This research project will investigate young forest bird species responses to experimental silvicultural foresttreatments designed to improve northern hardwood regeneration and recruitment

This federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the CFDA 15.608 Fish and Aquatic Conservation - Aquatic Invasive Species program will support a $240,089.17 research project conducted by the American Bird Conservancy. The project aims to investigate the responses of young forest bird species, including the threatened Golden-winged Warbler and Eastern Whip-poor-will, to experimental silvicultural treatments designed to improve northern hardwood forest regeneration. The research will assess site-level occupancy and abundance of these young forest birds, as well as mature forest focal species, within the experimental treatment areas. Findings will be used to refine best management practices for bird species utilizing young forest habitats and incorporated into outreach materials for wildlife and forestry professionals. Key deliverables include scientific publications, a webinar on best management practices, and completing data collection, processing, and analysis for the avian community assessments.

We will use research insights torefine or create best management practices for bird species that utilize young forest. Focal species includegoldenwinged warbler gwwa and eastern whippoorwill ewpw both listed as threatened in michigan as well as american woodcock ruffed grouse and blackbilled cuckoo. Additional species of interest to this study include wood thrush blackthroated blue warbler ovenbird and canada warbler these species are known to use mature northern hardwood forest for nesting and use younger forest conditions during the postfledging period.objectives:1. Assess sitelevel i.e. 30AC occupancy and abundance of gwwa ewpw and other young forest birds YFB in the experimental silviculture sites. Additionally assess occupancy and abundance of mature forest bird focal species in the experimental silviculture sites. Composition of the aggregate bird community utilizing the experimental silviculture sites will also be documented.2. Evaluate the effects of timber harvest system and understory treatment on the occupancy and abundance of gwwa ewpw and other yfbs.3. Incorporate insights about avian community response from research findings into michigan department of natural resources and michigan state university best management practices guidelines and disseminate our findings through scientific publication webinars field training and extension materials for wildlife and forestry management professionals and private landowners. Provide guidance for higher level forestwildlife management policy and planning efforts.deliverables:1. Data collection data processing data analysis and management will be completed for all birds. 2. Present a webinar on best management practices for gwwa and other yfbs to state land management agencies federal agencies and habitatfocused nonprofits in the great lakes region.3. Produce 23 peerreviewed publications. Likely topics of the peerreviewed publications include 1 relationships between vegetation structure and bird species of conversation concern 2 deer browsing and forest harvesting interactions related to bird community and focal species use 3 optimizing silviculture for forest products and bird habitat for bird species of concern.