Out with the Old, In with the New: Comparing Capture Success Between Old and New Woodpecker Traps
Elizabeth Grove Wildlife Ecology and Management
Nat Holcomb (Not Pictured)
Libby Tallmadge (Environmental Science and Management
Ella Warsaw (Not Pictured)
Wildlife Ecology and Management
Wildlife Ecology and Management
Long-term banding research on woodpeckers is important for understanding population and life history dynamics. Our woodpecker research project has collected many years of trapping data to study these factors. However, damage from years of use and medium-sized mammals has left many of our project’s woodpecker traps in poor condition. To mitigate this wear, we purchased several new traps from Tomahawk Live Trap, LLC. The old and new models are functionally the same, only with superficial differences. The goal of our study was to determine if these new, better-condition traps catch significantly more birds than our older, homemade traps. Twenty-one traps were set out in two concentric circles spanning 85 acres around the North Bluff at Sandhill State Wildlife Area. New traps were paired with old traps in the same location to reduce microsite bias. Capture rates between trap types were compared using a paired t-test. Differences between wire gauge, sensitivity, and general trap appearance could all affect how target birds interact with the traps. This study may suggest ways to trap woodpeckers and nuthatches more effectively for future research.
Advisors: Jason Riddle, Ph.D.
Subject Area: Wildlife
Type: Poster
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UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources
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