The Unseen World Overhead
An entirely different world exists in the crowns of these tall trees.
The Marbled Murrelet, a robin-sized ocean bird, nests mostly in old-growth trees. These old trees have large limbs with thick lichens and mosses which the birds use for nesting. These secretive birds are rarely seen because they fly out to the ocean at daybreak and return near dusk.
Flying squirrels may be abundant in the redwoods , but are seldom seen because they are nocturnal and their nests are high in the trees.
There are plants and animals that may spend their entire life in the forest canopy. As scientists study forest canopies, new discoveries may reveal plants and animals that were unknown before. For example, there are populations of rodents and insects that live their entire lives without ever coming to the ground.
Red tree voles, for instance, are highly specialized rodents. They only live in tall, old-growth Douglas-firs, and the trees’ needles are their only source of food. The uppermost canopy layer is the powerhouse of these forests. A large percentage of the photosynthesis takes place at this level.
