[TN-Bird] red-cockaded woodpecker in tennessee

In response to Rick Phillips' request for the current status of the 
Red-cockaded Woodpecker in Tennessee, the last of this species (one lonely 
male) was seen in Tennessee (Polk County) in December, 1994.  It had been in a 
severe decline for several years due to loss of suitable habitat.   

RCW researchers advised in the late 1970's at a Southeastern RCW conference  
that, when local RCW populations are less about 50, their genetic viability may 
be beyond the point of no return   TWRA sought to have RCW's relocated in 
Tennessee from more common locations in order to broaden the genetic status of 
Tennessee's RCW population.  The USFWS, having jurisdiction over the Endangered 
RCW's, advised that this needed to be delayed while research was being 
completed in the Southeast on optimum  relocation techniques.  The USFWS then 
rated all Southeastern sites in order to achieve maximum relocation success 
from transplant of very limited available RCW's.    Tennessee was given very 
low priority due to its relatively poor RCW habitat and local populations of 
well less than 50.  Due to heavy pressure from one or two Tennessee groups, two 
females were brought to Polk County at different times  to hopefully mate with 
the last of Tennessee's RCW male(s).  After separate on-site orientation 
periods and releases, both females soon disappeared without showing any mating 
interest.

The following was species account was written by Dr. Fred Alsop of ETSU in 1996 
for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency:

"red-cockaded woodpecker

Picoides borealis (Vieillot)

order:  Piciformes

family:  Picidae

common name and names:  Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Sapsucker

LISTING Status:  Federal (LE), State (TWRA)(E), ESD (S1)

 

synonymy reference:  Picus borealis Vieillot, Hist. Nat. Ois. Amer. Sept., vol. 
2, 1807 (1808 or 1809), p. 66, pl. 122, (dans le nord des Etats-Unis, 
error=southern United States.)

 

description:  A medium sized woodpecker, 8: (20 cm).  Adult--Black crown and 
nape; rest of head white with a black "moustache" mark running from base of 
bill to the shoulder; back barred with black and white; wings spotted with 
black and white; white below with black spots on sides and flanks; middle tail 
feathers black, outer ones with broken white bars.  Male has a small tuft of 
scarlet feathers behind eye that is often not visible in the field.

 

tennessee distribution:  Formerly a very local and uncommon permanent resident. 
 Formerly more widely distributed over Tennessee in mature pine stands 
principally on the southern Coastal Plain, the Cumberland Plateau and the 
southern end of the Unaka Mountains.  In 1980, it was restricted to 5 counties 
in the Cumberland Plateau (Pickett, Cumberland, Morgan, Grundy, and Campbell) 
and to the extreme western portion of Great Smoky Mountains National Park 
(Blount County).  Nicholson (1977) estimated a total Tennessee population at 
6-25 birds.  In 1987, a small colony was discovered in Polk County, where 
Tennessee's only known population existed into the 1990's.

 

total distribution:  Permanent resident locally from e. Oklahoma, s. Missouri 
(formerly) and s. Maryland south to e. Texas, to the Gulf Coast and s. Florida 
and north on the Cumberland Plateau through e. Tennessee to e. Kentucky.

 

ecological requirements:  Restricted to mature pine forests or to pines with 
some hardwood mixture.  Very local in its distribution.  Unique in excavating 
nesting and roosting cavities in living pines infected with the fungal red 
heart disease Phellinus pini.  Pines must be mature, usually 70 years or more 
of age and the nesting holes are often used for several years.  Loss of 
suitable habitat with the exacting requirements of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker 
have caused serious declines in its population.

 

life cycle:  Non-migratory, social species, typically found in old growth 
stands of pine in southern states.  Nest--excavated by the birds in a pine (in 
Tennessee, short leaf, Virginia, and yellow) with a rotting heart.  Its nest 
entrance is diagnostic in that the birds drill holes and shave off bark up to 2 
feet (.6 m) above and below the cavity entrance allowing pine gum or resin to 
ooze from the wounds.  These signs of pitch are clear evidence of its presence. 
 Eggs--2 to 5, white.  Usually laid in late April or May.  Young fledge in June 
or July.  A breeding pair with one or more helpers is known as a "clan" and 
they often occupy one or more cavity trees called a "colony".

