Pacific Northwest Research Station

Title: Resource partitioning among woodpeckers in northeastern Oregon.

Author: Bull Evelyn L.; Peterson,Steven R.; Thomas, Jack Ward.

Date: 1986

Source: Res. Note PNW-RN-444. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 20 p

Station ID: RN-PNW-444

Description: Eight species of woodpeckers coexist in conifer forests in northeastern Oregon: northern flicker (Colaptes auratus); yellow-bellied (Sphyrapicus varius) and Williamson's (S. thyroideus) sapsuckers; and pileated (Dryocopus pileatus), hairy (Picoides villosus), white-headed (P. albolarvatus), three-toed (P. tridactylus), and black-backed (P. arcticus) woodpeckers. Tree diameter was the most important factor considered in selection of nest trees by northern flickers, Williamson's sapsuckers, and pileated and hairy woodpeckers. These species partitioned the nest habitat by occupying different forest stands or conditions of nest trees. Pileated woodpeckers occurred in grand fir (Abies grandis (Dougl. ex D. Don) Lindl.) stands and nested in snags dead 10 or more years. The same stands were used by Williamson's sapsuckers which nested in live or recently dead trees. Northern flickers and hairy woodpeckers nested in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Doug, ex Laws.) forests but flickers used larger snags.

Keywords: Woodpeckers, birds, wildlife habitat

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Citation

Bull Evelyn L.; Peterson,Steven R.; Thomas, Jack Ward.  1986.  Resource partitioning among woodpeckers in northeastern Oregon..   Res. Note PNW-RN-444. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 20 p