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 =================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 _____________________________________________________________ =================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 _____________________________________________________________