A female Brown-fronted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos auriceps) was first observed and photographed in the Jilong Valley of the Mount Qomolangma Region,China,on 21 May 2012.The coordinates of the site are 28°19′25.03″...A female Brown-fronted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos auriceps) was first observed and photographed in the Jilong Valley of the Mount Qomolangma Region,China,on 21 May 2012.The coordinates of the site are 28°19′25.03″N,85°20′29.70"E at an elevation of 2150 m.A few months later,a male was observed at 28°20′02.49"N,85°20′46.30"E on 8 August at an elevation of 2197 m.The habitat is a mountain temperate coniferous and dry broadleaved mixed forest of the warm temperate zone.展开更多
The Three-toed Woodpecker subspecies Picoides tridactylus funebris is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in China. No part of its life history was ever reported since its discovery in 1870. To close this gap, we obs...The Three-toed Woodpecker subspecies Picoides tridactylus funebris is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in China. No part of its life history was ever reported since its discovery in 1870. To close this gap, we observed foraging behavior of a pair between April and August 2007. A total of 117 observations (28 for male and 89 for female) were obtained by following the birds within their home-ranges using radio-tracking. P. t. funebris preferred foraging on live spruces and snags bigger than available with an average diameter of breast height (DBH) of 32.7 ± 9.2 cm. The most frequent foraging technique was pecking (39.8% of foraging time) and peeling (13.2%). Moreover, sap-sucking was observed more often in P. t. funebris than in P. t. alpinus, suggesting that P. t. funebris was more dependent on the tree sap than the other subspecies. We found distinct niche partitioning between the sexes with respect to use of three out of four investigated parameters of the foraging substrates. These differences were likely related to sexual dimorphism pronounced by slightly larger bill of the male. We concluded that the subspecies P. t. funebris displayed foraging behavior which was very similar to that of other subspecies of the Three-toed Woodpecker.展开更多
The Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major （L.）, one of the natural predators of Anoplophora glabripennis （Motsch.） （Coleoptera： Cerambycidae）, is resident to Wulate Qianqi County of the Inner Mongolia and ...The Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major （L.）, one of the natural predators of Anoplophora glabripennis （Motsch.） （Coleoptera： Cerambycidae）, is resident to Wulate Qianqi County of the Inner Mongolia and widely found in shelter plantations. In August 2005 and 2006, 174 and 153 nest-cavities of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were found respectively in Wulate Qianqi County and 22 breeding nest-cavities were investigated in 2007. The results showed that mostly willow species were selected for nesting by the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but mature poplar trees also could be chosen. Nest cavities were often found with a protuberance above the cavity entrance or with a downward sloping gradient, or both. The selection of the height of the nest-cavity height was not significant. The vertical diameter of the nest-cavity entrance （VDE） and the horizontal diameter of the nest-cavity entrance （HDE） ranged from 5.0 to 5.8 cm. The results also indicated that the compass orientation of more than 60% of nest-cavities were towards the north, northeast and east. This study suggests a convergence of some nest-cavity characteristics of the Great Spotted Woodpecker in shelter plantations and will help us to make artificial nest for conserving the woodpecker and, as well, use the bird for controlling pests.展开更多
To understand how a woodpecker is able accelerate its head to such a high velocity in a short amount of time,a multi-rigid-segment model of a woodpecker＇s body is established in this study.Based on the skeletal speci...To understand how a woodpecker is able accelerate its head to such a high velocity in a short amount of time,a multi-rigid-segment model of a woodpecker＇s body is established in this study.Based on the skeletal specimen of the woodpecker and several videos of woodpeckers pecking,the parameters of a three-degree-of-freedom system are determined.The high velocity of the head is found to be the result of a whipping effect,which could be affected by muscle torque and tendon stiffness.The mechanism of whipping is analyzed by comparing the response of a hinged rod to that of a rigid rod.Depending on the parameters,the dynamic behavior of a hinged rod is classified into three response modes.Of these,a high free-end velocity could be achieved in mode II.The model is then generalized to a multihinge condition,and the free-end velocity is found to increase with hinge number,which explains the high free-end velocity resulting from whipping.Furthermore,the effects of some other factors,such as damping and mass distribution,on the velocity are also discussed.展开更多
