Breeding Bird Communities In The Forests Of The Liard River Valley Yukon

The Yukon is a land of remarkable wilderness, diverse ecosystems, and profound beauty. It is also home to a unique assemblage of birds. As of 2002, 288 bird species have been documented in the Yukon, with 223 occurring regularly. They occupy an amazing range of habitats, from the most barren mountain peaks to lush valley bottom forests, and are an integral part of the cultural heritage of Yukon First Nations people. The vast areas of natural habitat with limited road access can make the study of birds challenging, but are key in defining the nature of birding in the Yukon. Birds of the Yukon Territory is the result of a decade-long project initiated to gather and share what is known about the Yukon's birdlife. Lavishly illustrated with 600 colour photographs and 223 hand-drawn bird illustrations, the book presents a wealth of information on bird distribution, migration and breeding chronology, nesting behaviour, and habitat use, and on conservation concerns. Two hundred and eighty-eight species of birds are documented, including 223 regular species, and 65 casual and accidental species. In compiling this meticulously researched volume, the authors consulted over 166,000 records in a database created by the Canadian Wildlife Service, with information dating back to 1861. S ections on birds in Aboriginal culture and history, and bird names in the Yukon First Nations and Inuvialuit languages, enhance the book, as do the numerous easily interpreted charts and graphs. Destined to become a basic reference work on the avifauna of the North, Birds of the Yukon Territory is a must-have for bird enthusiasts and anyone interested in the natural history of the Yukon and the North.

In the interest of biodiversity conservation, this study was designed to address gaps in grassland bird ecology.

Reports a two-year study initiated to examine the diversity of bird communities in different seral stages of the aspen ecosystem at the western end of the dry cool subzone of the sub-boreal spruce zone of the Prince Rupert Forest Region, British Columbia. Breeding birds were chosen for the study since they tend to stay within a relatively confined area once in their territories and are hence easier to count. The study also had the objective of identifying management indicator species that could represent the diversity of most birds likely to be affected by aspen management. Birds were counted by a modified point count method for clearcuts, sapling aspen stands, mature aspen stands, old aspen stands with century-old trees, and mixed aspen-conifer stands. Data were analyzed using a detrended correspondence analysis ordination procedure, and habitat relationships of the 16 most abundant species were analyzed by multiple regression.