FIRE EFFECTS AND USE
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Scolopax minor | American Woodcock 



DIRECT FIRE EFFECTS ON ANIMALS : 
Depending on season, fire could destroy American woodcock nests.


HABITAT RELATED FIRE EFFECTS : 
Fires appear to have a beneficial effect on woodcock habitat.  The most
notable benefit is the reduction of ground vegetation, which facilitates
foraging beneath the soil surface [6].  Fires can also raise the pH of
soils, which can favor earthworm abundance [20].  One negative impact of
fire may be the drying out of soil, which would drive earthworms deeper
into the ground.  Fire can also destroy important hiding and roosting
cover [6,17].

Woodcock behavior studies have shown that woodcocks prefer burned to
unburned areas for foraging, and often times are attracted to areas even
as fires still burn [10,19,22].


FIRE USE : 
Fires can be used to clear vegetation for better foraging opportunities,
as well as raise soil pH, which may promote earthworm abundance.
However, adequate cover must be maintained for nesting, brood rearing,
and roosting.


REFERENCES : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Scolopax minor | American Woodcock