Invasive Mink Preys on Magellanic Woodpeckers on Navarino Island in Southern Chile

Here's a great video of a female Magellanic Woodpecker excavating a cavity.

In a recent study, Jaime Jiménez and his research colleagues document predation of Magellanic Woodpeckers by invasive American minks on Navarino Island in Southern Chile. Navarino Island is a 955-square mile (2,473 kilometers) area located between Tierra del Fuego to the north and Cape Horn to the south. Mink apparently arrived on the island in the 1990s. Magellanic Woodpeckers are accustomed to an intensive level of feeding on the ground on the island, something they are not as prone to do on the mainland where three species of foxes and other potential predators exist.

The Magellanic Woodpecker is a charismatic species notable for being the largest extant woodpecker in the Americas (after the Imperial and Ivory-billed Woodpeckers, other members of the Campephilus genus that are possibly extinct). The authors present a compelling argument for broadening current management actions to control the mink population in order to protect the Magellanic Woodpecker and other less noticed native species.

Jiménez, Jaime E., et al. "Potential impact of the Alien American Mink (Neovison vison) on Magellanic woodpeckers (Campephilus magellanicus) in Navarino Island, Southern Chile." Biological Invasions (2013): 1-6.

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Red-necked Woodpecker Species Account

pica-pau-de-barriga-vermelha femea, a photo by vhobusfoto on Flickr. 

I recently authored a detailed species account on the Red-necked Woodpecker at Neotropical Birds Online (NBO).  It begins: 

The Red-necked Woodpecker is a large, spectacular Campephilus woodpecker of the rainforest.

 It is fairly common in Colombia and Venezuela and across the Guianas, and south through

 Amazonia to northern Bolivia.  

Each species account in NBO includes information on the identification, distribution, life history, conservation, and research references for a particular bird along with image and sound files for that species.  Visit NBO to read more about profiled Neotropical bird species and to see how you may contribute to authoring or enhancing additional species accounts!

Red-necked Woodpecker species account at Neotropical Birds Online

The superb photo you see here is a female Red-necked Woodpecker near Matto Grasso, Brazil.  It is posted here with permission of talented wildlife photographer Valdir Hobus. 

See more of V. Hobus' fine photography here

SORA Searchable Ornithological Research Archive

Originally posted 4/10/10 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

This posts highlights the extraordinary SORA project, the source of an incredible array of ornithological journal articles.  The SORA project is described as follows at the site:

The SORA project is an open access electronic journal archive and is the product of a collaboration between the American Ornithologists Union, the Cooper Ornithological Society, the Association of Field Ornithologists, the Wilson Ornithological Society and the University of New Mexico libraries and IT department. 

Here is the link to SORA.

Of course, there are many interesting articles on Campephilus woodpeckers within SORA.  For example, searching for the word "guayaquil" by keyword quickly retrieves this full-text article from within SORA:

WILLIAMS

First Description of the Nest, Eggs and Nestling of the Guayaquil Woodpecker (Campephilus [Phloeoceastes] Gayaquilensis) (Wilson Bulletin: Vol. 92, No. 4, October-December, 1980)

Here is an excerpt from that article:

The nest cavity was in the main trunk about 6 m above the ground. Its irregularly shaped entrance was large enough (about 75 x 100 mm) to admit my hand, and it was about 30 cm deep. I could not reach the cavity’s bottom or its contents, but using a mirror, I saw 1 egg and 1 newly-hatched young. The shell of the hatched egg was still in the nest. The eggs were white and immaculate-typical large woodpecker eggs. The nestling was making weak chirping sounds. Its eyes were closed, and it appeared naked; however, in the dim light of the cavity, sparse down probably would not have been obvious. It had a conspicuous eggtooth. I visited this nest again at 13:50. After approaching within 6-8 m of the female at the cavity entrance, I made several color transparencies (Frontispiece). I never saw more than 1 adult at this site.

I am amazed at how little still is known of the breeding and behavior of the Campephilus woodpeckers.

