Predicting the Effects of Cerulean Warbler, Dendroica cerulea Management on Eastern Ontario Bird Species

Abstract

Single-species habitat management strategies are often undertaken without explicit consideration of their effects on the larger community. Here we explore the potential effects of managing eastern Ontario deciduous forests for the Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) by examining its potential as a biodiversity indicator species and as an umbrella species. Our results indicate that the Cerulean Warbler would not be an effective biodiversity indicator, as its distribution across the studied landscape did not coincide with areas of high avian species richness. However, the Cerulean Warbler may be effective as an umbrella species for the maintenance of populations of other canopy-nesting species that require mature deciduous forest habitats. It is hoped that the conclusions reached in Ontario, while perhaps not directly transferable to all parts of the breeding range, encourage other Cerulean Warbler researchers to ask similar questions in their study areas.