Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recovery
The Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) is an aerial insectivore and a cavity-nesting/roosting specialist designated as threatened in several jurisdictions. As the occurrence of suitable chimneys declines, Chimney Swifts may increasingly nest and roost in tree cavities. It is therefore important to id...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Resilience Alliance
2014-12-01
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| Series: | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.ace-eco.org/vol9/iss2/art1/ |
| _version_ | 1797970760404303872 |
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| author | Carolyn Zanchetta Douglas C. Tozer Trina M. Fitzgerald Kristyn Richardson Debbie Badzinski |
| author_facet | Carolyn Zanchetta Douglas C. Tozer Trina M. Fitzgerald Kristyn Richardson Debbie Badzinski |
| author_sort | Carolyn Zanchetta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) is an aerial insectivore and a cavity-nesting/roosting specialist designated as threatened in several jurisdictions. As the occurrence of suitable chimneys declines, Chimney Swifts may increasingly nest and roost in tree cavities. It is therefore important to identify characteristics of suitable nest or roost trees and assess their frequency of occurrence. We reviewed 59 historic and modern records of trees used by Chimney Swifts to understand characteristics of suitable nest or roost trees. Chimney Swifts used at least 13 different deciduous and coniferous tree species. All of the trees were greater than 0.5 m diameter at breast height (DBH) and were described as hollow or having cavities. Nest or roost tree height was 12.7 ± 7.0 m (mean ± SD; range: 3.6-28.0 m; n = 25) and DBH was 1.0 m ± 0.5 m (range 0.5-2.1 m; n = 21). According to our description of used trees, the number of suitably hollow Chimney Swift nest or roost trees may be two to three times higher, although still rare, in most unlogged compared to logged hardwood forests. Whether the current total supply of suitable nest or roost trees is sufficient to carry the anticipated increase in use by Chimney Swifts as chimney habitat is modified or deteriorates is unknown. Monitoring the frequency of use of tree cavities by nesting and roosting Chimney Swifts over time, and more robustly quantifying the availability of suitable tree cavities in different forest types for nesting and roosting Chimney Swifts, particularly in unlogged versus logged forests, are fruitful areas for future research. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:22:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f6c93787bcee40bca9f16a9501344306 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1712-6568 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:22:05Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Resilience Alliance |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Avian Conservation and Ecology |
| spelling | doaj.art-f6c93787bcee40bca9f16a95013443062023-01-02T08:51:53ZengResilience AllianceAvian Conservation and Ecology1712-65682014-12-0192110.5751/ACE-00677-090201677Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recoveryCarolyn Zanchetta0Douglas C. Tozer1Trina M. FitzgeraldKristyn Richardson2Debbie Badzinski3Bird Studies CanadaBird Studies CanadaBird Studies CanadaBird Studies CanadaThe Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) is an aerial insectivore and a cavity-nesting/roosting specialist designated as threatened in several jurisdictions. As the occurrence of suitable chimneys declines, Chimney Swifts may increasingly nest and roost in tree cavities. It is therefore important to identify characteristics of suitable nest or roost trees and assess their frequency of occurrence. We reviewed 59 historic and modern records of trees used by Chimney Swifts to understand characteristics of suitable nest or roost trees. Chimney Swifts used at least 13 different deciduous and coniferous tree species. All of the trees were greater than 0.5 m diameter at breast height (DBH) and were described as hollow or having cavities. Nest or roost tree height was 12.7 ± 7.0 m (mean ± SD; range: 3.6-28.0 m; n = 25) and DBH was 1.0 m ± 0.5 m (range 0.5-2.1 m; n = 21). According to our description of used trees, the number of suitably hollow Chimney Swift nest or roost trees may be two to three times higher, although still rare, in most unlogged compared to logged hardwood forests. Whether the current total supply of suitable nest or roost trees is sufficient to carry the anticipated increase in use by Chimney Swifts as chimney habitat is modified or deteriorates is unknown. Monitoring the frequency of use of tree cavities by nesting and roosting Chimney Swifts over time, and more robustly quantifying the availability of suitable tree cavities in different forest types for nesting and roosting Chimney Swifts, particularly in unlogged versus logged forests, are fruitful areas for future research.http://www.ace-eco.org/vol9/iss2/art1/aerial insectivorecavity nestingcavity roostingChimney Swift<span style="font-style: normal">Chaetura pelagic</span>ecological specializationforest managementpopulation decline. |
| spellingShingle | Carolyn Zanchetta Douglas C. Tozer Trina M. Fitzgerald Kristyn Richardson Debbie Badzinski Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recovery Avian Conservation and Ecology aerial insectivore cavity nesting cavity roosting Chimney Swift <span style="font-style: normal">Chaetura pelagic</span> ecological specialization forest management population decline. |
| title | Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recovery |
| title_full | Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recovery |
| title_fullStr | Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recovery |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recovery |
| title_short | Tree cavity use by Chimney Swifts: implications for forestry and population recovery |
| title_sort | tree cavity use by chimney swifts implications for forestry and population recovery |
| topic | aerial insectivore cavity nesting cavity roosting Chimney Swift <span style="font-style: normal">Chaetura pelagic</span> ecological specialization forest management population decline. |
| url | http://www.ace-eco.org/vol9/iss2/art1/ |
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