The mature, Long-leaf pine is their tree of choice, but they will excavate their nest cavities in other pines as well they prefer trees that are at least 70 years old. At times, the holes become sufficiently augmented that even Eastern Screech Owls, Wood Ducks, and raccoons will occupy them after a time.įlying Squirrels, several species of reptiles and amphibians, and insects (primarily bees and wasps) will also make use of their tree cavities. Chickadees, bluebirds, titmice, and several other woodpecker species, including the Downy, Hairy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, will seek to occupy these tree holes.Įven the larger woodpeckers, such as the Northern Flicker and Pileated Woodpecker, will arrive and expand the hole for their use. The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is one of the few avian species to be endemic to the United States, and its presence in the southern, old-growth pine forests is essential to the well-being of the woodlands.Īfter the Red-cockaded leaves its tree cavity, other birds and small animals move into it, benefiting from it indefinitely. They have become locally extinct in New Jersey, Maryland, and Missouri. Another estimate states that there are only about 5,000 groups, or 12,500 birds, from Florida to Virginia and west to southeast Oklahoma and eastern Texas. In the past, this bird could be found from Florida to New Jersey and Maryland, as far west as eastern Texas and Oklahoma, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and inland to Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee.īut today, there exists only about one percent of the original population. The Red-cockaded Woodpecker inhabits the southeastern United States. The best time to get a glimpse of them is during the breeding season, between April and July. They are not easily seen but can be observed in the early morning and sunset as they are foraging.
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