rida, estimated home range of an eight-bird clan 

 to be 65.6 ha during the summer. 



Lay and Russell (1970) divided known areas 

 by the number of clans present to estimate home 

 ranges of 26.7 ha and 67.7 ha per clan in two 

 eastern Texas forests. Beckett (1974) used the 

 same technique to estimate 86.2 ha per clan in a 

 South Carolina forest. 



Skorupa and McFarlane (1979) compared 

 summer and winter home range requirements of 

 two adult pairs. Results indicated a 112% and 

 71% increase in winter forage range requirements. 

 Fall home range requirements in central Florida 

 were determined by the Florida Game and Fresh 

 Water Fish Commission (1976) and Nesbitt et al. 

 (unpublished). A bird in each clan was equipped 



with a miniature radio transmitter. Results indi- 

 cated an average home range of 69.8 ha. 



POPULATION NUMBERS AND TRENDS 



Estimates of total population range from 

 3,000 to 10,000 (U.S. Department of the Interior 

 1973). 



The number of colonies (groups of cavity 

 trees) on public lands is between 2,800 and 3,600; 

 of these, an estimated 2,500 are active (see Man- 

 agement and Conservation). 



Subpopulations exist on ecological islands of 

 suitable habitat. The fractioning of distribution 

 results in reduced gene flow between subpopu- 

 lations, as well as reduced ability to disperse 

 into and occupy suitable habitats that might be- 

 come available in the future (Jackson 1976). 



Colonies were surveyed in 10 southeastern 

 States in 1969-70. Thompson (1976) reported the 

 status of 312 colonies resurveyed in 1973-74. 

 Only 271 remained active, a 13.3% loss, at an an- 

 nual loss rate of 3.5%. For the 4-year period, 

 losses on Federal, State, and private lands were, 

 respectively, 8.7%, 27.3%, and 22. 9%. The largest 

 factor in this reduction was timber harvest. 



Clearcutting and short-term-rotation timber 

 management have virtually eliminated the species 

 from Kentucky, where Jackson et al. (1976b) 

 found red-cockaded woodpeckers at only two 

 locations. 



As trends continue toward short-term timber 

 rotation throughout the Southeast, the species 

 will become increasingly endangered. 



REPRODUCTION 



The species nests during April, May, and June. 

 Clutch size is usually two to four eggs. The incu- 

 bation period is approximately 10 days; duration 



of the nestling stage is about 27 days (Jackson et 

 al. 1976a, W. W. Baker personal communication). 



Usually one or two young are fledged. Lon- 

 gevity and survival rates are not known. 



A family unit is called a 'clan,' and consists of 

 two pair-bonded adults, the young of the year, 

 and sometimes several 'helpers' that are young of 

 previous years. 



MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION 



A Recovery Team has been appointed and a 

 draft recovery plan submitted to the U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service for review. 



Jackson (1976) suggests that properly man- 

 aging interstate highway right-of-ways might re- 

 unite fragmented populations. 



The following tabulation presents population 

 estimates of species numbers on publicly owned 

 or managed lands. Unless otherwise noted, all 

 data were obtained by personal communication 

 with the listed observers. (Key: NF = National 

 Forest; NWR = National Wildlife Refuge; SF = 

 State Forest; SF = State Park; WMA = WildHfe 

 Management Area.) 



State 



Location, estimate, and reference 



Alabama Conecuh NF; 22 colonies; O. Stewart 

 Talledega NF; 30 colonies; O.Stewart 

 Tuskegee NF; 3 colonies; O. Stewart 

 W. B. Bankhead NF; 6 colonies; O. 



Stewart 

 Felsenthal NWR; 20-30 colonies; J. 

 Howe 

 Arkansas Ouachita NF; no estimate available. 



Florida Apalachicola NF; 227 known; 647 

 estimated;D. Bethancourt 



Aucilla WMA; present; no estimates. 

 S. Stafford 



Austin Gary Memorial Forest (Univ. 



of Florida) ; present; exact number not 

 known; D. Hirth 



Big Cypress Swamp; 1 cl£m;J. Kern 



Blackwater River SF;approx. 25 colo- 

 nies; J. Bethea 



Camp Blanding; 20-25 active colonies; 

 J. Schatz 



Gary SF; approx. 6 colonies; J. 

 Bethea 



Eglin Air Force Base; approx 55 colo- 

 nies; W. Alford, 



