Nongame Birds of the Rocky Mountain Spruce- Fir Forests and Their Management

Spruce-fir forests in the Rocky Mountains consist mainly of Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. The breeding avifaunas in these forests show remarkable consistency in composition along a latitudinal gradient from Montana to Arizona and New Mexico, and with avian communities in the Hudsonian life zone in Washington, Oregon, and California. Woodpeckers, corvids, and seed-eating finches are the most common components. Only the Golden Eagle and a few other raptors are threatened or endangered. Few species winter in these high mountain forests. The distribution of many species is controlled primarily by the vegetation physiognomy, a variable under the control of the forest manager. Fire control and snag management will generally benefit the avifauna, whereas most forest harvesting practices adversely affect, to differing degrees~ the bird communities. It is suggested that the life-form approach to avian communities may be easily implemented in these forests. It is recommended that high elevation spruce-fir forests be minimally harvested and used as reservoirs for spruce-fir birds. Lower elevational stands should be managed for harvesting and bird diversity, with special attention given to relic stands