Comparative foraging ecology of Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers (Aves: Picidae)
Abstract
Information on the comparative ecology indicates little interspecific competition in areas of sympatry between the Hairy (Picoides villosus) and Downy (P. pubescens) Woodpeckers. Preferences for certain tree species for foraging, the use of foraging stations of particular sizes, and the use of different foraging techniques, are compared for the two species. In the pine forests of the Bahama Islands, in the absence of the Downy Woodpecker, females of the Hairy are found in that part of the niche occupied by the Downy in areas of sympatry, probably as a result of limited food resources.