White-breasted nuthatches and Downy woodpeckers both eat insects that hide in the furrows of bark in hardwood trees. The Downy woodpecker searches for insects by hunting from the bottom of the tree trunk to the top, whereas the white-breasted nuthatch searches from the top of the trunk down. These hunting behaviors best illustrate which of the following ecological concepts?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The different hunting behaviors of the two species show how they have partitioned the resource (insects hiding in bark furrows) to avoid competition. This is an example of resource partitioning.

White-Breasted Nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers Both Eat Insects That Hide