Wintering birds in floodplain forests- Effects of vegetation structure and landscape composition on species assemblages
Barbara Hönigsberger, University of Vienna (AT)
The importance of forest structure for shaping bird assemblages during winter is still poorly understood. Hence, bird assemblages and vegetation structure of floodplain forests in the Donau-Auen National Park were investigated in winter 2015/16. Species richness was positively related to mistletoe occurrence and the proportion of alder in the canopy. Mistletoe berries and alder seeds are a major food source for birds and the evergreen mistletoes may provide hiding spots within the otherwise leafless canopy during winter.