To understand bird species responses to edge effect, we studied changes in diversity, density and abundance of bird communities and environmental variables along an edge-interior gradient in Iran's Hyrcanian forests and observed significant differences in Simpson diversity index, Shannon diversity index, N1 and N2 indices. Bird community analysis divided bird species into two main bird groups that were either positively or negatively correlated with environmental variables. The first group

more »

... ded Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos), Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Blackbird (Turdus merula) with a positive response to edge effect and had a high correlation with variables such as ground cover and temperature. The second group consisted of Tree Creeper (Certhia familiaris), Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis), and Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) with a negative response to edge effect and a positive correlation with variables such as diameter at breast trees both living and dead. Results obtained from this study could be important in conservation and management of bird communities in the Hyrcanian forests.