Multiscale impacts of forest degradation through browsing by hyperabundant moose (Alces alces) on songbird assemblages

Intense moose browsing in Gros Morne National Park (GMNP) alters songbird assemblages at multiple spatial scales, with early successional species like the mourning warbler thriving in moose-browsed landscapes while forest interior specialists and generalists decline. The study used point count surveys and vegetation data to model bird occurrence across local, neighbourhood, and landscape scales, revealing that moose-induced habitat changes could lead to long-term declines in specialist and generalist species if browsing pressure persists. Management strategies aimed at reducing moose density are recommended to preserve the park's characteristic forest structure and bird assemblages.

Rae, L. F., Whitaker, D. M., & Warkentin, I. G. (2013). Multiscale impacts of forest degradation through browsing by hyperabundant moose (Alces alces) on songbird assemblages. Diversity and Distributions, 20(4), 382–395. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12133