During the month of December, 2005, Bryan Watts, Mike Wilson, Bart Paxton,
Fletcher Smith and Joshua LeClerc of the Center for Conservation Biology and
Neal Humke of The Nature Conservancy systematically surveyed the Red-cockaded
Woodpecker population within the Piney Grove Preserve. Twenty six individuals
were identified by their unique combinations of color bands. Going into the
winter season, the population contains 10 hatching-year birds, 2 second-year
birds, 5 third-year birds, 3 forth-year birds, 2 fifth-year birds, 1 bird that
is at least in its sixth year, 1 bird that is at least in its tenth year, and 1
bird of unknown age. These include 13 males, 12 females, and 1 bird of unknown
sex. Most (16 of 26 birds) of the population is known to have originated
within the preserve. Nine of the remaining birds have been released in the
preserve since 2001 from breeding populations in the Carolinas. The band
combination from the remaining bird does not match any bird banded or released
within the preserve. An attempt will be made early in 2006 to capture and
determine the origin of this individual.
A great deal of progress has been made in recent years to manage this fragile
population and to begin the long process of building it back to a more stable
level. The fact that the population is carrying this many individuals into the
winter and that birds now occupy 7 cluster areas is a positive sign for further
advances in the 2006 breeding season. The fact that 9 of the resident
individuals were brought to the site from other populations is evidence that
the translocation program initiated during the fall of 2001 has been highly
successful. Translocated birds are present within 6 of the 7 occupied cluster
areas.
Work with this population is supported by the Virginia Department of Game and
Inland Fisheries and the Virginia Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.
Bryan Watts
Posted by,
Barton J. Paxton
Center for Conservation Biology
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, VA 23187
Phone (757) 221-1639
FAX (757) 221-1650
bjpaxt@xxxxxx
www.ccb-wm.org