Resin flow was measured in red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis Vieillot) clusters in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) in the southern region of the Angelina National Forest, Texas. Resin flow (ml) at 1.4 m...Resin flow was measured in red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis Vieillot) clusters in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) in the southern region of the Angelina National Forest, Texas. Resin flow (ml) at 1.4 m height over 24 hrs was measured from one 2.5 cm punch through the phloem between 0700 and 1000 hrs from March 1999 to September 2000, for a total of 9 measurements per tree. Resin was sampled in naturally active cavity trees, artificial (insert) active, natural inactive, artificial inactive and control pines (84 sample trees). Resin flow pattern was significantly different during the year, but not significantly different in the cavity tree type resin flow. Cavity trees in the 90th percentile (>33.0 ml resin in 24 hrs) were defined as super resin producing. High average resin flows in August 1999 and September 2000 indicate when to sample resin for potential cavity trees. Regression equations were produced to estimate future resin production.展开更多
As one of the natural predators of Asian longhorned beetles Anoplophora glabripennis(Motsch.)(Coleoptera:Cerambycidae),the great spotted woodpecker Picoides major(Linnaeus) is endemic to Wulate Qianqi County and is wi...As one of the natural predators of Asian longhorned beetles Anoplophora glabripennis(Motsch.)(Coleoptera:Cerambycidae),the great spotted woodpecker Picoides major(Linnaeus) is endemic to Wulate Qianqi County and is widely distributed in the artificial shelter-forest of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region.From December 2006 to January 2007,the rate of predation on A.glabripennis by P.major was investigated in Wulate Qianqi County in 27 field plots,where P.major and A.glabripennis coexist and in which trees were damaged by A.glabripennis.In addition to the field studies,24 host trees of A.glabripennis were cut down for further examination.Data on the quantities of A.glabripennis,including beetles which were pecked by P.major,were collected from each field plot and every cut-down tree.The data showed that the pecking rate of P.major foraging for A.glabripennis was 14.91% in low damaged plots,19.86% in medium damaged plots and 13.93% in the high damaged plots,respectively.The rate of pecked A.glabripennis found above 6 meters was 27.25%.That was noticeably higher than the rate of pecked A.glabripennis found under 6 meters on the trees,(16.18%).Results also showed that P.major preferred old A.glabripennis larvae over young larvae in both the damaged plots and at greater heights.These results suggest that P.major foraged for A.glabripennis selectively:i) exhibiting a high selectivity in the medium damaged plots;ii) preferentially selecting the appropriate damaged heights;iii) preferentially selecting older larvae,while occasionally selecting a few young larvae.Finally,the reasons of foraging selectivity are discussed in relation to economic factors and methods;such as cost-benefit analysis,trade-off of foraging and risk,and predation risk analysis,based on optimal foraging theory.展开更多
文摘A female Brown-fronted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos auriceps) was first observed and photographed in the Jilong Valley of the Mount Qomolangma Region,China,on 21 May 2012.The coordinates of the site are 28°19′25.03″N,85°20′29.70"E at an elevation of 2150 m.A few months later,a male was observed at 28°20′02.49"N,85°20′46.30"E on 8 August at an elevation of 2197 m.The habitat is a mountain temperate coniferous and dry broadleaved mixed forest of the warm temperate zone.
基金supported by National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (30620130110)the Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘The Three-toed Woodpecker subspecies Picoides tridactylus funebris is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau in China. No part of its life history was ever reported since its discovery in 1870. To close this gap, we observed foraging behavior of a pair between April and August 2007. A total of 117 observations (28 for male and 89 for female) were obtained by following the birds within their home-ranges using radio-tracking. P. t. funebris preferred foraging on live spruces and snags bigger than available with an average diameter of breast height (DBH) of 32.7 ± 9.2 cm. The most frequent foraging technique was pecking (39.8% of foraging time) and peeling (13.2%). Moreover, sap-sucking was observed more often in P. t. funebris than in P. t. alpinus, suggesting that P. t. funebris was more dependent on the tree sap than the other subspecies. We found distinct niche partitioning between the sexes with respect to use of three out of four investigated parameters of the foraging substrates. These differences were likely related to sexual dimorphism pronounced by slightly larger bill of the male. We concluded that the subspecies P. t. funebris displayed foraging behavior which was very similar to that of other subspecies of the Three-toed Woodpecker.
