comparison of nest holes between syrian woodpecker (dendrocopos syriacus) and middle spotted woodpecker (dendrocoptes medius) around yasouj city in southwestern of iran.

In this study, the nest-cavity characteristics of middle spotted and syrian woodpeckers aswell as tree characteristics (i.e. tree diameter at breast height and hole measurements)chosen by each species were analyzed. our results show that vertical entrance diameter,chamber vertical depth, chamber horizontal depth, area of entrance and cavity volumewere significantly different between syrian woodpecker and middle spotted woodpecker(p < 0.05). the average tree diameter at breast height and nest height between the twospecies was not significantly different (p > 0.05). for both species, the tree diameter atbreast height and nest height did not significantly correlate. the directions of nests’entrances were different in the two species, not showing a preferentially selecteddirection. these two species chose different habitats with different tree coverings, whichcan reduce the competition between the two species over selecting a tree for holeexcavation.