Woodpecker Nest Survival in Managed Ponderosa Pine Forests

Woodpeckers are considered keystone species because of their broad effects on other species. In nesting and foraging, woodpeckers create cavities and excavations that other species use, they aid in controlling forest insects, and they may help in dispersing spores of fungi that are agents of decay. Despite the importance of woodpeckers to forested ecosystems, few studies have examined metrics of woodpecker demography such as reproductive success or nest survival or have investigated the associations of habitat characteristics with these or related metrics. 

In Washington, the White-headed Woodpecker (Dryobates albolarvatus) is listed as a species of concern because of its association with old-growth ponderosa pine forests. Although the White-headed Woodpecker has recently been documented inhabiting early- to mid-seral managed forests, information is limited regarding its reproductive success in these forests or in other areas of its range. To address this information gap, we evaluated temporal factors and habitat features associated with nest survival of the White-headed Woodpecker and two sympatric woodpeckers, the Hairy Woodpecker (D. villosus) and Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus), breeding within managed ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in the eastern Cascade Range.