The Nature Conservancy in Florida - Return of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Claudia Canty RCW cavity drilling

Reintroducing the Red-cockaded Woodpecker

View a video about the red-cockaded woodpecker recovery project at the Conservancy's Disney Wilderness Preserve.

Go Deeper

Find out more about red-cockaded woodpecker recovery in the Southeast.

June 24, 2008 — No new nesting activity was documented this week. There are still the three pairs and the lone male. It is getting too late in the season to expect any of the pairs to nest again this year. Look for more updates in the fall when The Nature Conservancy introduces more red-cockaded woodpeckers to The Disney Wilderness Preserve.

June 19, 2008 — No new nesting activity was documented this week. However, the newly formed pair in CS-5 was together in the cluster and actively defended their cavity trees — a good sign that they may still nest. The lone male in CS-9 was also in his cluster and actively working to improve his cavity. The birds in CS-2 could not be seen in the cluster, but were heard at a distance. No eggs were found in the female's cavity within that cluster (where they previously had a nest). Before Disney Wilderness Preserve staff could peep the male's cavity, the battery in the peeper scope died. So it is not certain that the pair there has not re-nested. The next inspection of the entire cluster will be next Tuesday. There was no sign of the pair in CS-8, but it is not expected that they will re-nest after three failed attempts. However, in peeping all five cavities in that cluster (just to inspect their condition), bluebird nests were discovered in all three cavities not occupied by a red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW). And one of those nests has three big, healthy bluebird chicks getting ready to fledge. Hence, the RCW pair in that cluster has had to compete with the bluebirds for their cavities. Staff members suspect that is the cause of the three failed nests. Hopefully, next year this pair will be more successful at defending their cavities and their nest.

June 11, 2008 — Field staff for The Disney Wilderness Preserve checked the red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) cavities yesterday. Last week, there were two different pairs with nests, each with one egg. Yesterday, both nests were found empty, indicating that they had failed either due to predation or infertility. It is not likely that the pair in CS-8 will re-nest, as they have already nested 3 times, but the pair in CS-2 still has time to try one more nest. Science staff will continue to peep the cavities weekly through the end of June.

There was concern that the male from CS-5 had been lost because his cavity tree looked inactive. In addition, the lone male who was forced to disperse from CS-2 was seen setting up a nice territory in CS-9, but the lone female had not been seen for several weeks and she was feared lost also. This week it was discovered that the CS-5 male is still alive. The true surprise was that the lone female is now with him, residing in his old cavity. It is likely that his original mate has been lost to predation, but it is wonderful that the lone female was so quickly able to move in to replace her. They may still attempt to nest this season, though they are a new pair. The CS-9 lone male will be paired with a single female next fall when additional birds are translocated.

This is a remarkable accomplishment, to still have 4 active territories, of the 5 possible pairs introduced last fall! And for next year's breeding season, these birds will be much more experienced and will have developed the protections on their nest trees. With the addition of several more pairs of birds in the fall, the RCW will be well on its way to establishing a growing population at The Disney Wilderness Preserve. Check back for another update next week.

Bad News and Good News

June 5, 2008 — Last fall, science staff at The Disney Wilderness Preserve reintroduced the red-cockaded woodpecker to the preserve. Since then eight of ten birds remain on the preserve and two pair have nested. The pair in cluster site (CS) 8 — which lost their second nest to a predator last week — has another egg. Let's hope that the third time is a charm! The pair in CS-2 is also actively incubating an egg. Estimated hatch date is this weekend, so staff hopes to see a young chick next Tuesday when they go to peep. If the chick survives, it will be banded the week of June 16.

The floater male seems to have moved permanently into CS-9, but he appears to be alone. Science staff is keeping an eye out for the loan female, but have not seen sign of her for a week or more.

The pair in CS-5 still have not done anything, and male's tree looks inactive. There is concern that the male from that pair has been lost. If so, staff hopes the female relocates to pair with the loan male in CS-9. However, it's getting very late in the season for nesting.

Ten more cavities have been installed in two new cluster sites, in preparation for next year. Science staff has begun cleaning and plugging unoccupied cluster cavities, but it has been extremely hot and humid, making ladder work very difficult.

One Pair Has Laid Eggs

May 22, 2008 — Since the reintroduction of the red-cockaded woodpecker to The Disney Wilderness Preserve last fall, there have been many developments. There are still eight birds present on the preserve. Though they are normally territorial and live in family groups, four birds were together in a single territory. The other four birds formed two pairs and each claimed a territory.

In early May, one pair laid eggs, but the nest was raided, most likely by a rat snake. The pair has re-nested and are currently incubating two eggs that should hatch any day. The chicks, if they survive, will be banded at 8 days of age. The second pair appears ready to lay eggs.

This week, we believe the group of 4 birds is finally splitting up, with two birds being forced to leave for another territory by the two remaining birds, who have formed a pair. We hope to see them nest and lay eggs soon also. We will be anxiously looking for the two displaced birds, to see if they claim a fourth territory. This week may see the first hatch of a red-cockaded woodpecker on the preserve in more than five decades!

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers Reintroduced

October 2007 — Nature Conservancy scientists released five pairs of federally endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers at The Disney Wilderness Preserve in an effort to reestablish a population of the endangered bird in central Florida. See a video on the reintroduction of the red-cockaded woodpecker.

Nature Conservancy scientists anticipate that The Disney Wilderness Preserve’s successfully restored longleaf pine habitat will offer the red-cockaded woodpecker the particular environment it needs to recolonize here.

Red-cockaded woodpeckers, which once thrived in the old-growth forests of central Florida, prefer living longleaf pine trees—specifically mature pines with heartrot. The softened core makes it easier for the woodpecker to drill its cavity into the trunk of a live tree. However, for the birds at The Disney Wilderness Preserve, the Conservancy scientists installed man-made cavities into the trees ahead of time to provide the new birds with immediate shelter.

Nature picture credit: Nature Conservancy scientist inspecting artificial cavity for red-cockaded woodpeckers © Letty Zook/The Nature Conservancy.