Bark foraging birds, such as woodpeckers, play an important role in our forested landscapes. Preying on an assortment of native and non-native insect pests of trees, these avian predators become one of the many variables that can influence insect pest populations. As with most animal population, the abundance of predators is closely tied to their prey. This can lead to the conclusion that closely observing bark foraging birds should lead us to understand where to look for insect pests of trees. Emerald ash borer (EAB), a non-native pest threatening our forests, has been correlated with increases in bark foraging birds. When EAB becomes established, we should see an increase in woodpeckers and the damage they cause. This is the idea behind the following video presentation about bark foraging birds and emerald ash borer. Surveying for woodpecker damage to delimit the distribution of an EAB population has become a common practice, but can we use the observation of woodpeckers to find an EAB population sooner? To find out more, and how you can help, watch the videos below.

Find the survey here: Bark Foraging Bird Survey

To learn more about using the survey that can be loaded to your mobile device, watch the short video presentation below.