Behavior and Nesting Ecology of an Ecosystem Engineer: The Red-headed Woodpecker

Understanding animal behavior is vital for wildlife conservation, particularly for species in decline. The Red-headed Woodpecker is in decline across much of its North American distribution and is considered a species of concern in some U.S. states and parts of Canada. Like other woodpecker species, the Red-headed Woodpecker acts as an ecosystem engineer, creating cavities not only for its own reproduction but also providing nest and roost sites for many other species in open woodland ecosystems. The Woodpecker Cavity Cam, a citizen science project hosted within the online Zooniverse platform, was developed to better understand the behavior and nesting ecology of Red-headed Woodpeckers and the species that use and compete for the cavities that they create. In the following activities, students may use the Woodpecker Cavity Cam Project to observe and analyze woodpecker behavior, examine daily activity patterns, and identify other species that use woodpecker cavities. The lesson plan is modular allowing it to be tailored to a 50 minute lecture up to a 3 hour lab session for non-major or major science courses.