Significant Asia‐Europe divergence in the middle spotted woodpecker (Aves, Picidae)

Results from the monitoring programs of the Swiss Ornithological Institute show that the breeding populations of several forest species for which deadwood is an important habitat element (black woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, middle spotted woodpecker, lesser spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, three-toed woodpecker as well as crested tit, willow tit and Eurasian tree creeper) have increased in the period 1990 to 2008, although not to the same extent in all species. At the same time the white-backed woodpecker extended its range in eastern Switzerland. The Swiss National Forest Inventory shows an increase in the amount of deadwood in forests for the same period. For all the mentioned species, with the exception of green and middle spotted woodpecker, the growing availability of deadwood is likely to be the most important factor explaining this population increase.

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Potenzielle Eichenwuchsgebiete und aktuelle Eichenmischwälder der Schweiz | Potential oak sites and actual mixed oak forests in Switzerland

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2008.0103 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 159 (5) ◽

pp. 103-111

Author(s):

Urs Mühlethaler ◽

Yvonne Reisner ◽

Nele Rogiers

Keyword(s):

Information System ◽

Quercus Robur ◽

Geographical Information ◽

Oak Forests ◽

Natural Growth ◽

Growth Area ◽

Entire Country ◽

Middle Spotted Woodpecker ◽

Evaluation Matrix ◽

Common Oak

On behalf of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), the Swiss College for Agriculture established the basis to foster oak species in Switzerland. For this, the growth areas of three oak species, common oak (Quercus robur), sessile oak (Q. petraea) and pubescent oak (Q. pubescens) were assessed throughout the entire country. The assessment was based on their physiological potential, their natural growth area and on the appearance of the middle spotted woodpecker. In addition, the older mixed oak stands were surveyed. These fundamental data were collected with a geographical information system and analyzed for each canton. Altogether, approximately one-fourth of the Swiss forest area is suitable for oak. The natural oak growth area covers however 38 500 ha only. About 19 000 ha of forest are populated by the middle spotted woodpecker and extended older mixed oak forests are found on approximately 24 500 ha. According to the applied evaluation matrix, the greatest potential for fostering oak species lies in eight cantons: Aargau, Zürich, Solothurn, Thurgau, Vaud, BaselLandschaft, Ticino and Schaffhausen.

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Eichen im Aargau – eine besondere Verantwortung für das Fricktal | Oak in the canton of Argovia – a special responsibility for the Fricktal

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2003.0281 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 154 (7) ◽

pp. 281-288

Author(s):

Kurt Steck

Keyword(s):

Simple Model ◽

Genetic Resources ◽

Forest Stands ◽

Site Factor ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Ecological Aspects ◽

Endangered Population ◽

Middle Spotted Woodpecker ◽

Special Responsibility ◽

Important Site

A targeted nurturing of oak in the canton of Argovia goes against the natural development of forest stands where the dominant, naturally occurring species is beech. Because of this,afforestation with oak is both work intensive and costly and is therefore concentrated on sites where silvicultural, economical and ecological aspects have been taken into account. With the help of a simple model showing areas where, above all,oak is nurtured, comprehensively mapped forest stands were classed according to competitiveness and correlated to thermal levels, that represent an important site factor for oak. One important aspect surrounding the issue is the preservation of genetic resources and an adequate supply of appropriate seed from chosen autochthonal, indigenous oak stands. In addition,the endangered population of middle spotted woodpecker,which is tied to widespread sites of aged oak-rich deciduous stands, should be fostered. Taking ecological priorities into account a possible area to nurture oak has been demarcated in the Fricktal.

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Nesting Preferences for Two Woodpecker Species (Dendrocopos Major and Dendrocopos Medius) in Comana Forest, Southern Romania/ Preferințele de cuibărit la două specii de ciocănitori (Dendrocopos Major şi Dendrocopos Medius), în Pădurea Comana, Sudul României

Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” ◽

10.2478/travmu-2014-0004 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

pp. 35-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ioana Damoc ◽

Tiberiu Sahlean ◽

Roxana Ion ◽

Mihaela Ion ◽

Lotus Elena Meşter

Keyword(s):

Food Sources ◽

Pedunculate Oak ◽

Large Trees ◽

Nesting Sites ◽

Turkey Oak ◽

Nest Height ◽

Middle Spotted Woodpecker ◽

Dendrocopos Major ◽

Nesting Preferences

Abstract The main goal of this study is to get a better insight of the habitat requirements for the Great- and Middle Spotted Woodpeckers. Woodpeckers are forest specialists, threatened all over Europe mainly by the loss of forest habitats and also by the loss in quality of the habitat by reducing the food sources and nesting sites. Both species showed a strong preference for oaks, lime, large trees and dead wood for nesting, but Middle Spotted Woodpecker proved to be more selective in terms of tree species. Nest-height was influenced by tree diameter. Both species have the same nesting preferences for Turkey oak, lime and Pedunculate oak, in a Quercetum farnetto-cerris type of forest. The orientation of the nest hole on the tree was mainly NE-E-SE for Middle Spotted Woodpecker and N-NE-E for Great Spotted Woodpecker.

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