Across several national parks in the Sierra Nevada, researchers found that the populations of some bird species grew rapidly after fires and remained higher even decades later.

Scientists already knew that some bird species could thrive in burn scars, dubbing them “post-fire specialists.” But a new study, published in the journal Fire Ecology, provided a rare look at the longer-term impacts of fires on a group of common bird species.

The researchers only investigated low-to moderate-intensity burns, such as those associated with prescribed fire. Previous research suggests high-intensity megafires, fueled by climate change and fire suppression, can threaten birds.

“It was really exciting to us to see how rapid and how enduring the response of birds was to these fires in these national parks,” Chris Ray, a research ecologist for the Petaluma-based nonprofit, the Institute for Bird Populations, and the study’s lead author, told SFGATE. “For most of the 42 species we looked at, population density actually increased a bit after low to moderate severity fires.”

Story Date: October 23, 2025