Woodpecker cavity-tree selection in the ecuadorean amazon region

Abstract

Tree cavities are important as sites for nesting and roosting, but their availability or use has been little studied in the Neotropics. We studied woodpecker (Picidae) cavity-tree selection in disturbed and undisturbed landscapes in the Amazonian region. We found that woodpeckers excavated predominantly in large dead trees (mean diameter 44 cm). We highlight the importance of dead trees as substrates for cavities in the Ecuadorean Amazon region. We propose that woodpeckers in our study region are potentially important cavity formation agents for other cavity-nesters, especially in disturbed landscapes.