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Dryad

Data from: Inter-annual climate variation influences nest initiation date and nest productivity of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker at the northwestern edge of its range

Data files

Oct 04, 2021 version files 211.05 KB

Abstract

Climate change, including directional shifts in weather averages and extremes and increased inter-annual weather variation, is influencing demograhy and distributions for many bird species. We examined how temperature and precipitation coinciding with multiple nesting seasons affected overall nesting success and productivity for two red-cockaded woodpecker (Dryobates borealis, RCW) populations at the species' northwestern range periphery. We used 26 years of nesting data (1991-2016) from the two RCW populations to determine if inter-annual weather variation has affected nesting pehnology and productivity. We conducted analyses at both broad nesting periods (30 and 60 days before nesting; 40 days overalpping the nesting period up to fledging) and short windows to capture the effects of temperature and precipitation extremes on individual nests. For both RCW populations, warmer early spring temperatures generally advanced nesting and increased clutch size and fledgling number. However, effects of average precipitation varied depending on amount and duration of precipitation in different time periods. At the nest level, temperature and precipitation extremes were unrelated to nest success and loss of nestlings (brood loss). Our results indicate that RCWs are responding to the effects of climate change in various ways, with warming trends having a positive benefit on the species at its northwestern range periphery.