Breeding bird populations of Kentish sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) coppice in relation to age and structure of the coppice.
Abstract
Annual counts were made over 10 yr in a 22-ha coppice in which all stages from freshly-cut coppice to growth >19 yr were represented. Bird species varied in their preferred stages of coppice growth and in their habitat amplitude. Three stages of coppice development were distinguished: 0-3 yr (establishment), 4-10 yr (canopy closure), and 11+ yr (maturation). Diversity of birds decreased with age, with a marked decrease at canopy closure.