Effects of forest stand size on species diversity and relative abundance of wintering birds in Delaware County, Indiana : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

I investigated the effect of forest stand size on the relative abundance and diversity of wintering birds. Surveys of wintering birds were conducted at three Ball State University woodlots of differing sizes. Species richness and relative abundance of wintering birds were calculated for each woodlot. Species richness was found to be greatest in the largest woodlot, while relative abundance of fifty percent of the species seen was greatest in the smallest woodlot. The greater species richness in the larger woodlot was attributed to the larger area requirements of many species. Birds that require large areas for feeding can not survive in small forest fragments. The greater relative abundance of most species observed in the smaller woodlot was attributed to a number of factors, including easier detection due to woodlot size, presence of birdfeeders, and increased edge habitat in smaller woodlots. Additional studies concerning the effect of forest woodlot size on wintering birds are needed.Honors CollegeThesis (B.S.