<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">The paper summarizes current knowledge on the population size, habitat, conservation status and conservation measures for the White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos in Slovenia. The species is an extremely rare forest specialist species. It inhabits mostly Dinaric beech Fagus sylvatica forests from Trnovski gozd, Nanos, Javorniki Mts and Mt Snežnik to the Kočevsko region and Gorjanci Mts. The species is also present in the Zasavje region and Mt Boč. The majority of the population (80%) inhabits the altitudinal belt between 700 and 1400 m a.s.l. The size of the Slovenian breeding population is currently estimated at 100-150 breeding pairs. Using the new survey playback method, we expect to find the species at additional sites. The highest densities were recorded on Mt Snežnik (0.7 breeding pairs/km2 in the Zatrep - Planinc forest reserve, 0.6 breeding pairs/km2 at Gomance) and in the Gorjanci Mts (0.6-0.9 breeding pairs/km2 in the Kobile forest reserve). The species inhabits beech and mixed forests with an important percentage of dead trees. The volume of dead trees was measured only at few sites inhabited by the species and ranged from 42 to 283 m3/ha. Signs of foraging were detected mainly on beech snags and stumps; all nests were found in upright beech snags. In Slovenia, the species is threatened by the low percentage of dead deciduous trees in forests, the construction of new forest roads, the increased annual timber harvest and a weak network of forest reserves. The proposed conservation measures include increasing the amount of dead deciduous trees in managed forests, increasing the area of forest reserves and halting the construction of new forest roads.</abstract>

The paper summarizes current knowledge on the population size, habitat, conservation status and conservation measures for the White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos in Slovenia. The species is an extremely rare forest specialist species. It inhabits mostly Dinaric beech Fagus sylvatica forests from Trnovski gozd, Nanos, Javorniki Mts and Mt Snežnik to the Kočevsko region and Gorjanci Mts. The species is also present in the Zasavje region and Mt Boč. The majority of the population (80%) inhabits the altitudinal belt between 700 and 1400 m a.s.l. The size of the Slovenian breeding population is currently estimated at 100-150 breeding pairs. Using the new survey playback method, we expect to find the species at additional sites. The highest densities were recorded on Mt Snežnik (0.7 breeding pairs/km2 in the Zatrep - Planinc forest reserve, 0.6 breeding pairs/km2 at Gomance) and in the Gorjanci Mts (0.6-0.9 breeding pairs/km2 in the Kobile forest reserve). The species inhabits beech and mixed forests with an important percentage of dead trees. The volume of dead trees was measured only at few sites inhabited by the species and ranged from 42 to 283 m3/ha. Signs of foraging were detected mainly on beech snags and stumps; all nests were found in upright beech snags. In Slovenia, the species is threatened by the low percentage of dead deciduous trees in forests, the construction of new forest roads, the increased annual timber harvest and a weak network of forest reserves. The proposed conservation measures include increasing the amount of dead deciduous trees in managed forests, increasing the area of forest reserves and halting the construction of new forest roads.

Status in varstvo belohrbtega detla Dendrocopos leucotos v Sloveniji/ The status and conservation of the White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos in Slovenia

DOPPS – Društvo za opazovanje in proučevanje ptic Slovenije, Tržaška cesta 2, SI–1000 Ljubljana, Slovenija

Acrocephalus

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The paper summarizes current knowledge on the population size, habitat, conservation status and conservation measures for the White-backed Woodpecker...

Status in varstvo belohrbtega detla Dendrocopos leucotos v Sloveniji/ The status and conservation of the White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos in Slovenia

Published Online: Dec 30, 2015

Page range: 5 - 20

Received: Aug 12, 2015

Accepted: Nov 29, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acro-2015-0001

Keywords
White-backed Woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucotos, Slovenia, range, population size, threats, conservation

© by Katarina Denac

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Status in varstvo belohrbtega detla Dendrocopos leucotos v Sloveniji/ The status and conservation of the White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos in Slovenia

Published Online: Dec 30, 2015

Page range: 5 - 20

Received: Aug 12, 2015

Accepted: Nov 29, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acro-2015-0001

KeywordsWhite-backed Woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucotos, Slovenia, range, population size, threats, conservation

© by Katarina Denac

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
White-backed Woodpecker, Dendrocopos leucotos, Slovenia, range, population size, threats, conservation