Songbird diversity in clearcuts with and without a riparian buffer strip

Equitability, richness, and diversity of breeding bird communities were monitored on four watersheds in 1983 and 1986. The community parameters were similar among all watersheds before treatment of two of them with different harvest methods in 1983. Bird abundance increased 21% and 23% on the two clearcuts during the second growing season after cutting. Bird species richness and bird diversity were highest on an uncut control area of mature forest and a best management practices harvest unit with a riparian buffer strip. Bird diversity and species equitability were lowest on a logger9s choice unit without a buffer strip. Clearcutting by best management practices provided habitat for some species of mature forest birds that logger9s choice clearcutting did not.