O12 West Orange Butler Presentation April 2025

3. Predictions about how the proposed development will change the bird community at the site. Short version: …interior species are likely to decline or disappear, and edge/open-habitat species are likely to increase or appear newly.

3. Predictions about how the proposed development will change the bird community at the site. Interior and area-sensitive species decline with forest patch size: Not sensitive to forest size Sensitive to forest size Robbins, Chandler S., et al. “Habitat Area Requirements of Breeding Forest Birds of the Middle Atlantic States.” Wildlife Monographs, no. 103, 1989, pp. 3–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3830692. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

3. Predictions about how the proposed development will change the bird community at the site. Robbins, Chandler S., et al. “Habitat Area Requirements of Breeding Forest Birds of the Middle Atlantic States.” Wildlife Monographs, no. 103, 1989, pp. 3–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3830692. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025. ~58 acres ~5 acres Example: Splitting the core forest as proposed drops the likelihood of Wood Thrush occupancy by 30% or more.

Interior and area-sensitive species decline with forest patch size: Similar effects of small patch-size across a diversity of area- sensitive species Robbins, Chandler S., et al. “Habitat Area Requirements of Breeding Forest Birds of the Middle Atlantic States.” Wildlife Monographs, no. 103, 1989, pp. 3–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3830692. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Interior and area-sensitive species decline with forest patch size: Common and exotic invasive bird species will increase in occurrence and abundance. Robbins, Chandler S., et al. “Habitat Area Requirements of Breeding Forest Birds of the Middle Atlantic States.” Wildlife Monographs, no. 103, 1989, pp. 3–34. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3830692. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.

Threats to interior species increase as forest size decreases. Wood Thrush Hoover, Jeffrey P.; Brittingham, Margaret C.; and Goodrich, Laurie J. (1995) "Effects of Forest Patch Size on Nesting Success of Wood Thrushes," The Auk: Vol. 112: Iss. 1, Article 13.

Threats to interior species increase as forest size decreases. Brown-headed Cowbirds have better access to host nests in smaller forest patches. parasitic eggs

Summary of this presentation: 1. West Essex Highlands appears to support a mix of resident and migratory bird species typical of the habitat and region 2. Area-sensitive species will likely be negatively affected by the proposed development due to well-known edge effects on many species of birds.