Local recruitment in Northern Flickers is related to environmental factors at multiple scales and provides reproductive benefits to yearling breeders settling close to home

Natal dispersal and local recruitment are affected by factors both
intrinsic and extrinsic to juveniles and may affect fitness. Understanding
the relationship between dispersal and population density in birds has
been hindered by a lack of long-term studies and a focus on resident
species has neglected the role of weather operating at large spatial
scales. I studied local recruitment and the reproductive consequences of
natal dispersal distance within a population of Northern Flickers
(Colaptes auratus), a migratory woodpecker. During a field study spanning
16 years in British Columbia, 8272 fledglings were banded and 138 males
and 105 females recruited locally. Average annual local recruitment rate
for males (3.36%) was greater than for females (2.55%) and propensity to
recruit locally was positively correlated with an early hatch date and
high body condition. Annual local recruitment was not associated with
population density in the year of hatch but was positively correlated with
population density in the year of settlement. Local recruitment was also
positively correlated with warmer springs during migration consistent with
the phenology hypothesis. Among local recruits, natal dispersal distance
was independent of the presence of parents and so dispersal was not a
behavior to prevent inbreeding. However, settling closer to the natal site
led to reproductive benefits in terms of earlier laying dates and better
nest success. Therefore, juveniles may gain useful information about the
location of nesting substrates, predation risk, and patchy food resources
by exploring the landscape around their natal site during the
post-fledging period and then settling in the familiar area after
returning from migration.