Type: journal article

Article abstract: As the number of individuals participating in outdoor recreational activities increases, the number of recreational trails crossing natural areas also increases. Because a primary goal of natural-lands managers is to ensure the coexistence of wildlife and humans, developing an understanding of how recreational activities effect wildlife becomes necessary. We investigated the influence of recreational trails on breeding bird communities in forest and mixed-grass prairie ecosystems in Boulder County, CO during 1994 and 1995. Species composition and rates of nest predation and Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) were examined near and away from existing recreational trails and control transects. Species composition was altered due to the presence of trails in both ecosystems, Generalist species were more abundant near trails while some species were displaced away from trails. Within the grassland ecosystem, birds were less likely to nest near trails. Within both ecosystems, rate of nest predation was greater near trails. Within the forest ecosystem, rate of nest parasitism was not influenced by trails. No nest parasitism was found in the grassland ecosystem. Our results have important implications for the design and implementationof management policies regarding the coexistence of recreationists and wildlife.