Foraging Behavior of Kaempfer's Woodpecker (Celeus obrieni), a Bamboo Specialist

Abstract

Because of the patchiness of their habitat, its perceived low conservation value, and tendency to burn, bamboo-specialist birds are vulnerable to habitat loss. We documented the habitat use and foraging strategies of Celeus obrieni, Kaempfer's Woodpecker, in forested cerrado (savanna) with patches of the bamboo Guadua paniculata near Pium, Tocantins, Brazil. We surveyed for C. obrieni, measured vegetation structure at 30 sites where it was detected and 23 where it was not detected, then compared vegetation characteristics through nonmetric multidimentional scaling and one-way analysis of similarity to determine whether C. obrieni was specializing on particular habitat characteristics. We studied the species' foraging and compared the abundance of prey in drilled and nondrilled stems to evaluate its dietary specialization. All sites with C. obrieni had large, tall stands of G. paniculata, indicating habitat specialization. Drilling most frequently on large, dry stems from 2 to 4 m off the ground, the woodpeckers consumed ants, mainly Camponotus depressus and Azteca fasciata, which colonize the internodes of bamboo stems. Habitat specialists are more vulnerable to habitat loss or alteration but can serve as indicator species for the reaching of conservation goals. Large stands of forested cerrado with patches of bamboo should be conserved for C. obrieni to be maintained. The patchiness of bamboo forest may impede dispersal of C. obrieni.