FORT BRAGG, N.C. - The Fort Bragg Endangered Species Branch recently facilitated the translocation of six red-cockaded woodpeckers to Fort Gordon, Ga.
The red-cockaded woodpecker has been protected as an endangered species since 1970. It inhabits longleaf pine forests of the southeastern United States and is the only woodpecker that creates cavities in live pine trees. These cavities provide optimal roosting and nesting habitats for red-cockaded woodpecker family groups, comprised of between two and seven birds.
Often, the red-cockaded woodpecker selects trees greater than 80 years old that are infected with red-heart fungus. The fungus makes these trees softer, facilitating cavity construction.
However, several centuries of land clearing, fire suppression, and urbanization have significantly reduced longleaf pine forests, decimating red-cockaded woodpecker populations.
According to Jackie Britcher, chief of the Endangered Species Branch, Fort Bragg has been working for more than 20 years to reestablish a healthy population of red-cockaded woodpeckers.
In 2006, Fort Bragg and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the birds had reached a recovery milestone. Before reaching this level of recovery, training for Soldiers on Fort Bragg was restricted, but many of the restrictions have been lifted, allowing units more area and flexibility to train.
"It is important to continue aggressive management because if the red-cockaded woodpecker population continues to thrive, restrictions should be reduced further," explained Britcher.
This spring there were 442 active family clusters on Fort Bragg, according to Jessie Schillaci, red-cockaded woodpecker monitoring program coordinator.
"Of that, we estimated 389 were potential breeding groups," she added.
On Oct. 20, six juvenile woodpeckers were sent to Fort Gordon, which is also working toward the recovery of the red-cockaded woodpecker.
"We only translocate birds born this year out of the population because we don't want to disrupt established breeding pairs existing on the landscape," Schillaci explained. "Younger birds are selected in accordance with the USFWS Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Recovery Act of 2003, to reduce potential population level impacts on Fort Bragg."
In preparation for the birds' exportation, staff from the Endangered Species Branch conducted 37 roost checks at 19 clusters to determine where the six birds were roosting.
"Our job is to protect the rare and endangered species on Fort Bragg and provide quality training lands to Soldiers," said Britcher. "We have to do everything we can to enhance this diverse ecosystem."
Social Sharing