WINTER FORAGING OF THE BLACK WOODPECKER DRYOCOPUS-MARTIUS IN MANAGED FOREST IN SOUTH-CENTRAL SWEDEN

The results of the study on winter foraging of radio-tagged Black Wood peckers Dryocopus martius (n = 6) in south-central Sweden (59 degrees 40'N, 15 degrees 25'E) are presented. The foraging places (n = 112) of tracked individuals were described and fresh droppings collected from these places (n = 83) were analysed. Among different types of dead wo od, cut stumps created by forestry were found to be the most important foraging substrate and constituted from 64 to 78% of all strata used by particular individuals. Woodpeckers used stumps proportionally to t heir availability, however selection for stumps of larger diameter was observed. Carpenter ants Camponotus herculeanus were the most importa nt food items found in all droppings. I discuss the shift in the forag ing habits of the Black Woodpecker which enabled the species to succes sfully spread into heavily managed forest plantations.