Faculty Sponsor
Jalene LaMontagne
Final Abstract for URS Program
Woodpeckers create cavities in dead and decaying trees and branches of live trees, many of which are used by a range of other animals, and are thus called “ecosystem engineers”. A species of conservation concern in the midwest is the red-headed woodpecker (RHWO). RHWO in the upper midwest are facultative migrators meaning some individuals stay in their territories over winter and others migrate south. Most tree-cavity research is done during the breeding season, leading to a knowledge gap of their use in the non-breeding season; therefore, studying them in winter could help us understand their ecological impact. RHWO require food to remain overwinter, caching acorns and other tree nuts. They are territorial, so those who do stay in their breeding territories reduce the cavity choices for secondary users. In forests, there are also natural decay cavities formed from fungal decay or mechanical damage, which could be used for caching by RHWO. To document evidence of caching (the storage of acorns) and prior occupancy, in winter 2026, I surveyed trees in known prior RHWO nesting territories using a camera mounted on a 15-meter telescoping pole, collecting data across fifteen forest preserves in Missouri and Illinois. I recorded five second videos in 12 tree cavities closest to each of the previously used focal cavity trees, distributed across in each of the four cardinal quadrants and reviewed them for content. I also collected data on habitat characteristics (e.g., tree decay class, cavity orientation/height). By documenting the winter contents of tree cavities, my study will further our understanding of oak habitats and the cavities within them as integral to overwinter persistence.
Presentation Type
Visual Presentation
Document Type
Article