Patterns of avian tree usage in the primeval temperate forests of
Białowieża National Park
Abstract
Quantitative evidence on tree space segregation among avian assemblages
in temperate primeval forests is currently lacking. Therefore, our study
aimed to determine the species composition of birds across different
parts of trees. We investigated whether species richness differs between
positions on a tree and how these positions influence the probability of
occurrence of specific bird species. To achieve this, we observed birds
within permanent plots in Białowieża National Park (BNP) and analyzed
the distribution patterns of birds within six vertical and three
horizontal sectors of trees. The compositional dissimilarity between
tree sectors was assessed using detrended correspondence analysis. We
employed generalized linear mixed-effects models to examine differences
in species richness and the probability of occurrence for ten of the
most frequently observed species across tree sectors. The majority of
the BNP bird community was associated with the branches, while other
birds occupied the tree crown trunks and the understory trunks. Species
richness was the highest on branches in the crown part of trees,
followed by lower species richness on trunks associated with crowns, and
the lowest richness was observed on branches and trunks in the
understory. These results indicate that branches in the middle and lower
parts of the crown serve as avian diversity hotspots on trees, likely
due to the abundance of various food sources. The differing patterns of
tree usage by specific bird species may suggest the avoidance of
interspecific competition for resources. Importantly, our study provides
a pristine state for future investigations.