Ivory-billed Woodpecker Photos by Arthur A. Allen

Originally posted 1/16/11 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

Post updated on 2/1/2011 

Wikimedia Commons has posted this photo and a few others of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers at the Singer Tract in Louisiana that were taken by Arthur A. Allen of Cornell University.  This photo is accompanied with the following information at Wikimedia:

...Female Ivory-Bill returning to nest. Photo taken in Singer Tract, Louisiana by Arthur A. Allen (April 1935). From Recent observations of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker (Auk) Volume 54, Number 2, April, 1937.  This work is in the public domain because it was published in the United States between 1923 and 1963 with a copyright notice, and its copyright was not renewed. 

Find the Wikimedia entry here.

The full-text of the aforementioned article by Arthur A. Allen is easy to find (search using his name in the author field) at the Searchable Ornithological Research Archive (SORA).  The image above and several other interesting images appear in the article.  You can find it here:

SORA

Cornell offers more images of the Singer Tract in Louisiana and Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in its digital collections.  Some are in color and the images are definitely worth a look.  The entire collection of these images is not easy to retrieve with a single search, so try various keywords like ivorybill, woodpecker, and singer tract and a few searches if you want to find them.

Visit the Cornell University images here.

From past to present, Cornell shares details about a new book being written by leaders of the Cornell Lab’s Ivory-billed Woodpecker Recovery Project and partner organizations in the Autumn 2010 edition of Living Bird Magazine.

Find the Living Bird article here.

Also, Don Ware of the Choctawatchee Audubon Society has conveyed several reports of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers along the Choctawatchee River in Florida.

Read the article here.

Recovery Plan for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker by USFWS

Originally posted 7/18/10 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

Recovery Plan

I thought I'd edit this recent post to announce the release of the Recovery Plan for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker by the US Fish & Wildlife Service.   The direct link to the report is here:

http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/100719.pdf

At 168 pages, the report should make for very interesting reading to Ivory-billed Woodpecker, bird and wildlife enthusiasts.  Apparently, you can obtain a hard copy of the report by requesting one from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.


Update
You can find an interesting and thorough discussion of the Recovery Plan over at Ivory-bills Live.  Be sure to read the comments associated with the post at this link, entitled as follows (it's dated July 22, 2010, in case you need that info to find the post):

The Good, the Bad and the Fuzzy...

About the Illustration

The head and bill of a male Ivory-billed Woodpecker appear in this reproduction of a watercolor. The illustration is within the public domain, and it appears in Key to North American Birds, 1903 (5th Edition).  Here is a curious excerpt from that book on the Imperial Woodpecker, and another excerpt on the Ivory-billed Woodpecker:

CAMPE'PHILUS.  IVORY-BILLS.  Containing the largest and most magnificent known Woodpeckers, of several species, peculiar to America.  The Imperial Woodpecker, C. Imperialis, comes in Chihuahua within 50 miles of our border, and will no doubt be found in the mountains of S. Arizona or New Mexico.  It is larger than the Ivory-bill, with no white stripe on the next, and black nasal tufts.  It has been attributed to the U.S., but I have never felt at liberty to use the Key on the lock of futurity. 

IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER.  WHITE-BILLED LOGCOCK.  A large powerful bird of the S. Atlantic and Gulf States, formerly N. to No. Carolina along the coast, to the Ohio river in the interior; range restricted of late years, almost coincident with maritime regions, N. and W. only to portions of S. Car., Ga., Ala., Miss., Ark., and very small part of Texas; still locally common in the dark heavily-wooded swamps, but very wild and wary, difficult to secure.  Nests high in the most inaccessible trees; hole deeps, with oval opening; eggs 3-4, 1.35 X 1.00, in an average, varying moderately, somewhat pointed, highly porcellanous; they are laid early, sometimes even in February, oftenest in March, April, and early in May.

 To find the full book, Key to North American Birds, at Google Books, click here.

A New Book

And from that old book to one that's new and upcoming, we have Ghost Birds: Jim Tanner and the Quest for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, 1935–1941 by Stephen Lynn Bales due out in mid-November.

Here's an excerpt from the book description available at UT Press's site:

Drawing on Tanner’s personal journals and written with the cooperation of his widow, Nancy, Ghost Birds recounts, in fascinating detail, the scientist’s dogged quest for the ivory-bill as he chased down leads in eight southern states.

Read the full book description here!