 

population factors:  The future of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker in Tennessee is 
dependent upon suitable habitat being preserved and upon reintroduction of the 
species from other states.  Populations have decreased in Tennessee since the 
first record of the bird here by John James Audubon in 1839 and the first 
specimens collected by Fox in 1884 in Roane County. The nesting colonies in 
Tennessee remained active on the Cumberland Pleateau (Campbell, Cumberland, 
Grundy and Picket counties) and in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Blount 
County) into the 1970's.  In 1979 there were four known active locations with 
an estimated 25 woodpeckers.  By the mid-1980's the populations underwent 
extreme crashes and by the end of the decade only 10 birds could only be found 
in all in a single colony in Polk County.  By 1991, there was only one  bird 
left, a single male. He was last observed in the Cherokee National Forest, Polk 
County, in 1995.  It could not be relocated in 1996.  This woodpecker is 
restricted to a specific habitat and its fortunes and future depend on it.  
Tennessees in the northern edge of the species range and Red-cockaded 
Woodpeckers have probably never been very numerous in the state.  There are 
tracts of existing pines today that seem suitable, some of which had the 
species in this century, but from which the bird is absent.

 

management considerations:  The continued decline of the bird's habitat has 
caused it to be placed on endangered species list.  The loss of mature pines 
through logging, attempts to control the southern pine beetle and the 
replacement of old pines by the natural succession of hardwoods have seriously 
contributed to the reduced numbers of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and their 
extirpation in all known colonies of Tennessee.  Management possibilities must 
include a long-term commitment to enhancement of suitable habitat across large 
areas of Tennessee plus reintroduction of the species into these habitats.  
Large blocks of mature pines on flat terrain still exist at Savage Gulf and 
Catoosa.  They must be made into park-like stands by removal of hardwoods by 
cutting and other management techniques.  Redheart disease should be introduced 
in these mature pines.  New plantations of shortleaf pines should be 
established adjacent to these stands for future colonies.  Artificial nesting 
cavities should be drilled and Red-cockaded Woodpeckers reintroduced. 

Seek to locate any additional, but previously unknown, colonies in Tennessee.

 

Other Comments:  Most of the known colonies of red-cockaded woodpeckers were on 
public lands.  Action in the 1970's when it was recommended and when there were 
still several known breeding colonies may have made a crutial difference.  
Habitats were becoming unsuitable, but nesting birds were still present.  No 
birds are now known to exist in the state.  Efforts by the u.s. forest service 
in the early 1990's to twice introduce a female bird in the area occupied by 
the polk county male were both unsuccessful.  Any recovery plan will require 
much effort to establish optimum habitat and the release of birds into it."

 

 

The following is a synopsis of its status in its review for delisting in June, 
2000:

"Red-cockaded Woodpecker;  Picoides borealis;  Proposed for complete delisting 
in Tennessee

Justification: Local populations of less than 50 birds are considered too small 
to be genetically viable, causing local populations to decline over many years. 
The last lone male disappeared from Tennessee in 1994. Remaining habitat is 
extremely scarce and takes 60 to 80 years grow. Any birds that are available 
elsewhere for transplant are given priority to sites that have substantially 
higher potential for success than can be found in Tennessee for many years. 
Avian Experts' Comments on Preliminary Proposal:  No objection to this proposal 
by 12 avian experts, many of whom already had input."


Bob Hatcher
Retired TWRA Endangered Species Coordinator (1978 - 2001)
Brentwood, TN

******************************

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rick Phillips" <sunfish0501@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, December 26, 2005 8:56 AM
Subject: [TN-Bird] red-cockaded woodpecker in tennessee


Hi Folks,
During the late 1970's I was part of a group of people who crawled around 
through some very rugged terrain in the Great Smokey Mountains and other places 
looking for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers.  We found a few birds and some nest 
cavities in the smokies.  I have not kept up with the status of this bird very 
well, although I vaguely rmember reading snippets that seemed to imply that it 
was no longer being observed in Tennessee (notice I did not say it was gone).  
Can anyone clue me in to the current status of this bird in the state and 
particularly what efforts have been made to survey for the birds in the smokies?

Rick

Rick Phillips
Kingsport, Tennessee
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_____________________________________________________________
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================

The TN-Bird Net requires you to sign your messages with
first and last name, city (town) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the count in which the birds
you report were seen.  The actual date of observation should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________ 
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
  TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society 
       Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
        endorse the views or opinions expressed
        by the members of this discussion group.
 
         Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
                 wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_____________________________________________________________
     Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
          web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Topographical Maps located at http://topozone.com/find.asp

_____________________________________________________________

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