Patterns of breeding bird abundance in relation to logging in western Labrador

We enumerated breeding birds by territorial mapping on harvested (scarified following burning and clear-cutting, clearcut following burning, and two intensities of selective logging, 39 and 71% residual forest canopy) and unharvested forests in western Labrador. Clear-cutting and postclearcut scarification substantially altered the suite of birds occupying forested areas. Logging that conserved 39% of the wood volume decreased some forest bird densities and increased some early successional bird densities in approximately equal proportions. Logging that conserved 71% of forest cover increased bird densities by increasing some early successional bird densities without reducing forest bird densities. Given the rarity of productive forests in western Labrador, <5% of the forest base, if they are logged, then at least 71% of the wood volume should be conserved.