Hairy and White-headed Woodpecker Nestling Provisioning In Managed Ponderosa Pine Forests
Evaluating rates of nestling provisioning by adult birds provides insight into foraging strategies and reproductive effort. In most biparental avian species, both males and females provision the young, although this task is not always shared equally between sexes. In woodpeckers (Picidae), biparental care is thought to be necessary to successfully raise offspring, resulting in social monogamy for most woodpecker species. Unlike other avian groups, such as passerines, where females generally invest more than males in raising offspring, male woodpeckers contribute significantly to raising you
Assessing Annual Survival of White-headed Woodpeckers in Managed Ponderosa Pine Stands
In Washington, the White-headed Woodpecker (Dryobates albolarvatus) is listed as a species of concern because of its association with old-growth ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests. In 2011, we began a color-marking study of White-headed Woodpeckers in managed stands dominated by ponderosa pine. We captured adult birds with mist nets, hoop nets, and noose traps at nest cavities and water features. We did this by using call playbacks in conjunction with a taxidermy mounted female White-headed Woodpecker.