Cavity Nesting Birds


Summary of Geographic Patterns

Species Richness

Since most cavity nesters occupy woodland habitats, the geographic patterns to their species richness is similar to woodland birds. The largest numbers of cavity nesters occur in eastern North America and along the Pacific coast, while the fewest occur in the Great Plains and Great Basin regions.

Population Trends

Positive trends generally prevail across eastern and central North America as well as the northern Rocky Mountains, although local declines are apparent in Arkansas and portions of adjacent states as well as northern Florida. Negative trends are predominant from the Pacific Northwest south into California and in most Great Basin and southwestern states.


Discussion

Cavity nesters are generally members of two other groups of birds with generally positive trends, woodland birds and permanent residents. Hence, the fact that 62% of its species have positive trends is not surprising. The prevalence of increasing trends for cavity nesters in eastern and central North America is consistent with the geographic pattern of trends for woodland birds and permanent residents.