Influence of the surrounding landscape on wintering bird communities of old-field habitats

During the winters of 1989 and 1990, the influence of the surrounding habitat matrix on bird communities wintering in 20 utility rights-of-way (ROW) in the piedmont of Georgia, USA was measured. In particular, the relative influence of the matrix was measured by statistically modeling the relationship of birds to within-plot vegetation, and landscape matrix. Matrix habitats within 500 m of each study plot were quantified from aerial photographs. Variables describing variation in more distant portions of the landscape matrix indicate that landscape influence extended beyond habitats immediately adjacent to the study plots.