Some aspects of the foraging activity of the Great Spotted Woodpecker in the mature pine forest. - V.A. Kostyushin. - Berkut. 4 (1-2). 1995. P. 96-97.
118 foraging individuals were observed in pine forests near Kiev during May and June 1992-1994. Three sexual-age groups were recorded: adult males, adult females, young woodpeckers. This groups have no differences in height of foraging, but they were the quite difference in its variation. The adult males shows maximum of the variation, young birds shows minimum. Woodpeckers used for foraging the following substrates: ground - 12 %, shrub layer - 52 %, tree layer - 32 %, air - 3 %. Adult males preferred trees, adult females and young birds preferred shrubs. All the sexual-age groups fed also on the ground. Adult females were observed on this substrate more frequently than other birds. Foraging behaviour was divided in two groups (collecting and hollowing) with the following correlation: 78 % and 22 %. Young birds fed by hollowing rarely. Adult woodpeckers used this form of feeding more frequently, but collecting was also predominant. [Russian].
Key words: Great Spotted Woodpecker, behaviour, foraging.