|
The
Red-cockaded Woodpecker
(Picoides
borealis)
- Federal
and Florida State Status: Endangered. Listed in 1968; most
populations are still declining, including that of Avon Park Air
Force Range.
- Geographic
Range: Restricted to the
southeastern United States (see above map).
- Habitat:
The Red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) is dependent upon
old-growth or mature secondary-growth pine forest. In south-central Florida,
this woodpecker is found in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris)
forests with very little undergrowth (known as “flatwoods”). The vegetative structure
of these forests is historically associated with a fire cycle of 2
to 3 years. Wildfires
and prescribed burns maintain the openness and low ground cover of
healthy longleaf pine flatwoods.
- Diet:
The RCW’s diet primarily
consists of adults and larvae of wood-boring southern pine beetles
and bark beetles.
They also consume ants, insect larvae, spiders, wood
roaches, centipedes, the seeds of pine cones, and occasionally
blueberries.
- Interesting
Behaviors:
The RCW is unusual
among bird species in that it displays cooperative breeding
behavior. Juveniles
from previous years’ broods (“helpers”) will often remain in their
natal territory and help parents raise young. Family groups maintain a
territory consisting of a cavity-tree “cluster” – four or more
trees with nest and/or roost cavities – and surrounding foraging
habitat that may overlap with the territory of other RCW families,
especially during the non-breeding season. This woodpecker is
non-migratory, and juveniles tend to disperse relatively short
distances from their natal territories (<5 km).
RCWs are unique
among woodpecker species because they excavate
cavities in live, healthy pine trees, as opposed to
excavating cavities in the softened wood of dead
trees. Because of this,
cavity excavation can take a long time (3 months to
several years), making cavity trees a premium, limiting resource. The decline of the
Red-cockaded woodpecker has been caused largely by the removal of the large trees
used as current or potential cavity sites.
- Nesting
Ecology: Pairs are monogamous and
usually mate for life. Egg-laying takes place in early to
mid-April. The young
hatch in early May, and are fed by both parents and any helpers
with the family group.
The nest fledges in late May and the fledglings stay with
the family until at least early winter. If the first brood was
unsuccessful, RCWs rarely attempt to nest again.
- Predation: Rat snakes (Elaphe spp.) prey
on nestlings, eggs, and possibly adults. Eastern Screech-Owls
(Otus asio) and American Kestrels (Falco sparverius)
prey on adults and will take chicks from cavities with enlarged
entrances. Southern
flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans) may eat eggs and small
nestlings, and will take over cavities. Red-bellied woodpeckers
(Melanerpes carolinus) do not prey upon RCWs, but commonly
steal RCW cavities.
- Conservation:
Management of Red-cockaded
woodpecker populations has been increasing since the early
1970’s. The
conservation of mature, open, pine forests that undergo a natural
fire regime is critical to this species’ survival. It is important to
maintain these forests in continuous segments so that dispersal
between family groups may be facilitated. At Avon Park Air Force
Range, natural resources managers not only attempt to maintain
high-quality RCW habitat, they install artificial nest cavities in
clusters with shortages of natural cavities. Also, birds are obtained
from donor populations outside APAFR and brought in to the Range
population in order to maintain higher genetic diversity.
Recommended
Reading: Jackson, J.A. 1994.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker.
In The Birds of North America, No. 85 (A. Poole and F.
Gill, eds.). The
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American
Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, DC.
Compiled by:
Dana Ripper
Archbold Biological Station
at Avon Park Air Force Range
January 2004.
| 
