Edge effects on the distribution and abundance of birds in a southern Victorian forest

Abstract

An important consequence of habitat fragmentation for wildlife communities is the effect of an increase in the ratio of habitat edge to interior. This study compares the bird communities at forest/farmland edges and in forest interior at Bunyip State Park, Victoria. Overall, there was a significantly higher number of bird species and individuals in forest edge than in forest interior sites. The greater diversity of species at edge sites appeared to be due to an increase in forest-edge specialists, as opposed to an influx of open-country species. Four bird species: the white-throated treecreeper (Cormobates leucophaeus), the superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus), the grey shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica) and the grey fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa) were significantly more abundant in edge sites. There were no species that were significantly more abundant in interior sites. Differences between the bird communities in edge and interior sites were attributed to increased foraging opportunities in the open country adjacent to forest edges.