Helmeted Woodpecker roosts in decay cavities in large living trees: a clue to its association with old-growth forest

The Helmeted Woodpecker (Celeus galeatus) is a rare, threatened species associated with old-growth Atlantic Forest in northeast Argentina, southern Brazil and eastern Paraguay. The ecological requirements of the species that drive its association with old forest are poorly understood. Between 2013 and 2016 we radio-tracked nine Helmeted Woodpecker individuals in two selectively logged forests and one old-growth forest. One finding is that for year-round overnight roosting, Helmeted Woodpeckers invariably use decay cavities in large living trees, whereas most other woodpecker species roost in excavated cavities. Moreover, after nesting and raising fledglings, each adult roosts with one juvenile in a large decay cavity for a period of up to 67 days. The tree species used for roost cavities in old-growth forest are desired timber species targeted in selective logging. In forests with logging Helmeted Woodpeckers are rarer and use different tree species for roosting. The year-round roosting of Helmeted Woodpeckers in decay cavities in old trees, and the sharing of such cavities with juveniles during the vulnerable post–fledging months, indicate one factor in the impact of selective logging on the Helmeted Woodpecker.