SLASH-AND-BURN SHIFTING AGRICULTURE AND BIRD COMMUNITIES IN LIBERIA, WEST AFRICA

Vegetation structure and bird communities were characterized for three early secondary forest habitats near the town of Sinje, Liberia, West Africa. The habitats included a current farm (CF), a farm that had undergone two years of regrowth (RF), and a farm that had undergone seven years of regrowth (OF). Comparisons of vegetation structure among the three habitats indicated that as regrowth proceeds vegetation becomes taller and fills in open spaces but does not become more dense. Bird community comparisons showed that total species, unique species, mean density, and species diversity increase with increased time of regrowth. Proportions of resident, regular, and irregular species did not differ among the three habitats. Most species in all habitats foraged in medium-high vegetation, were foliage gleaners, and used insects as food. Bird communities were most similar between the CF and RF habitats, and least similar between the CF and OF habitats. The Sinje bird communities were compared with those of three habitats in the Mt Nimba region of Liberia. There was considerable similarity between resident bird communities of the OF habitat and a Mt Nimba second-growth habitat of similar age, and also between the RF habitat and a Mt Nimba grassland habitat. Ecologically, most of the species in the Sinje habitats were generalists with the proportion of secondary forest specialists increasing with increased time of regrowth. Very few species of primary forest specialists occurred in the Sinje early regrowth habitats.