TN11214 RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER PICOIDES BOREALIS BOREALIS
TN11214PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: A SMALL WOODPECKER, 7.25 INCHES LONG, BLACK AND WHITE LADDER-LIKE PATTERN ON BACK, HEAD BLACK WITH LARGE WHITE PATCH ON SIDE OF HEAD, DISTINCTIVE "SHRINK" VOCALIZATION, REPRODUCTION: NOT WELL KNOWN FROM TENNESSEE, BREEDING SEASON APRIL- JUNE, EGGS PROBABLY LAID EARLY TO MID-MAY, CLUTCH 3-4 EGGS IN FLORIDA *10*, INCUBATION PERIOD AND FLEDGLING PERIOD NOT KNOWN FOR TENNESSEE BUT YOUNG IN NEST AT LEAST 18 DAYS *1*, SEVERAL RECORDS OF FLEDGED BROODS OF 2 OR 3 YOUNG IN TENNESSEE, YOUNG LEAVE NEST IN JUNE *1*, PROBABLY ONLY 1 BROOD FLEDGED PER YEAR, ADULTS PROBABLY SEXUALLY MATURE AT ONE YEAR OF AGE, AT WELL-KNOWN COLONIES, SOUTH OF TENNESSEE, MAY DELAY BREEDING BECAUSE OF CLAN-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR BEHAVIOR: TERRITORY SIZE NOT KNOWN FOR TENNESSEE, PROBABLY SEVERAL HUNDRED ACRES, TERRITORY OCCUPIED YEAR-ROUND, NEST CAVITY AND OTHER HOLES USED FOR ROOSTING YEAR-ROUND, EXCAVATION OF NEW CAVITIES OCCURS THROUGHOUT YEAR, YOUNG MAY REMAIN IN NEST AREA FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, ACT AS HELPERS AT NESTING IN LATER YEAR - THIS BEHAVIOR IS KNOWN AT COLONIES OUTSIDE OF TENNESSEE BUT NOT DESCRIBED IN TENNESSEE *10*1*9*, DISPERSAL OF YOUNG AND INITIATION OF NEW COLONIES NOT KNOWN IN TENNESSEE *9*, NEST SITE IN LARGE, OLD GROWTH PINE, INFECTED WITH FORMES PINI FUNGUS *7*, VIRGINIA, SHORTLEAF, AND PITCH PINES USED IN TENNESSEE, FOR STUDIES ELSEWHERE SEE REFERENCES 11 AND 7, NEST TREES ARE LARGE LIVE PINES WITH OOZING SAP AROUND NEST HOLE, THIS IS A DISTINCTIVE SIGN OF THE SPECIES' PRESENCE *8*9* SPECIES ORIGIN: NATIVE, NATIVE TO TENNESSEE, NEAR THE NORTHERN LIMIT OF ITS RANGE POPULATION PARAMETERS: NOT WELL KNOWN FOR TENNESSEE, PRESENT POPULATION PROBABLY MUCH REDUCED FROM THAT 50-60 YEARS AGO, CURRENT TREND PROBABLY TOWARDS DECREASED POPULATION *9* Physical description: This species is approximately 7 1/4 inches in length. It has a black and white barred back, black-flecked flanks and black bars on its white outer tail feathers. There is an area of white on the cheeks and a narrow band of black running from the eye to the crown, separating the white cheek from the white superciliary stripe. The females lack any red on the head. The males has red-cockades *8842*. Reproduction: This species lays 3-5 eggs with 1 brood a season *436*. In South Carolina, egg laying is from April 22 to May 24. The dates for renests were from May 22 to June 13, and young were noted in the nests as late as July 6. The average clutch was just over 3 eggs per nest over a 5 year period. Incubation takes 10 days and fledging occurs at from 26-29 days. There are 1-2 fledglings per nest. Male juveniles from the previous year may act as 'helpers` and help with incubation, feeding and brooding the nestlings *8842*. Behavior: The young fledge at 26-29 days, and forage with the parents up to five months *568*. The nest cavity is from 18-100 feet above the ground *436*. The nest has an upward sloping entrance *478* and is gourd shaped *436*. They live in social groups called clans of up to 10 individuals, but never more than one breeding pair per colony *530*. Origin: The origin of this species is native in the southeast U.S., and non-migratory *436,404*. Limiting factors: This species has a specialized habitat requirements of mature, living pines *534*, usually with heartrot *8842*. Population parameters: Less than 50 individuals are in Virginia. Three pairs fledged a total of 6 young in 1984 *4291*. Aquatic/terrestrial associations: This species is associated with the red-bellied woodpecker, Carolina chickadee, white breasted nuthatch, eastern blue bird, red-headed woodpecker, raccoon, gray squirrel, flying