How do environmental factors and social structure influence nest-site selection in the White-fronted Woodpecker?

NÚÑEZ MONTELLANO MG; MACCHI L; GANDOY F; TRONCOSO R; MARTIN E; ARETA JI

Gramado

Congreso; 2nd Ornithological Congress of the Americas; 2023

Woodpeckernest-site selection is important in determining the characteristics andlocations of cavities available to other cavity-nesting animal species;however, few studies have examined the interaction between environmental andsocial factors driving nest-site selection. The study examines howenvironmental and social factors influence nest-site selection in theWhite-fronted Woodpecker in the Monte Desert of northwestern Argentina. Wecompared the characteristics of 65 nest sites to unused sites across sixbreeding seasons and employed RFID bio-loggers to determine the identity ofadults attending six nests. At the plant scale, woodpeckers selected cacti thatwere larger and healthier than available congeners, while at the landscapescale, breeding sites had higher levels of primary productivity and were closerto previous nests. RFID stations showed that one main adult pair provided careat each nest, but an extra female adult visited two nests. White-frontedWoodpecker forms groups in selected areas for feeding, display, and perching,and these groups are relatively open between each other, likely influencing thesocio-spatial components of nest-site selection. The study contributes tounderstanding how social systems of cavity excavators can influence nest-siteselection and therefore the availability of cavities for other bird species.@font-face{font-family:"Cambria Math";panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face{font-family:Calibri;panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-font-family:auto;mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:0in;line-height:107%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:ES;}.MsoChpDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;mso-default-props:yes;font-size:11.0pt;mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:ES;}.MsoPapDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;margin-bottom:8.0pt;line-height:107%;}div.WordSection1{page:WordSection1;}