Breeding bird species richness associated with a powerline right-of-way in a northern mixed forest landscape

The potential habitat fragmentation and edge effects caused by transmission powerline rights-of-way were examined in a study of local bird species richness and abundance. These variables were measured in a forest, right-of-way, and forest edge in a mixed forest in Quebec. The forest and the edge showed higher average breeding bird species richness, cumulative richness, and Hurlbert richness index as compared with the right-of-way. There were no observed differences in abundance between the edge and forest. Ten species were more abundant in the forest, and nine more abundant in the edge than in the right-of-way. Three species were more abundant in the right-of-way. One species was found only in the edge.