Woodpecker - Red Cockaded

Other Breeds

Keeshond   |   Palomino   |   Pig – Pot Bellied   |  

Alternative Name

Scientific Name: Picoides borealis

Basic Info

The Red Cockaded Woodpecker is a small species of woodpecker, measuring a scant 20 to 23 centimeters lengthwise. Its plumage is colored mostly white and black, with bars running across its back, which help to separate it from similar-looking species of woodpecker. The underbelly is a soft white, with spots of black running in a line down either side of the breast. Females have no other markings, but males have small red spots on the neck that they will rarely ever show.

Health

Attracting these fickle birds to your backyard might be difficult, unless you live in an old pine forest. Since it's an endangered species, the chances of successfully bringing this bird into your home may be slim to none. You may want to find out if there's a local preserve that houses the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker. It may be your only chance to see these birds in the wild. Breeding One of the most fascinating things about this species is its breeding habits. These birds live in family groups, and with every mating season, offspring will return to their parents and help raise a new clutch of eggs. On average, the female will lay three eggs, with an incubation period of 10 days, facilitated by the mating couple and their helper birds. All members of the family group will help feed the babies. After about 26 days, the baby birds will fledge and leave the nest.

Habitat

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Behavior

A classic American icon of both beauty and beast, the Red Cockaded Woodpecker is a rare and beautiful bird to watch for, and those lucky enough to see one are in for a treat. Found mostly in the Southeastern United States, the Red Cockaded Woodpecker does not migrate anywhere else in the world and can be found primarily in Georgia year-round. It has a very specific home; they largely prefer pine forests, particularly ones that are ravaged by fire yearly and thus maintain a suitable understory where food can be found. Interestingly enough, these birds live in family groups, and can be found in large family clusters among a set range of cavity trees. The reason they choose cavity trees? Well, most cavity trees have holes in them that can be pecked at, producing a thick coating of sticky sap that will coat the entrance to the hole. This leaves it open enough for the clever bird to get through, but closed off enough to keep dangerous predators like snakes and rats away from the nest. A very social bird, the Rid-Cockaded Woodpecker will forage in large groups around the forest area, feeding mainly on beetles and other small insects, as well as occasionally visiting cornfields to dig the larvae of earworms that occasionally nest in the individual kernels. The Red Cockaded Woodpecker has a very loud, harsh call that made it seem irritable in the early stages of research on this bird, but it was soon found to be a highly social species and one that has survived many years living this active family life. Their calls are varied in scope, and have individual calls for greeting, alarm, distress and mating. The unique call and lifestyle of this interesting species of Woodpecker make it a fine choice for birdwatchers across the United States.

Origin

North America

History

The Red Cockaded Woodpecker has been on the endangered species list since 1968, since it was found that due to its overly specific choice of habitat, it had been declining in numbers. There's a large debate among several large wildlife conservation groups concerning the reproduction and preservation of this species and no new plans for helping this species have been introduced recently.

Common Foods

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