{"id":42,"date":"2016-04-26T15:30:17","date_gmt":"2016-04-26T19:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/?page_id=42"},"modified":"2021-09-29T09:27:03","modified_gmt":"2021-09-29T13:27:03","slug":"temperate-forests","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.stateofthebirds.org\/2016\/habitats\/temperate-forests\/","title":{"rendered":"Temperate Forests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Eastern
Eastern deciduous forest in autumn. Credit: Nicholas A. Tonelli.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Diverse forests promote bird diversity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Western<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The temperate forests of North America include the maple forests of New England and the towering old-growth forests of the Pacific Northwest. In the East, there is more forest today than there was 100 years ago, yet forest stands lack the diversity of young and old trees that makes for prime bird habitat. In the West, fire is a key element influencing forests and bird habitat from Canada to Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Status: Positive trends with some concerns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Of the 144 temperatre forest bird species in the East and West, 30 are on the Watch List. About half of the birds that breed in U.S. and Canadian eastern temperate forests spend their winters in Mexican tropical evergreen forests. Some species, such as Wood Thrush, are in steep decline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eighty percent of western temperate forest birds spend the winter in western Mexican forests. These birds, such as Western Tanager, live in fire-maintained forests at both ends of their life cycle. Historically, fires were set by lightning strikes and native peoples. Today it is up to land managers to use fire to keep these forests healthy and resilient to pests and climate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n