INVESTIGADORES
SEGURA Luciano Noel
artículos
Título:
Cooperative harassment strategy by the European Starling to usurp cavities and reproductive cost for the neotropical Green-barred Woodpecker
Autor/es:
GERSTMAYER, PAULA A.; MONGES, VIRGINIA; JAUREGUI, ADRIÁN; COLOMBO, MARTÍN A.; SEGURA, LUCIANO N.
Revista:
Neotropical Biodiversity
Editorial:
Taylor and Francis Ltd.
Referencias:
Año: 2022 vol. 8 p. 359 - 364
ISSN:
2376-6808
Resumen:
The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a cavity-nesting bird with great invasive potential. As10 a result of human intervention, this bird is now distributed across all continents (exceptAntarctica) and its distribution range is increasing at an alarming rate. The European Starlingwas introduced to Argentina in 1983 and is currently distributed across almost the entirecountry. It is considered one of the hundred most damaging invasive species in the world andconstitutes a serious competitive threat to native cavity-nesting birds. Interactions between15 European Starlings and cavity-nesting birds generally have negative consequences on nativebird populations, although there are still few reports in the literature that account for thedegree of damage. In this study, we report for the first time details of the strategy of harassmentand subsequent cavity usurpation by European Starlings on a breeding pair of GreenbarredWoodpeckers (Colaptes melanochloros) in an urban area of central-eastern Argentina.20 Over one breeding season, the woodpeckers excavated seven cavities, none of which weresuccessful. In six of these reproductive attempts (86%) we recorded interactions with EuropeanStarlings and in five (71%) the cavity was usurped. On three occasions we recordeda cooperative harassment strategy by a group of European Starlings causing the woodpeckersto abandon the cavity. Our report is especially relevant if we consider the invasive potential of25 the European Starling worldwide and the frequently limited cavity supply in bird breedinghabitats. Therefore, we suggest that the governmental authorities and environmental NGOscontinue taking measures to control the populations of this aggressive invasive species.
