The Role of Snags in the Life of Woodpeckers and Snag Management in a Forest:A Review

Abstract

We reviewed the relations between snags and the life of woodpeckers, and snag habitat management.A wide variety of wildlife uses snags for nesting, roosting, feeding and so on.Primary cavity nesting birds such as woodpeckers largely depend on snags and secondary cavity nesters such as titmice use the holes that the former excavate as well as natural cavities.Western countries noticed the importance of snags for wildlife earlier and have considered snag protection in forest management.While in Japan people have paid little attention to the role of snags for wildlife, and snags are not being accepted as part of forests.We discussed the necessity of snag management in Japanese forests.