Fire severity influences on cavity nester density and habitat selection in burned ponderosa pine forests

Large wildfires are common in many western coniferous forests, and these fires often burn patchily, producing high severity burn areas interspersed with areas that burned under low or moderate severities.  Burn severity might influence habitat selection, reproduction, and/or densities of woodpeckers that utilize burned forests.  Our objectives were to examine nesting densities and species-specific habitat selection of woodpeckers in a recently burned region of the Black Hills.  Post-fire nesting densities were high in areas dominated by high severity, and for some species such as Red-headed Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), Northern Flickers (Colaptes auratus), and Hairy Woodpeckers (Picoides villosus), factors such as diameter at breast height (dbh), burn severity, and distance to unburned patches were important for nest-site selection.  Specifically, these species preferred nesting in large snags in areas with high severity effects.  Our data indicate that nesting densities of many woodpeckers in the Black Hills are lower than what has been recorded elsewhere following recent, large wildfires in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests.  Management activities that include high severity components and retention of large snags in the landscape will likely benefit these woodpecker species.