First data on the bird community living in three Regional Forests of the Aveto Natural Park (East Ligurian Apennines)

Abstract

During the 2007 breeding season, a sampling scheme us- ing a point-count method in the Zatta, Lame and Penna regional forests, has resulted in 482 birds belonging to 26 species. Abies forests give lower numbers in species richness, whilst higher values of both richness and diversity are recorded along the ridge meadows. Factors influencing bird community probably respond mainly to tree structure (strong proximity between individual trees, paucity of natural gaps and scrub vegetation), but north exposition of these mountain forests seems also play a role.