Life History of Magellanic Woodpecker, at Neotropical Birds

Originally posted 3/26/11 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

Photo © M. Lammertink, posted with permission

I am excited to announce that the species account for the Magellanic Woodpecker has been completed at Neotropical Birds!  The species account instantly provides people with an authoritative, comprehensive and free life history of this impressive member of the Campephilus genus.  Co-authored by Valeria Ojeda and Laura Chazarreta (who appear left to right in the photo below) here is an excerpt from the overview:

Although there are woodpeckers throughout most of the Neotropics, perhaps none is as awe-inspiring as the Magellanic Woodpecker, which is an endemic species of the austral temperate forest. The large size, simple and elegant color pattern, as well as the curly and expressive crest of the female strongly suggest the extinct or nearly extinct Imperial (Campephilus imperialis) and Ivory-billed (C. principalis) woodpeckers. 

Visit Neotropical Birds to explore this in-depth entry and you will find information on identification, distribution, life history, and conservation of this species, a list of references, an array of photos and links to several vocalization and sound files:

Go to Magellanic Woodpecker at Neotropical Birds Online 
 

Photo © M. Lammertink, posted with permission

Neotropical Birds is a collaborative project by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology that aims to become the world's most comprehensive resource for neotropical birds. Read more here:

About Neotropical Birds

Visit PicidPics to see more photos of the researchers/co-authors at work in the field:

Magellanic Woodpecker Researchers

Ph.D. & Post-Doc Fellowship Opportunities – Magellanic Woodpecker

Originally posted 5/17/13 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

Magellanic Woodpeckers photo © Jamie Jimenez, posted here with permission.

The University of Texas currently (as of May 16, 2013) is advertising for two interesting positions - potential dream jobs for the right individuals! Check the links below for full details.

Post-doctoral position available at the Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity in Chile

Ph.D. Research Assistantship in Wildlife Ecology – Magellanic Woodpecker

See too this link to interesting details on the study that is related to these positions:

Birds of the World's Southernmost Forests Signal Health of Ecosystems

Magellanic Woodpecker Studies in Central & Southern Chile

Originally posted 6/20/12 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

It's my pleasure to share a detailed summary, in English and en Español, of a research project on Magellanic Woodpeckers within their northernmost range in the Alto Huemul Nature Sanctuary, which I received along with several photos from researcher Gloria Vallejos Barra. She is working with Lorenzo Campos Aguirre. 

Concurrent with the study in Central Chile, University of Texas ecologist Jaime Jiminez is conducting a study on the same woodpecker and other bird species in the deciduous forest groves of Navarino Island, Chile, located in the southernmost, sub-Antarctic region of South America. A detailed summary of his project can be found here: 

Bird's of the World's Southernmost Forests Signal Health of Ecosystems 

 Let's all wish the researchers much success on these important research projects!

CENTRAL CHILE PROJECT SUMMARY

A project about the Magellanic Woodpecker, named Campephilus magellanicus: study of ecological and biological aspects, and environmental education, crucial for its conservation is being executed in Chile, in the Alto Huemul Nature Sanctuary. 

The Sanctuary, belonging to private investors, is located in the Bellavista mountain range (approximately 34°77’S y 70°38’W), of the Andean foothills, near San Fernando municipality, Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins administrative region, in the mediterranean zone of central Chile. The Sanctuary, considered a Priority Site for Conservation of Biodiversity in the region, has nearly 3.000 hectares of Roblé beech trees (Nothofagus obliqua). 

The project is funded by the Environmental Ministry of Chile, by means of the Fund for Environmental Investigation and Interpretation, and is to be carried out in 2012-2013. The project is being executed by Fundación Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias (FUNFAVET) of Universidad de Chile, through its investigators Gloria Vallejos Barra and Lorenzo Campos Aguirre. Associated institutions, committed to the woodpecker's conservation, are: Sociedad Inmobiliaria Ecológica Alto Huemul (owner of the Sanctuary), National Forestry Corporation (CONAF) of the Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins and Araucanía regions, and the Ecology and Wildlife Laboratoy (LEVS) of Universidad de Chile.

The main objective of the investigation is to generate information on C. magellanicus in order to develop a regional conservation plan that contributes to avoiding the extinction of this species in central Chile. Specifically, the project aims to:

1. Establish the species' density at regional scale, 2. Identify reproduction and potential nesting needs of the woodpecker, according to limiting factor (cavity trees), 3. Identify and characterize cavity trees, establish their density and existence of roost and resting places, 4. Establish the degree of isolation of the woodpecker population of Alto Huemul, according to patches of Nothofagus species, 5. Raise environmental awareness in surrounding communities.

