Birds with very tight habitat requirements. (1 Viewer)

[SteveClark]

I recently saw Araucaria Tit-Spinetails in north-eastern Argentina. These are tied very closely to Araucaria angustifolia trees and are rarely (if ever) seen using any other vegetation in the forests.

What other bird species are similarly tied to a single particular plant species?

Cheers
Steve

 

[raymie]

Kirtland's Warbler is famously tied very closely to Jack Pine in the breeding season, although on a couple of sites they also use Red Pine.

 

[nartreb]

There have got to be a few cavity-nesters who nest in areas with few available species. Gilded flickers and saguaro, for example.

Some food specialists too - crossbills on spruce come to mind.

 

[01101001]

@SteveClark Maybe you could request that this thread be moved to Birds & Birding, as it looks very interesting and doesn't seem to be getting the attention it deserves in this subforum.

 

[Welsh Peregrine]

Palmcreeper seems like an obvious example

 

[SteveClark]

Palmcreeper is a great example (although it will utilise at least 3 palm species). Thanks Welsh Peregrine.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

There are loads of bamboo specialists in the tropics.

 

[jurek]

Rock Pipit and similar shoreline specialists
Dippers, Ibisbill, Torrent Duck and similar stream specialists
Nicobar Pigeon and other small islet specialists
Yellow-eared Parrot, Thick-billed Parrot and similar tied to seeds from a particular tree

 

[lockbreeze926]

I believe (but have not witnessed) that there are hummingbird species that only favour islands in rivers.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Quite a few Australian birds are associated with areas of spinifex grass, as anyone who's spent hours trudging through the stuff looking for grasswrens will tell you.

 

[pbjosh]

I believe (but have not witnessed) that there are hummingbird species that only favour islands in rivers.

Beyond Olive-spotted Hummingbird there is a whole suite of river island specialists in the Amazon, and they have varying habitat preferences between them as far as age / type of successional vegetation. Off the top of my head probably 15+ species are river island specialists?

 

[DMW]

Bearded Tit seems pretty tied to Phragmites. Not sure if it's the same through it's range, but Dartford Warbler is invariably in Gorse where I live.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Gurneys Pitta, favours a particular Palm, the name of which eludes me?