t hii Lning Resources — Blnls 



H7 



The distribution map (Figure) displays only 

 counties for which specimens or reHable sources 

 can he cited. The gaps in the distribution 

 undoubtedly contained red-cockaded wood- 

 peckers in the past. Most counties without doc- 

 umented occurrences are found in the longleaf 

 pine-shortleaf pine-loblolly pine-hardwoods 

 transition areas in the east gulf region (Figure), 

 where richer soils and rolling topographies were 

 associated with intense agriculture and inter- 

 rupted lire regimes. Such areas possibly sup- 

 ported smaller populations that were quickly 

 lost with the forest clearing and therefore were 

 never recorded. 



Status and Causes of Decline 



Red-cockaded woodpeckers survive as very 

 small (1-5 groups) to large (groups of 200 or 

 more) populations. There are at least small pop- 

 ulations in most states with historical occur- 

 rences (Table). Except for a population of about 

 90 groups in southern Arkansas and northern 

 Louisiana, the largest populations are found 

 within the historical longleaf pine ecosystem. 

 Other populations outside the longleaf pine 

 range consist of fewer than 20 groups in single 

 or several adjacent counties. Within the longleaf 

 range, there are 4 populations with more than 

 200 groups and 1 1 populations with more than 

 100 groups; all but one are found on federal 

 lands. The remaining longleaf pine-associated 



populations are small and isolated. Such small 

 populations are threatened by adverse effects of 

 demographic isolation, increased predation and 

 cavity competition, and stochastic (random) nat- 

 ural events such as hunicanes. 



The decline of the red-cockaded woodpecker 

 coincided with the loss of the longleaf ecosys- 

 tem. As forests were cleared, birds were isolated 

 in forest tracts where unmerchantable trees were 

 left. Aerial and ground photographs from the 

 1930"s show that scattered medium to large trees 

 (0.4-2 per ha or 1-5 per acre) were left in many 

 stands. The culled trees (undoubtedly including 

 red-cockaded woodpecker cavity trees) provided 

 residual nesting and foraging habitat for the 

 birds. In some places these trees remain and are 

 used by red-cockaded woodpeckers today. 



Since the I950"s. on lands managed for for- 

 est products, the forest structure and composi- 

 tion changed in conjunction with clearcutting. 

 short timber rotations, conversion of longleaf 

 stands to other pine species, and "clean" forestry 

 practices (removal of cavity, disea.sed. or defec- 

 tive trees). These practices eliminated much of 

 the remaining red-cockaded woodpecker habi- 

 tat. Additionally, aggressive fire suppression 

 promoted the development of a hardwood mid- 

 story in pine forests. The adverse impacts of a 

 dense midstory on RCW populations are well- 

 documented (Connor and Rudolph 1989; Costa 

 andEscano 1989). 



Figure. Distribution of red-cocl<- 

 aded woodpeckers by county and 

 state. Most liistorical RCW 

 records are cited from Jackson 

 1971 and Hooper et al. 1980. For 

 information on references, contact 

 R. Costa. 