  

The project is being developed due to the species' importance and its state of being highly threatened in certain areas. C. magellanicus is a habitat specialist, restricted to mature native forest, mainly of the Nothofagus genus, in Chile and Argentina. In Chile, currently the species distributes between the Bellavista mountain range (northernmost limit) and the Beagle Channel (55°S) (Araya et al., 1998). The species is classified as Endangered in three regions of the country: O’Higgins, Maule and Bío-Bío. In the O’Higgins region, the species is only found in the Bellavista mountain range (where the project is being executed) and any threat could lead to its regional extinction. At the same time and in consensus of various authors, the information about the species' ecology and biology are scarce, and the majority of the information available is from the southern and austral zone of Chile and Argentinean Patagonia, making it difficult to implement conservation measures and management in the species' northernmost distribution range. Therefore, the generation of data is crucial to support the species' national conservation plan, and to contribute to decisions concerning management at the local and national level, with the participation and inclusion of local participants.

  

Araya, B., Millie y Bernal, M. 1998. Guia de Campo de las Aves de Chile. Sixth edition, Editorial Universitaria, Santiago.

RESUMEN PROYECTO CENTRAL DE CHILE

Se está ejecutando un proyecto sobre Campephilus magellanicus en Chile, denominado Campephilus magellanicus: estudio de aspectos ecológicos, biológicos y educación ambiental cruciales para su conservación, en la localidad de Sierras de Bellavista (aproximadamente 34°77’S y 70°38’W), específicamente en el santuario de la Naturaleza Alto Huemul, de propiedad privada, ubicado en la zona mediterránea de Chile central, Región del Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins, comuna de San Fernando, a nivel de precordillera andina. El Santuario, considerado Sitio Prioritario para la Conservación de la Biodiversidad en la región, cuenta aproximadamente con 3.000 hectáreas de roblerías; Nothofagus obliqua.

El proyecto es financiado por el fondo de investigación e interpretación ambiental del Ministerio del Medioambiente de Chile, por el período 2012-2013. Y está a cargo de la Fundación Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias de la Universidad de Chile (FUNFAVET), a través de sus investigadores Gloria Vallejos Barra y Lorenzo Campos Aguirre. Contando con organismos asociados que apoyan al proyecto, debido a su interés en conservar esta especie de carpintero, debido a su importancia y a su nivel de amenaza en el país. Entre estos se encuentran; La sociedad Inmobiliaria Ecológica Alto Huemul S. A., propietaria del área, La Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF) región del Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins y de la Araucanía y El laboratorio de Ecología y Vida Silvestre (LEVS) de la Universidad de Chile.

La Investigación tiene por objetivo Generar información sobre C. magellanicus para elaborar un plan de conservación regional, que ayude a evitar su extinción de Chile central y específicamente; 1. Determinar densidad de la especie a nivel regional, 2. Identificar reproducción y nidificación potencial del carpintero según factor limitante (árboles cavidad), 3. Identificar y caracterizar árboles cavidad, determinar su densidad y determinar dormideros/descansaderos, 4. Determinar aislamiento de la población según fragmentos de Nothofagus sp. 5. Desarrollar educación ambiental en comunidades aledañas.

Se plantea este proyecto debido a la importancia de la especie y su grado de amenaza a nivel nacional. C. magellanicus es un especialista de hábitat, restringido a bosque nativo maduro principalmente del género Nothofagus tanto de Chile como de Argentina. En Chile, se distribuye actualmente desde Sierra Bellavista hasta el sur del canal Beagle (XII Región) (Araya et al., 1998). Catalogada En Peligro de Extinción en tres regiones del país; Regiones de O’Higgins, Maule y Bío Bío. En la Región de O’Higgins, la especie se encuentra descrita sólo en la localidad de Sierras de Bellavista (donde se ejecuta el proyecto) y cualquier amenaza podría llevarla a la extinción regional. Conjuntamente y concordando con diversos autores, existen escasos antecedentes de la ecología y biología de C. magellanicus y la mayoría de ellos son de la zona sur y austral de Chile y de la Patagonia argentina, dificultando medidas de conservación y manejo en su límite septentrional de distribución. Por lo tanto se considera crucial, generar datos para apoyar el plan nacional de conservación de la especie y ayudar en decisiones sobre gestión y manejo a nivel local y nacional, con la participación de los actores locales. 

