Roosting, reproduction, and survivorship of Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) in a suburban setting

Urban areas are rapidly expanding and natural habitats are being transformed changing the face of the local biota and the resources available for it. We studied how a purported sensitive species, the Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), breeds and survives in response to rapid and extensive land cover change as urbanization reduces and potentially isolates forest. From 2009 to 2013, we used radio-telemetry to find woodpecker nests and roost sites, and recorded nest success and adult survivorship at suburban sites in the greater Seattle area, Washington. We found 14 nests and 17 confirmed roost sites. Nests were mostly placed on dead trees or dead branches of trees, primarily on red alder (Alnus rubra) of smaller size than those reported for natural sites. The average productivity of the nests was 2.0 young and most nests (13/14) fledged at least one young. Annual adult survivorship varied across years, but the average (83.0%) was higher than what has been reported for nearby natural sites of the Pacific Northwest. Our results suggest that important components of woodpecker fitness in suburban areas may be as good or better than in natural nearby areas. Therefore, suburban forest mosaics can complement conservation in protected areas. Appreciating the importance of human-dominated lands may result on a more integrated view of the urban-wildland gradient and its role on the conservation of the natural world.