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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 15(1)

Seed predation by birds shortly after a wildfire in a Corsican pine forest

Jean-Claude Thibault A C and Roger Prodon B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Parc naturel régional de Corse, rue Major Lambroschini, B.P. 417, F-20184 Ajaccio, Corsica, France.

B Biogéographie et Écologie des Vertébrés, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Université Montpellier II, c.c. 94, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.

C Corresponding author. Email: jncldthibault@aol.com

International Journal of Wildland Fire 15(1) 81-86 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF04037
Submitted: 9 August 2004  Accepted: 22 September 2005   Published: 6 March 2006

Abstract

We examined the response of birds to a severe summer wildfire in a Corsican pine forest during the first months following the disturbance. Only seed-eating species visited the burnt areas in large numbers. While certain trunks or branches were still burning, numerous birds, among them the coal tit Parus ater and the Corsican nuthatch Sitta whiteheadi, were attracted by the large amount of pine seeds made available by the opening of the cones under the action of heat. The number of seed-harvesting birds declined afterwards. We discuss how seed hoarding by tits and nuthatches enabled these resident birds to survive during the first winter after the fire in a burnt environment where seeds remained the only potential food source.

Additional keywords: Corsica; fire; hoarding; Parus ater; Pinus nigra laricio; seed-eating; Sitta whiteheadi.


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