Birds on farmsteads - effects of landscape and farming characteristics

Abstract

The farmstead, a neglected habitat in studies of birds, is an alternative to other non-cropped habitats in modern farmland. This study aimed at identifying farmstead and landscape parameters that affect the bird fauna in 16 farmsteads in south central Sweden. Bird community composition (RDA) and abundance of several farmland bird species differed significantly between the two studied regions (Uppsala and Heby). We interpret this result as an effect of the degree of openness of the forest-farmland landscape, as no other habitat variables differed between farmsteads in the two adjacent regions. The area of buildings on the farmstead affected bird community composition, total bird density and several abundant species nesting in buildings. Farm production type (livestock or arable production) influenced community composition, species richness and abundance of single species and also total bird abundance. Most of the 42 bird species found in the farmsteads are common in Sweden, but 26 of the species have declined nationally in Sweden since 1975. Farmsteads deserve more attention in conservation of birds in farmland landscapes.