Breeding birds of an ancient bristlecone pine stand in east central Nevada

Authors

Dean E. Medin, USDA Forest Service, Intermountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, Ogden, Utah

Abstract

This paper describes features of the breeding bird population of a Great Basin ancient bristlecone pine stand on Wheeler Peak in White Pine County, east central Nevada. The bird population was determined by spot-mapping methods on a 20-ha plot during June and July 1981. The density of breeding birds was 82 pairs per 40 ha. Fourteen species were territorial. The most abundant species were the Dark-eyed Junco, Mountain Chickadee, Mountain Bluebird, and Townsend's Solitaire. Other common breeding species included the Cassin's Finch, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Siskin, and Dusky Flycatcher. There were 410 individual breeding birds per km². When expressed as standing crop biomass, the Townsend's Solitaire was the predominant species, followed by the Dark-eyed Junco, American Robin, Mountain Bluebird, and Northern Flicker. Total standing crop biomass was 95 g/ha. None of the breeding birds were restricted to the bristlecone pine stand. The structure of the breeding bird community in the bristlecone pine forest compared best to those of the Rocky Mountain and Northern Boreal forest regions.

Recommended Citation

Medin, Dean E. (1984) "Breeding birds of an ancient bristlecone pine stand in east central Nevada," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 44: No. 2, Article 8.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol44/iss2/8