Abstract
Nonbreeding helpers in several cooperative breeders birds make cryptic extraterritorial movements to discover dispersal opportunities before leaving their natal territories. Studying the ecology of these secretive forays has been a long-time challenge. By tracking group-living acorn woodpeckers (Melanerpes formicivorus) fitted with solar-powered radiotags, we studied how often breeders and helpers undertake extraterritorial forays. Surprisingly, we discovered that both breeders and helpers undertake multiple extraterritorial forays each day throughout the year. Our results suggest that while helpers may benefit from finding dispersal opportunities, forays may be used more generally by acorn woodpeckers as a strategy to gather social information, such as tracking changes in group membership of neighboring territories. These photographs illustrate the article “Wandering woodpeckers: foray behavior in a social bird” by Sahas Barve, Natasha D.G. Hagemeyer, Russell E. Winter, Samuel D. Chamberlain, Walter D. Koenig, David W. Winkler, and Eric L. Walters published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2943
Highlights
Many cooperatively breeding taxa live in social groups with nonbreeding helpers or subordinate individuals that forfeit breeding while part of the group (Cockburn 1998)
There was no significant difference in the mean daily foray distance of birds based on sex or social status
We found that breeders forayed regularly and spent more time foraying than helpers
Summary
Many cooperatively breeding taxa live in social groups with nonbreeding helpers or subordinate individuals that forfeit breeding while part of the group (Cockburn 1998). Staying in a group as a helper may increase survival probability, provide inclusive fitness benefits, and facilitate the opportunity to inherit or otherwise attain breeder status (Emlen 1982a, 1982b, Stacey and Ligon 1991). To increase their chance of dispersing to a group where they can breed, or find extra-group mating opportunities, helpers may undertake extra-territorial forays, relatively short-duration movements to surrounding territories, eventually returning to their home group (Kesler et al 2007, Hodge et al 2008).
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