[MAIPC] birds which use American chestnuts for food?

Richard Gardner rtgardner3 at yahoo.com
Wed Jun 17 04:35:41 PDT 2015


I am working on a survey of American chestnut trees along the Appalachian Trail between Rt. 183 and Hawk Mountain Road.  I am seeing a corridor effect which may be related to bird migration in the apparent seed spread of these trees.  What fall migrating birds (and non-migrating) use American chestnuts for food?  In @ 60 miles of AT and related trails I expect to find 1500+ trees of every age group from seedlings to reproducing adults.  The area on the left of the Hamburg Reservoir has a huge grove.  So far I have found at least 5 groves total.  There are many trees in bloom when walking towards Port Clinton from Rt. 183 on the dirt road which runs along the ridge. An article in the Northeastern Naturalist has blue jays as one source of seed spread.  Are corvid family members broadly chestnut eaters?  What about ruffed grouse and turkeys?  The spread of trees is too large to be just mammals, even though they are probably part of the short distance spread. I will complete this census next week and post the general data if interested.  I plan at least two or three articles from what I am finding including at least one scientific.                                                                              Richard Gardner
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