Although prescribed fire is increasingly being used in ponderosa pine forests as a management tool to reduce the risk of future high-severity wildfire, its effects on wildlife habitat have rarely been examined. The Birds and Burns Network was created to assist managers in planning prescribed fire projects that will reduce fuels and enhance bird habitat. Researchers have established a network of study sites across eight Western States to analyze changes in fuels, downed wood, forest structure, bird habitat, and populations of birds within 1 to 2 years of prescribed fires. Additionally, studies conducted on the Birds and Burns Network evaluate some of the ecological tradeoffs associated with managing for wildland fire, prescribed fire, or fire exclusion.