Bird Community and Vegetation Structure in a Forest with a High Density of Sika Deer

Abstract

Bird community and vegetation structure were surveyed in a forest, dominated by Fagus crenata, Acer shirasawanum and Picea jezoensis, with a high density of sika deer Cervus nippon in Ohdaigahara, central Japan, during the breeding season from 1994 to 1998. The average density and number of species were 409 pairs/100 ha and 20 species, respectively, and were stable throughout the five years. The most dominant species was Parus ater, followed by Parus major, Sitta europaea, Troglodytes troglo-dytes and Tarsiger cyanarus. Birds nesting in undergrowth were absent and those in low-canopy were low in density and number of species. This result was related to the small amount of foliage for their nesting sites, which were overgrazed by deer.