Cox C.A. (1987) Nesting bluebirds tolerate prescribed burn (Minnesota). Restoration and Management Notes, 5, 48-48
Flame lengths were 1 m or less (click here) (thus did not reach the nest boxes). Adult bluebirds left the boxes as the fire approached. One pair hovered over their box as the fire passed underneath. Both pairs of adults returned to the boxes when the fire had passed. No eggs were harmed by this fire and there was 100% nest success (all eggs produced fledglings) for both boxes. In the area, the success rate for 23 nests was 93%.
When entering into the idea of "controlled burn" vs "prescribed burn" is to understand the intense assessment and evaluation that exists before these burns are set. The study above is from 1987 which is before scientists of the IPCC carried concern for the climate in relation to the burning of savannas. It is testament to the perfection of the science and the intense focus of protecting life in forests.
"We stand on the shoulders of our forefathers of science."
Kindly realize the intricate methodology passed down from scientist to scientist. It is a heritage to be proud of. The article below is from 2008.
Fire ecology in Laikipia, Kenya (click here)
...The S.A.F.E. (Scale and Fire Ecology) research project set out to understand how the use
of prescribed burns in Laikipia, Kenya affects the foraging ecology of wildlife. We were keen
to understand whether burning is useful for maintaining wild herbivore populations. In this
study we make the assumption that an animal’s preference for a burned area would be a good
indicator of long-term population responses: if an animal prefers burned areas, through time this
will likely translate to an increase in numbers of that species. While there have been numerous
studies generally examining how wildlife respond to burning, there has been very little consensus
on which species prefer burned areas. Therefore, we were particularly interested in testing the
ecological theories predicting that grazers of smaller body size would make use of burns more
than larger species.
While this report does not seek to be an exhaustive review of the relevant studies and
literature regarding fire ecology and grazing, we provide some of the background information,
which may be of interest to some land managers. The primary goal of this report is to discuss
how the use of fire may be a useful tool for land managers and conservationists in Laikipia,
Kenya....
