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Follow the Intrigue! |
By Judy Althaus
Adventure, romance, heartbreak and intrigue! The Nature Conservancy is enthralled by its red-cockaded woodpecker relocation program. Scientists are observing the birds’ activity now at their new home in The Disney Wilderness Preserve, and you can join the drama of their second breeding season.
A weekly “reality series blog”, Knock on Wood allows readers to follow along with a Conservancy scientist as she plays host to the relocated woodpeckers. This federally endangered species once thrived in central Florida, but had become locally extinct.
With initial funding from Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, a reintroduction program was begun in 2007.
Ten young birds – five males and five females – were carefully brought in each year to pioneer a new population within the Kissimmee-area preserve’s restored habitat. You’ll have a front-row seat as they look for love among the preserve’s longleaf pines!
Nature.org spoke with Conservancy wildlife biologist/restoration ecologist Monica Folk, who directs the action.
Nature.org: What are your hopes for this breeding season?
Monica Folk: We are confident that seven of the ten birds from Season 1 are still in place. There may be as many as eight from Season 2. This is a remarkable retention rate; the average is only 50 percent. We anticipate at least six nesting pairs this year.
Season 1 birds – arriving here in October 2007 – are older, wiser, and more likely to produce fledglings. Some of the newcomers from October of 2008 may succeed as well; they are pairing up in their chosen cluster of trees.
Nature.org: Any drama among the starring cast?
Monica Folk: Forrest was the “odd man out” last summer when seven birds – three couples and him remained on site. Forrest chose an upscale cluster and really went to work to improve the neighborhood. Now this eligible bachelor has attracted not one but two of the second-season females: Brooke and Lily. Who will prevail, and who will be sent from the cluster?
This story is even more uplifting because in spring of Season 1, Forrest and a female “floater” pushed hard to be accepted in a cluster of trees that was already claimed by a bonded pair. They were thoroughly rebuffed. Forrest set up his deluxe bachelor pad only after the floater female gave up and apparently left for greener pastures.
Nature.org: Can you tell us about upcoming episodes?
Monica Folk: In March we began “roost checking” to determine which birds had settled where. We visited them either at sunrise as they arose or at sunset as they went to bed. We sat quietly and looked for identifying leg bands. By the end of March, we knew who’s sleeping with whom and who is hitting the singles bars.
Beginning in April, while the birds are out shopping for bugs, a “peeper-scope” is inserted into each active cavity once a week. A camera captures the scene in the bottom of the cavity, 8” below.
Last year we spotted the first eggs in early May; this year may be a bit earlier. The typical clutch size is 2-4 eggs, with one egg laid each morning. Incubation is shared by both adults. A successful clutch hatches after 11 days, and – if a nest fails for any reason – the couple is likely to re-nest. We’ll report each attempt.
Hatching often takes 48 hours. Chicks are then banded at 7-8 days. The peeper-scope may photograph the chicks at 17 days, looking for a red-feathered (male) or black-feathered (female) cap. We’ll observe if the chicks have fledged, or left the cavity and learned to fly, after 27 days of age.
So we will be busy for the next few months, visiting eight clusters weekly.
Nature.org: What will readers find on your blog?
Monica Folk: I’ll offer a weekly account of all the drama. Readers will learn who finds love, and will share the thrilling discovering of new eggs. They may see photos of newborn chicks, and – if all goes well – observe the first fledglings in 50-some years fly off into the wilderness. We’ll stay with the action through June.
Nature.org: Why is this particular woodpecker show going so well?
Monica Folk: The Conservancy is clearly doing something right at The Disney Wilderness Preserve; it’s probably our land management ethic. These woodpeckers eat insects – billions of them – and the rich groundcover we’ve restored serves up plenty of ants and other delicacies.
The Conservancy has returned fire back to this landscape as we believe it naturally occurred, making a big difference. While the preserve is a relatively small site with young trees, our early success indicates that it may eventually support a thriving population of the red-cockaded woodpecker.
Judy Althaus is a conservation writer with The Nature Conservancy in Florida.
Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Josh E. Knights/TNC (forest); Photo © Eric Blackmore (red-cockaded woodpecker); Photo © Eric Blackmore (Monica Folk); Photo © B.Zook/TNC (Olivia Page); Photo © David Dadurka/TNC (Judy Althaus).
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