June 16, 2011 Old trees must be protected to save the homes of
more than 1,000 different bird and mammal species who nest, says
a new study from the University of British Columbia. Most
animals can't carve out their own tree holes and rely on holes
already formed. The study found that outside of North America,
most animals nest in tree holes formed by damage and decay, a
process that can take several centuries. The study, published
this month in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the
Environment, examined the holes birds and mammals were using for
nesting around the world. The research team, led by Kathy
Martin, a professor in the Faculty of Forestry at UBC, wanted to
find out how the holes were created and which species were using
them. In forests, tree holes are created either quickly by
woodpeckers or more slowly as trees age and begin to decay.
Birds like owls, songbirds and parrots, and mammals like flying
squirrels and opossums, make homes in the holes of trees because
they offer safe environments for