Habitat and Resource Relationships in Acorn Woodpeckers

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Abstract
Acorn woodpeckter [Melanerpes formiciuorus] densities on 21 California [USA] transects were not significantly correlated with oak species diversity, but woodpecker densities taken from the literature for 20 sites in the American southwest and Mexico were positively correlated with 2 measures of oak diversity. All transects were in pine-oak woodland or similar sites, indicated in the literature as good habitat for acorn woodpeckers. Physiognomic habitat samples from 25 territories indicated that woodpecker groups were associated with large, high-canopied trees (most often pines in the territories studied), which the birds modified into storage centers. In 12 of the 16 transects tested, these centers were regularly dispersed. These results are consistent with an interpretation of saturation of these favorable habitats. An analysis of these results and the foraging and social behavior of acorn woodpeckers suggests that the birds respond to a specific niche gestalt. A central activity locus theoretically optimizes foraging-flight efficiency when fluctuating resources such as acorns are harvested from each territory. This is consistent with the view that acorn woodpecker territories are economically defendable.

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