Abstract
The bathing behavior of woodpeckers (Picidae) is almost unknown and the paucity of reports of bathing in the family has led to suppositions that they may do so rarely. An unusual observation of the Atlantic Forest endemic Robust Woodpecker Campephilus robustus dew-bathing socially is reported from Paraguay and discussion of its significance follows. Dew-bathing has been reported for a small number of New World bird families and has often been linked to a shortage of water, but has never been previously reported in New World Picidae. Given the environmental conditions in this humid habitat it is considered that dew-bathing in this family is related to structure and ecological constraints and not to limited access to water. Picids are highly arboreal birds with structural modifications for arboreality that make them awkward and thus potentially vulnerable when on the ground. A propensity for dew-bathing in forest canopies at sunrise may be a factor in the rarity of such observations and contribute to the lack of published reports.
Highlights
The bathing behavior of woodpeckers (Picidae) is almost unknown and the paucity of reports of bathing in the family has led to suppositions that they may do so rarely
Most published reports are of single unusual incidences (Miller, 1942; Cornish, 1951; Madge, 1964; Oliver, 1979; Spencer, 1982), there are a few more comprehensive studies suggesting that in some regions most species of birds engage in bathing behavior (Okahisa et al, 2015)
Slessers (1970) suggests that this method is used by arboreal birds because their “short and weak legs are not suited for movements on the ground”
Summary
The bathing behavior of woodpeckers (Picidae) is almost unknown and the paucity of reports of bathing in the family has led to suppositions that they may do so rarely. Most published reports are of single unusual incidences (Miller, 1942; Cornish, 1951; Madge, 1964; Oliver, 1979; Spencer, 1982), there are a few more comprehensive studies suggesting that in some regions most species of birds engage in bathing behavior (Okahisa et al, 2015). Species level differences in bathing behavior have been observed (Verbeek, 1969), and Slessers (1970) provided a comprehensive review of bathing behavior across species, categorizing it into four basic methods: Method 1, wading and bathing; Method 2, bathing on the wing; Method 3, dive bathing; and Method 4, rain- and dew-bathing.
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