Characterization and selection of excavation sites by Campephilus leucopogon in two forest regions in Northwestern Argentina

Abstract

Woodpeckers are considered engineering species of forests and are sensitive to changes in forests composition and structure. Northwestern Argentina contains the largest area of native forest of the country. The objectives of this study are to characterize sites where the Cream-backed woodpecker (Campephilus leucopogon) excavates its nesting or roosting cavities and identify selection patterns of those sites in the Piedmont forest of the Southern Yungas and Dry Chaco forest of Northwestern Argentina. In both forest regions transects were conducted to search for excavated cavities by the Cream-backed woodpecker. Trees with and without cavities and random plots where characterized. Both in the Piedmont and Chaco forest, most of the excavated cavities found were in live trees of more than 60 cm of diameter at breast height. Excavated cavity height was greater in the Piedmont than in the Chaco forest. The Cream-backed woodpecker selected for excavation Calycophyllum multiflorum and Amburana cearensis in the Piedmont forest and Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco and Chorisia insignis in the Chaco forest. The results obtained in this study allow proposing guidelines on how to improve forest management by retaining key structural attributes for the Cream-backed woodpecker. The species maintenance in managed forest will determine the amount of cavities available for many other non-excavator species.