文摘The Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major （L.）, one of the natural predators of Anoplophora glabripennis （Motsch.） （Coleoptera： Cerambycidae）, is resident to Wulate Qianqi County of the Inner Mongolia and widely found in shelter plantations. In August 2005 and 2006, 174 and 153 nest-cavities of Great Spotted Woodpeckers were found respectively in Wulate Qianqi County and 22 breeding nest-cavities were investigated in 2007. The results showed that mostly willow species were selected for nesting by the Great Spotted Woodpecker, but mature poplar trees also could be chosen. Nest cavities were often found with a protuberance above the cavity entrance or with a downward sloping gradient, or both. The selection of the height of the nest-cavity height was not significant. The vertical diameter of the nest-cavity entrance （VDE） and the horizontal diameter of the nest-cavity entrance （HDE） ranged from 5.0 to 5.8 cm. The results also indicated that the compass orientation of more than 60% of nest-cavities were towards the north, northeast and east. This study suggests a convergence of some nest-cavity characteristics of the Great Spotted Woodpecker in shelter plantations and will help us to make artificial nest for conserving the woodpecker and, as well, use the bird for controlling pests.
基金support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Grant 11372163)the National Fundamental Research Program of China (Grant 2011CB610305)the support of the NSFC Key Project 11032001
文摘To understand how a woodpecker is able accelerate its head to such a high velocity in a short amount of time,a multi-rigid-segment model of a woodpecker＇s body is established in this study.Based on the skeletal specimen of the woodpecker and several videos of woodpeckers pecking,the parameters of a three-degree-of-freedom system are determined.The high velocity of the head is found to be the result of a whipping effect,which could be affected by muscle torque and tendon stiffness.The mechanism of whipping is analyzed by comparing the response of a hinged rod to that of a rigid rod.Depending on the parameters,the dynamic behavior of a hinged rod is classified into three response modes.Of these,a high free-end velocity could be achieved in mode II.The model is then generalized to a multihinge condition,and the free-end velocity is found to increase with hinge number,which explains the high free-end velocity resulting from whipping.Furthermore,the effects of some other factors,such as damping and mass distribution,on the velocity are also discussed.
文摘Resin flow was measured in red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis Vieillot) clusters in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) in the southern region of the Angelina National Forest, Texas. Resin flow (ml) at 1.4 m height over 24 hrs was measured from one 2.5 cm punch through the phloem between 0700 and 1000 hrs from March 1999 to September 2000, for a total of 9 measurements per tree. Resin was sampled in naturally active cavity trees, artificial (insert) active, natural inactive, artificial inactive and control pines (84 sample trees). Resin flow pattern was significantly different during the year, but not significantly different in the cavity tree type resin flow. Cavity trees in the 90th percentile (>33.0 ml resin in 24 hrs) were defined as super resin producing. High average resin flows in August 1999 and September 2000 indicate when to sample resin for potential cavity trees. Regression equations were produced to estimate future resin production.
文摘As one of the natural predators of Asian longhorned beetles Anoplophora glabripennis(Motsch.)(Coleoptera:Cerambycidae),the great spotted woodpecker Picoides major(Linnaeus) is endemic to Wulate Qianqi County and is widely distributed in the artificial shelter-forest of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region.From December 2006 to January 2007,the rate of predation on A.glabripennis by P.major was investigated in Wulate Qianqi County in 27 field plots,where P.major and A.glabripennis coexist and in which trees were damaged by A.glabripennis.In addition to the field studies,24 host trees of A.glabripennis were cut down for further examination.Data on the quantities of A.glabripennis,including beetles which were pecked by P.major,were collected from each field plot and every cut-down tree.The data showed that the pecking rate of P.major foraging for A.glabripennis was 14.91% in low damaged plots,19.86% in medium damaged plots and 13.93% in the high damaged plots,respectively.The rate of pecked A.glabripennis found above 6 meters was 27.25%.That was noticeably higher than the rate of pecked A.glabripennis found under 6 meters on the trees,(16.18%).Results also showed that P.major preferred old A.glabripennis larvae over young larvae in both the damaged plots and at greater heights.These results suggest that P.major foraged for A.glabripennis selectively:i) exhibiting a high selectivity in the medium damaged plots;ii) preferentially selecting the appropriate damaged heights;iii) preferentially selecting older larvae,while occasionally selecting a few young larvae.Finally,the reasons of foraging selectivity are discussed in relation to economic factors and methods;such as cost-benefit analysis,trade-off of foraging and risk,and predation risk analysis,based on optimal foraging theory.
