Wednesday 27 June 2012

Primary and Secondary Cavity Use


Woodpeckers are almost unique in that they are primary cavity users. That is, they create their own holes for use as nesting and roosting sites.  But not all woodpeckers do this, some are secondary cavity users. The two species in the genus Jynx, the wrynecks, do not excavate holes. For example, the Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla in this photo used the old nesting cavity of a Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos medius in which to breed. The Middle Spotted had created and bred in the cavity the previous year. Some species also re-use their holes and those made by others. Photo: Bukk Hills, Hungary, June 2012, Gerard Gorman. 

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