Population trend status of Ontario's forest birds

Abstract

Recent population trends of Ontario's forest birds were assessed by integrating results across 8 bird surveys to provide an estimate of trend status for all of Ontario, and for 2 forested regions of Ontario separately. Surveys with mid- and longterm trends were relied on most extensively in this assessment. Comparison of the first and second Breeding Bird Atlases was especially important for estimating trends in northern forests, but overall reliability of status assessments in the north was considered poor due to limited coverage and significant potential for bias. Trends of most forest birds were stable or positive at the Ontario-wide scale, with trends at least as positive as forest birds elsewhere in North America, and showing more positive trends overall than birds of agricultural landscapes. Nevertheless, individual species trends ranged from large declines to large increases, and several forest birds have been added to Species at Risk lists largely because of population declines. There were few differences in trend status among forest birds grouped by habitat association or migratory guild, although all 5 aerial insectivore species have declined. Better monitoring coverage of the boreal will be needed if improved reliability of trends is desired in the near future.