SPARE THAT SNAG!
..what you may or may not know about those dead trees you see in the forest!
snags are used for:
-protection from weather (many groups)
-communications - singing (song birds), drumming (woodpeckers),
calling (squirrels, jays, birds of prey) and sight recognition posts.
-resting
-roosting (birds of prey, turkey, bandtail pigeon)
-food storage (small mammals and birds)
-exterior nesting (birds of prey, brown creepers)
-interior (cavity) nesting - (song birds, woodpeckers, squirrels)
-hunting perches (birds of prey, flycatchers)
in Oregon & Washington:
74 + species use snags for reproduction
44 + species use snags for feeding
187 + species (birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles) use dead and down logs for cover, feeding, reproduction and/or other survival needs
cavity nesters..
Primary cavity nesters - animals in this group can construct or make their own holes in snags. Examples include woodpeckers and nuthatches. Some primary cavity nesters excavate more than one hole annually. Many of these cavities are subsequenty used by other wildlife.
Secondary cavity nesters - animals in this group utilize old abandoned holes which were excavated by primary cavity nesters. Secondary cavity nesting birds include
bluebirds, swallows, owls, kestrels and several flycatchers.
These animals are dependent upon primary cavity nesters to provide them with suitable nesting holes from year to year.
home for wildlife:
Snags provide cavity homes for many kinds of wildlife--
9 birds of prey
11 kinds of woodpeckers
7 kinds of ducks
20+kinds of songbirds
8 kinds of bats
15+small mammals (squirrels, mice, weasels, opossum, rats)
4 kinds of furbearers
7+ kinds of amphibians and reptiles
many kinds of plants and invertebrates
the cycle of life:
Each thing in nature has its place and part to play in the ever-changing cycle of life and death. Snags and the wildlife that utilize them each play one or more roles in the "life cycle." Often the process which creates the snag, such as death-dealing insect attacks, provides food for the wildlife species that eventually utilize the snag for a home. Over 40 snag-associated species of birds and mammals feed on insects, thus helping to keep them in check. Most birds of prey that utilize snags live on small mammals such as mice, rabbits, and gophers, which are often destroyers of young trees. So the snag, often the result of destructive insects, plays a role in the control of the other animals in the cycle of life.
meeting wildlife needs:
Habitat requirements of the various wildlife that use snags for nesting vary. Although snags may present some degree of fire and safety hazard, management quidelines must be tailored to fit the local needs of the particular kind of wildlife found in your area. For this reason you should contact the Forest Service office in your local area before cutting snags for fuel wood.
