Magellanic Woodpecker: Management Strategies for Keystone Bird Species

Originally posted 5/24/10 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

Magellanic Woodpecker, originally uploaded by billy3001.

This is a photo I took of a male Magellanic Woodpecker hard at work in old growth forest at Lago del Desierto, Argentina.

Of course, the Magellanic Woodpecker holds far more significance than the many interesting photos you may see of it.  Dr. Valeria Ojeda completed her dissertation, Nesting habitat selection and reproductive biology of Magellanic woodpeckers Campephilus magellanicus (Aves, Picidae) in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina, in 2006. 

There is a related, very interesting article available online by Dr. Ojeda entitled Management strategies for keystone bird species: The Magellanic woodpecker in Nahuel Huapi National Park, Argentina.  Here is an excerpt from the article: 

The tolerance and charismatic nature of this species make it an ideal tool for the development of profitable alternative forest activities such as ecotourism, recreation, and biodiversity prospecting, both within and outside of protected areas. This reflects the claim of many international visitors that the Magellanic woodpecker is a flagship and probably a keystone species of the forests of southern Argentina and Chile. 

Find the full text of the article here.

It is accompanied by an excellent photo of a female Magellanic Woodpecker in flight.  And, if you'd like to see Dr. Ojeda and other woodpecker researchers in action, visit PicidPics for a fine assortment of photos.  

Nahuel Huapi National Park is certainly worth an additional mention.  Established in 1934, it is the oldest Argentine national park, in Patagonia in the foothills of the Andes mountains.  For more information about Nahuel Huapi National Park:

Visit this link (in English);

 
Or, visit this link for a more detailed description (en Español).