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 toward 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 hunting behaviors of the white-breasted nuthatch and the Downy woodpecker illustrate resource partitioning, which is the division of a limited resource (here, insects hiding in bark furrows) among different species to avoid competition. The two species are using different sections of the tree to find food, which allows both of them to survive without competing for the same limited resource.

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