FIRE EFFECTS AND USE
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Bald Eagle 



DIRECT FIRE EFFECTS ON ANIMALS : 
Bald eagles have continued nesting during wildfire and returned to the
nest the following year [24].


HABITAT RELATED FIRE EFFECTS : 
Because forest structure (density and height class) determines avian
community composition, changes in forest structure lead to changes in
avian communities [30,31]. A stand-replacing fire will, therefore,
likely change bald eagle use of a forest.  Fires that destroy old-growth
forest can reduce eagle populations [28].  If low-intensity,
litter-reducing fires are not allowed to burn in old-growth forests,
stand-replacing, high-intensity crown fires can result [6].  

Fires create snags, which are important perching and nesting sites for
bald eagles.  Snags can possibly increase potential for lightning-caused
fire when standing, and when fallen, they increase fuel loading [33].
These increased potentials may be hazardous in areas where fire control
for maintaining bald eagle populations is necessary.  There have been no
studues to determine if the hazards of snags outweigh their benefits to
eagles.  Snag attrition rates have been listed for lodgepole pine
forests following fire [33].  Old-growth eastern white pine (Pinus
strobus) forests in Ontario continually recruit snags in the absence of
fire because of their uneven-aged structure [32].  Catastrophic fires in
mature and old-growth forests can create even-aged conditions which may
stop continuous snag recruitment [32].


FIRE USE : 
Fire can be used to reduce litter build-up, control disease, remove less
vigorous species, and allow more vigorous trees to reach maturity, thus
providing old-growth habitat for bald eagles [15].


REFERENCES : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Bald Eagle