squirrel, starling, and pileated woodpecker *00,478*. The pileated woodpecker frequently usurps this species' cavities. Physical description: This species is approximately 7 1/4 inches in length. It has a black and white barred back, black-flecked flanks and black bars on its white outer tail feathers. There is an area of white on the cheeks and a narrow band of black running from the eye to the crown, separating the white cheek from the white superciliary stripe. The females lack any red on the head. The males has red-cockades *8842*. Reproduction: This species lays 3-5 eggs with 1 brood a season *436*. In South Carolina, egg laying is from April 22 to May 24. The dates for renests were from May 22 to June 13, and young were noted in the nests as late as July 6. The average clutch was just over 3 eggs per nest over a 5 year period. Incubation takes 10 days and fledging occurs at from 26-29 days. There are 1-2 fledglings per nest. Male juveniles from the previous year may act as 'helpers` and help with incubation, feeding and brooding the nestlings *8842*. Behavior: The young fledge at 26-29 days, and forage with the parents up to five months *568*. The nest cavity is from 18-100 feet above the ground *436*. The nest has an upward sloping entrance *478* and is gourd shaped *436*. They live in social groups called clans of up to 10 individuals, but never more than one breeding pair per colony *530*. Origin: The origin of this species is native in the southeast U.S., and non-migratory *436,404*. Limiting factors: This species has a specialized habitat requirements of mature, living pines *534*, usually with heartrot *8842*. Population parameters: Less than 50 individuals are in Virginia. Three pairs fledged a total of 6 young in 1984 *4291*. Aquatic/terrestrial associations: This species is associated with the red-bellied woodpecker, Carolina chickadee, white breasted nuthatch, eastern blue bird, red-headed woodpecker, raccoon, gray squirrel, flying squirrel, starling, and pileated woodpecker *00,478*. The pileated woodpecker frequently usurps this species' cavities.
| Life History |
References for Life History Codes
436, 594, 478, 530, 534, 507, 568, 00, 8842
Comments on Life History Codes
This species has been on the Federal Endangered Species List since 1973 *671*. Pileated woodpeckers enlarge cavities *478*, and use them for roosting, not nesting *530*. Reducing the number of sites available for red-cockaded as well as other cavity nesters is adverse to this species *478*. One theory for having the resin around the holes is that the the sticky mass forms a barrier against ants, flying squirrels and other possible enemies *655*. It may repels rat snakes with its stickiness and its chemical content *533*. The red-bellied woodpecker preys on chicks, flying squirrels eat eggs, even adults and starlings eat the eggs and nestlings *530*. Probably all cavity-nesting birds of southeast pine woodlands are potential users of intact or enlarged red-cockaded woodpecker cavities *478*. This species has been on the Federal Endangered Species List since 1973 *671*. Pileated woodpeckers enlarge cavities *478*, and use them for roosting, not nesting *530*. Reducing the number of sites available for red-cockaded as well as other cavity nesters is adverse to this species *478*. One theory for having the resin around the holes is that the the sticky mass forms a barrier against ants, flying squirrels and other possible enemies *655*. It may repels rat snakes with its stickiness and its chemical content *533*. The red-bellied woodpecker preys on chicks, flying squirrels eat eggs, even adults and starlings eat the eggs and nestlings *530*. Probably all cavity-nesting birds of southeast pine woodlands are potential users of intact or enlarged red-cockaded woodpecker cavities *478*.