Red-cockaded Woodpecker

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Leuconotopicus borealis, is a bird of modest size, fitting snugly between the dimensions of North America's widespread Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. It spans a length of 18–23 cm, with a wingspan of 34–41 cm, and tips the scales at 40–56 grams. Its plumage is adorned with black and white horizontal stripes along its back, and it sports a distinctive black cap and nape that frame its large white cheek patches. The male, during times of breeding and territorial assertion, may reveal a small red streak, or cockade, on each side of its cap, which is otherwise seldom seen.

Identification Tips

To identify this species, look for the characteristic black and white barring on the back and the striking white cheek patches set against a black cap and nape. The male's red cockade is a key feature, though it is often concealed.

Habitat

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker resides in fire-dependent pine savannas, showing a preference for Longleaf Pines but also accepting other southern pine species.

Distribution

Once ranging from Florida to New Jersey and west to Texas and Oklahoma, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker's current distribution is a mere fraction of its historical expanse, with populations now found from Florida to Virginia and west to southeast Oklahoma and eastern Texas.

Behaviour

This woodpecker is territorial and nonmigratory, engaging in cooperative breeding. It forms groups, often including offspring from previous seasons, which assist in incubating eggs and raising young. The species is known for its unique nesting strategy, excavating cavities exclusively in living pine trees, often afflicted by red heart rot.

Breeding

Breeding pairs are monogamous, often for several years, and produce a single brood annually during April to June. The female lays three to four eggs in the male's roost cavity, which are incubated for 10–13 days. Nestlings fledge after 26–29 days and may remain with the group as helpers.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists mainly of ants, beetles, cockroaches, caterpillars, wood-boring insects, spiders, and occasionally fruit and berries. Foraging predominantly occurs on pines, particularly large trees.

Conservation status

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN and Endangered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Conservation efforts focus on habitat preservation, creation of artificial nesting cavities, and management practices such as controlled burning to maintain suitable nesting environments.