Temporal patterns in use of an Iowa woodlot during the autumn bird migration

Migration is an important part of many temperate bird species' annual life history. We used a time-point census method to describe the changes in bird communities during the autumn migration in central Iowa. Site selection within a second-growth forest varied significantly based on diet and migration habits of birds. Temporal changes in individual activity and species presence show preferences that may be related to availability of fruit. We discuss the effect of the invasive shrub Rosa multiflora on bird abundances on both temporal and spatial scales.