 8 = 2.2, P = 0.031, d = 
1.5) densities on unburned (0.45/ha) than burned 
plots (0.12/ha) in 2007. Densities numerically 
decreased (/ 8 = 1,26. P = 0,12, d = -0.9) in 
2008 on unburned plots (0.35/ha) and effect size 
suggest densities increased (/« = 1.17. P = 0.13, d 
- 0.8) on burned plots (0.32/ha). Lark Sparrow 
densities were nearly identical on burned (0.23/ 
ha) and unburned (0.24/ha) plots in 2007. The 
following year densities on both burn conditions 
were 0.15/ha; although the numerical decreases 
were not significant, it appears there was a 
noticeable effect of year on both burned (f 8 = 
0.83. P = 0.22. d = 0.53) or unburned (/ 8 = 0.85, 
P =0.21, d = 0.55) plots. 
DISCUSSION 
Grasshopper Sparrows were the most abundant 
species among short-grass plots, and were present 
in consistent numbers regardless of year or burn 
condition. This species was significantly more 
abundant on unbumed plots after a wildfire in 
Montana shrubsteppe (Bock and Bock 1987), 
suggesting preference for denser vegetation in 
arid western landscapes. In contrast, lower 
numbers of Grasshopper Sparrows were detected 
on burned areas for 2 years follow ing a grassland 
