Conifer plantations consistently act as barriers to movement in a deciduous forest songbird: A translocation experiment

► Ovenbirds were translocated in contrasting landscapes to assess matrix resistance. ► Individuals had the vagility and navigational ability to return easily. ► Spruce plantations were twice as resistant to movements as deciduous forest. ► Reluctance to move across non-habitat seems to explain the low permeability of spruce plantations.