(a) Mean species richness (s.e.) of birds, (b) mean abundance (s.e.) of birds and (c) mean (s.e.) population density of birds in relation to background radiation level (mR h−1) for forested locations around Chernobyl. The partial effects for radiation were (a) F1,249=55.63, r2=0.18, p<0.0001, (b) F1,247=62.07, r2=0.20, p<0.0001 and (c) F1,246=51.88, r2=0.17, p<0.0001.