AVIAN NEST PREDATION IN CLEARCUTS, FORESTS, AND EDGES IN A FOREST-DOMINATED LANDSCAPE

Numerous nest predation studies have been conducted, but few have been representative of forest-dominated landscapes or early successional forest stages. Thus, we examined the rates of predation on artificial ground nests in a forested landscape in both clearcuts and the adjoining forest. We placed artificial nests containing Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) eggs every 15 m on transects perpendicular to clearcut-forest edges. Nests were exposed for 7 days in early July 1989 and for 14 days each in June and July 1990. We placed artificial shrub nests (1-2 m above ground) along the forest edge and in the forest interior in July 1990. Predation rates were higher (P < 0.001) for forest nests than for clearcut nests. Neither clearcut size nor forest react size exhibited a consistent relationship with predation intensity. Distance to edge had no apparent effect on predation of ground nests. However, the predation rate of shrub nests on the edge was higher (P < 0.025) than for ground nests on the edge and ground and shrub nests in the forest interior. Analyses of vegetation surrounding nests suggested that cover was negatively associated with predation rates in forests, and positively associated in clearcuts. Because our findings are quite different from those obtained in agricultural landscapes, we advise caution when extrapolating results from nest predation studies in one type of landscape to a different landscape type.