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More Woodpeckers in Large, Connected Forests

Great Spotted Woodpecker male perched on a tree
Research · Ecology

In a large city, forests can become islands among roads and buildings. For woodpeckers in South Korea’s Seoul Metropolitan Area, both the size of these forest patches and their connections to other woodland were associated with the number of birds researchers found.

The study covered 44 forest patches and two species: the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) and Japanese Pygmy Woodpecker (Yungipicus kizuki). Both were more abundant in larger patches. Of the conditions the researchers examined, patch area had the strongest relationship with woodpecker numbers.

Connections to other woodland came next. Forest patches that were well connected to the wider forest landscape held more birds of both species. This suggests that urban conservation needs to consider both the patches themselves and the landscape between them.

Two Woodpeckers With Different Needs

The two species did not respond in quite the same way. Great Spotted Woodpecker numbers were also associated with average trunk diameter and human disturbance. The researchers found no similarly clear relationships for Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers.

Connections between forest patches also showed different patterns. For Great Spotted Woodpeckers, the relationship was clearest when the researchers examined connections over a smaller area. For Japanese Pygmy Woodpeckers, it emerged most strongly when they considered a broader section of the landscape. The researchers interpret these differences as evidence of different ecological niches: the species differ in their habitat requirements and use, even when they live in the same urban areas.

The researchers also mapped key parts of the forest network and places where connections were broken or weak. Such maps can help planners identify where protecting or improving connections between forest patches is especially important.

Sources and image credit

  1. Structural and spatial drivers of woodpecker abundance in urban forests: a comparison between Dendrocopos major and Yungipicus kizukiPrimærkilde. Utgiverens sammendrag bekrefter publiseringsdato, arter, studieområde, omfang, metoder, resultater og forfatternes tolkning. Fullteksten er abonnementsbasert.

Image: Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), Drenthe, the Netherlands. Photo: Charles J. Sharp / Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

About this content: This story was produced with AI assistance within an editorial workflow developed by Wildlife Vagabond. Editorial responsibility remains with Wildlife Vagabond.How AI is used

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