Araya, B., Millie y Bernal, M. 1998. Guia de Campo de las Aves de Chile. Sixth edition, Editorial Universitaria, Santiago.

Division of Labour in Parental Care in the Magellanic Woodpecker

Originally posted 8/24/10 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

Argentina 2010-03-28 11.26.42 131, originally uploaded by wizard4all.

Here's a wonderful photo of a male Magellanic Woodpecker near El Chalten, Argentina accompanied by information on a new research article in the Journal of Ornithology. The article is based upon one of the most detailed studies ever of parental care of woodpeckers in the southern hemisphere.  Here are a few highlights:

• The study involved investigating parental care of Magellanic Woodpeckers at 11 nests from dawn to dusk throughout the nesting season

• Only a single young was reared at any nest, even at nests where two hatchlings were produced.

• Feeding rates were similar between parents, but males delivered larger prey to nestlings.

Congratulations to María Laura Chazarreta, Valeria Susana Ojeda and Ana Trejo, the authors of the article.

And many thanks to wizard4all for granting permission to post his super photo here!

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).

 

Expert Driven Habitat Suitability Modelling for the Magellanic Woodpecker in Karukinka Natural Park, Tierra del Fuego, Chile

Originally posted March 24, 2010 - backdated to organize posts by topic.

Recently, Adrian Hughes completed a masters thesis with the aforementioned title on the Magellanic Woopecker. He set up a related website at https://sites.google.com/site/campephilusgis/. Among the objectives of his study is this one: 

To produce a habitat suitability map of Karukinka Park and surrounding area for
  the Magellanic woodpecker using a GIS and Multi Criteria Evaluation to help
facilitate species location within the park.

Magellanic WoodPeckers, originally uploaded by Sergio R. Nuñez C.. 

Creative Commons licensed photo. 

Some of the most interesting (to me) facts and aspects regarding Magellanic Woodpeckers conveyed in the thesis are:

• The thesis argues in support of designating the Magellanic Woodpecker as a flagship species in support of protecting wildlife throughout Patagonia, as well as a keystone species and bio-indicator.  Those are three big designations to attach to one of the largest woodpeckers in the world.

• The study area was the Karukinka Natural Park that represents an area of 272,000 hectares or 672,126 acres.

• Magellanic Woodpeckers are sapsuckers!  This thesis mentions that Magellanic Woodpeckers are more prevalent in mixed forests because those forests contain a type of southern beech tree that provides them with "sap which is an energetic foodsource for the woodpecker that supplements the normal food source of wood boring lavae (Cerambycid)."
  

• Magellanic Woodpeckers nest in weakened trees >30 cm dbh, but not typically in fully dead trees because such trees are too susceptible to destruction from strong winds in Patagonia.

• Amazingly, Magellanic Woodpeckers require trees that are very old for nesting for they "found no trees with nest sign younger than 97 years with the mean age of all cavity trees being 187 years old."

• Magellanic Woodpeckers apparently avoid building nests near ravines where fast moving water in springtime is so loud as to interfere with their spring mating rituals.

• Magellanic Woodpeckers seem to benefit, in the short-term, from the invasive, introduced North American beaver, but perhaps not in the long-term after trees are fully dead as a result of beaver activity.

Nesting Biology of the Powerful Woodpecker

Photo by J. Simbaña

The Powerful Woodpecker was named long ago, in 1845 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte, a French naturalist and ornithologist who was the nephew of famed Emperor Napoleon.

These 165 years later, very little is known about the breeding biology of this bird, an uncommon resident of montane regions from Venezuela to Peru (according to the article cited herein). The remarkable photos you see here are two of several within an article entitled First description of the eggs and nestlings of Powerful Woodpecker (Campephilus pollens) by Harold F. Greeney, Jose Simbaña & Lucia A. Salazar-V., and published February 26, 2010 in Boletín SAO in which the authors state:

Here we present the first observations, from north-eastern Ecuador, 
on the eggs and nestlings of this poorly known species.

The full-text article, including its amazing photos, is freely available online under Creative Commons license.  The two photos here were taken by J. Simbaña and are posted here with permission.

Find the article here.

Photo by J. Simbaña