Simultaneous Use of Nest Trees by Breeding Red-Headed and Red-Bellied Woodpeckers and European Starlings

Abstract

The simultaneous use of nest trees by various woodpecker species is common (Bent 1939, Hoyt 1957, Lawrence 1967, Reller 1972, Short 1979), and Gutzwiller and Anderson (1986) found that even when suitable nest cavities were abundant, woodpeckers occasionally nested in the same trees with European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Red-headed Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), Red-bellied Woodpeckers (M. carolinus), and European Starlings compete intensely at times for nest cavities (Ingold 1989), indicating that such cavities are a contested resource. In spite of this, I occasionally observed European Starlings nesting simultaneously in the same tree or utility pole with either Red-headed or Red-bellied Woodpeckers. In addition, although M. erythrocephalus and M. carolinus occupy fairly distinct ecological niches (Reller 1972, Jackson 1976, Kilham 1977, Short 1982), I observed three instances in which these species nested in the same tree at the same time. In this note, I describe instances in which these species nested simultaneously in the same tree, and discuss circumstances which may have contributed to their coexistence.