Red-cockaded woodpecker male/female foraging differences in young forest stands.
ABSTRACT The Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) is an endangered species endemic to pine (Pinus spp.) forests of the southeastern United States. I examined Red-cockaded Woodpecker foraging behavior to learn if there were male/female differences at the Savannah River Site, South Carolina. The study was conducted in largely young forest stands (,50 years of age) in contrast to earlier foraging behavior studies that focused on more mature forest. The Redcockaded Woodpecker at the Savannah River site is intensively managed including monitoring, translocation, and installation of artificial cavity inserts for roosting and nesting. Over a 3-year period, 6,407 foraging observations covering seven woodpecker family groups were recorded during all seasons of the year and all times of day. The most striking differences occurred in foraging method (males usually scaled [45% of observations] and females mostly probed [47%]),substrate used (females had a stronger preference [93%] for the trunk than males [79%]), and foraging height from the ground (mean 6 SE foraging height was higher for males [11.1 6 0.5 m] than females [9.8 6 0.5 m]). Niche overlap between males and females was lowest for substrate (85.6%) and foraging height (87.8%), and highest for tree species (99.0%), tree condition (98.3%), and tree height (96.4%). Both males and females preferred to forage in older, large pine trees. The habitat available at the Savannah River Site was considerably younger than at most other locations, but the pattern of male/female habitat partitioning observed was similar to that documented elsewhere within the range attesting to the species’ ability to adjust behaviorally.
- Research Organization:
- USDA Forest Service, Savannah River, New Ellenton, SC (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Environment, Safety and Health (EH)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AI09-00SR22188
- OSTI ID:
- 983701
- Report Number(s):
- na; ISSN 1938-5447; 10-09-P; TRN: US201022%%541
- Journal Information:
- The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, Vol. 122, Issue 2; ISSN 1559-4491
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ENDANGERED SPECIES
FEMALES
FORAGE
FORESTS
HABITAT
MALES
MONITORING
PINES
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SEASONS
SOUTH CAROLINA
SUBSTRATES
TRANSLOCATION
TREES
BIRDS
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
Picoides borealis
endangered species
pine forests
southeastern United States
foraging behavior
male/female foraging differences