Sexual differences in nest attendance by Magellanic woodpeckers (Campephilus magellanicus) in the southernmost forest of the world

Background/Question/Methods

Sexual differences in nest attendance of large woodpeckers are scarcely documented in spite of its importance in understanding the nesting biology of these vulnerable species. We studied nest attendance of three breeding pairs of Magellanic woodpeckers (Campephilus magellanicus), the largest extant woodpecker in the Americas, in a pristine forest at the Omora Ethnobotanical Park (55°S) in the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve in the southern end of Chile. By using camera traps located above their nest entrances we determined sexual roles during incubation and chick provisioning. We continuously monitored nests for a total of 72 days during the Austral Spring (October – December) of 2012, and evaluated visitation and food delivery rates. 

Results/Conclusions

Daily activity time of woodpeckers during the breeding season averaged 13 hr. Males visited the nests almost twice as often as females. However, male stayed at the nests for shorter periods than females (68.6 versus 101.5 min). Food delivery rates were higher in males than in females; food consisted mainly on wood boring larvae. Both visitation and delivery rate were slow during incubation, then increased sharply and later decreased along the season. During the incubation period males occasionally fed the incubating females. These findings suggest that males have a strong role during chick provisioning, whereas females make a large contribution to incubation. 

Acknowledgements: Funding was provided by University of North Texas, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Universidad de Magallanes and Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity.