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Harvard Forest REU Symposium Abstract 2009

• Title: Urbanization and its Effect on the Feeding Rates in Red-Bellied and Downy Woodpeckers
• Author: Danielle R Bushey (University of Massachusetts at Amherst)
• Abstract:

  This project compared feeding rates in RBWO and DOWO in residential vs. non-residential areas. The energy efficiently spent on feeding young is very important to reproductive success. This success may be hindered by urbanization in areas where there are less trees and more human developments. In this project, residential areas are defined as plots with a number of houses present whereas, non-residential areas are plots with limited human development, instead consisting of large stretches of woodland. I predicted that red-bellied and downy woodpeckers in more non-residential areas would have a shorter time period at the nest and between visits than their respective species, leading to higher feeding rates. The higher tree density and more diverse and numerous arthropod abundance in more residential areas leads to my prediction that woodpeckers have a greater opportunity in finding their food, therefore decreasing the amount of time spent foraging. The feeding rates were taken by observation with binoculars from the ground. Three one hour observations were taken for each nest between the hours of 8 AM and 12 PM. I recorded the times at which either adult arrived and/or departed, the times either stayed at the nest, and the time that it took them to return to the nest. Although the feeding rates did not significantly differ with age, species, or type of plot, there was a significant difference found in the feeding rates when comparing the parental sex of the woodpeckers. There also was no significant difference in the amount of time spent at the nest and between visits between the plots. This research is important in determining whether or not urbanization has damaging effects on woodpecker foraging and reproductive success to ensure that we are not creating detrimental habitat conditions for wildlife.

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