FIRE EFFECTS AND USE
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Parus atricapillus | Black-Capped Chickadee 



DIRECT FIRE EFFECTS ON ANIMALS : 
There is no information in the published literature concerning direct
mortality of black-capped chickadees from fire.  It is likely that, like
most birds, black-capped chickadees can easily escape fire; any
substantial mortalilty is likely to occur only when severe fires occur
during the early breeding season.


HABITAT RELATED FIRE EFFECTS : 
The most likely change due to fire in black-capped chickadee habitat is
with respect to snag density (nest site availability) and food
availability.  Niemi [22] suggested that chickadee populations generally
decrease following fire, probably due to a decrease in habitat
complexity and available food.

In northern Rocky Mountain conifer forests that were severely burned
within 1 to 2 years of the study, black-capped chickadees were detected
on 13 of 33 sites.  In a survey of bird habitat studies in northern
Rocky Mountain dryland habitats, segregated by habitat type,
black-capped chickadees were found on early successional (less than 10
years old) burned forest (48% of 23 studies), and mid-successional (10
to 40 years old) burned forest (40% of 5 studies).  Studies reporting
observations of birds in cottonwood bottomlands had the highest
proportion of black-capped chickadee observations (64% of 21 studies).
Black-capped chickadees had a habitat preference average of 9.71 out of
15 possible habitats (if this figure were 1, a bird species is
restricted to only 1 of the 15 habitats, if the figure were 15, the
species has shown absolutely no preference for any of the available
habitat types) [39].

In northern Minnesota the Little Sioux fire burned 15,000 acres (6,072
ha) of northern hardwoods and pine forests.  Black-capped chickadees
were common on unburned stands, but in postfire years 2, 3, and 4 they
were uncommon on all burned study sites [22].

In north-central Colorado a severe 1966 wildfire in lodgepole pine
(Pinus contorta) with subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) and Engelmann
spruce (Picea engelmannii) resulted in widespread crown mortality.  In
1974 there were many standing dead trees on the burned site.  There were
no black-capped chickadees observed on the burned site, but there were a
few in the ecotone and in adjacent unburned lodgepole stands [25].


FIRE USE : 
NO-ENTRY


REFERENCES : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Parus atricapillus | Black-Capped Chickadee