A model of habitat suitability for Krueper's Nuthatch Sitta krueperi

Abstract

Capsule The presence of Krueper's Nuthatches can be predicted by variables describing topography, vegetation structure and tree species, and knowledge of these can be used to determine sites for conservation action. Aim To analyse the relationships between habitat suitability, as characterized by the presence or absence of Krueper's Nuthatches, and different predictor variables of forest and landscape diversity by building a logistic regression model. Methods We investigated the influence of 11 environmental variables on the occurrence of Krueper's Nuthatches. Logistic regression, a particular case of glm with binomial error distribution, was used to identify vegetation and topographical variables that provide an explanation for the presence/absence of Krueper's Nuthatches in the study region of South Anatolia, Turkey. Results Tree height, and north and southeast directions of slope were positively correlated with the probability of occurrence of Krueper's Nuthatches. Altitude, the presence of Red Pine and Syrian Fir trees, the presence/absence of bushes, and southwest direction of slope were all negatively associated with the occurrence of Krueper's Nuthatches. Conclusion The constructed habitat model could be used to predict locations suitable for the creation of reservoirs for the conservation of Krueper's Nuthatches in this region of southern Turkey. © 2011 British Trust for Ornithology.