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Behavioral switching in Magellanic woodpeckers reveals perception of habitat quality at different spatial scales

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Abstract

Context

The switching pattern between behavioral modes provides a mechanistic basis for understanding how animals perceive and memorize the habitat quality in their home ranges.

Objectives

We assessed if Magellanic woodpeckers (Campephilus magellanicus) move based on habitat quality at local (neighboring trees) and home range scales.

Methods

We used state-space models to examine the relationship between remotely-sensed estimates of habitat quality (tree decay) and movement of adult woodpeckers tracked with GPS telemetry in southern Chile.

Results

Woodpeckers spent most time (> 80%) in the area-restricted search (ARS) mode in contrast to the exploratory transient mode, characterized by frequent directional displacements (> 50 m). The extent to which individuals switched between behavioral modes was related to habitat quality at different scales. Woodpeckers switched to and remained in the ARS mode when encountering moderate levels of heterogeneity in habitat quality. At very low or high heterogeneity levels, however, individuals switched to and remained in the transient mode, respectively. Likewise, as habitat quality declined locally and across home range, woodpeckers were more likely to adopt a transient mode.

Conclusions

Although woodpeckers seemed to easily perceive and memorize habitat quality at different spatial scales, our results suggest that spatial memory will less effective under extreme levels of habitat heterogeneity.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by FONDECYT Grant 1180978 and Proyecto Fondo Fortalecimiento USA1799 (USACH). GES acknowledges W. Hochachka from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and M. Nazar for their technical support and the Advanced Human Capital Program—CONICYT for supporting his research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación, Departamento de Gestión Agraria, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile

    Pablo M. Vergara & Madelaine Quiroz

  2. Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    Gerardo E. Soto & Amanda D. Rodewald

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  1. Pablo M. Vergara
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  2. Gerardo E. Soto
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  3. Amanda D. Rodewald
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  4. Madelaine Quiroz
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Correspondence to Pablo M. Vergara.

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Vergara, P.M., Soto, G.E., Rodewald, A.D. et al. Behavioral switching in Magellanic woodpeckers reveals perception of habitat quality at different spatial scales. Landscape Ecol 34, 79–92 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-018-0746-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-018-0746-5

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