AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Reintroduction and Postrelease Movements of Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Groups in Eastern Texas

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:1999
Authors:N. Carrie, R, Conner, RN, D. Rudolph, C, Carrie, DK
Journal:The Journal of Wildlife Management
Volume:63
Issue:3
Date Published:1999
ISBN Number:0022541X
Keywords:Picidae, Picoides, Picoides borealis
Abstract:The effects of demographic isolation may be particularly severe in small, isolated populations of the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis). Augmentation of single adult woodpeckers with subadult birds of the opposite sex allows managers to stabilize small, isolated populations but does not provide a means to significantly increase populations. The reintroduction of pairs of subadult red-cockaded woodpeckers into unoccupied habitat provides a technique to bolster small populations. We report the results of such efforts to increase a small, isolated red-cockaded woodpecker population in eastern Texas, and we describe postrelease movements of translocated red-cockaded woodpeckers. Seventeen red-cockaded woodpeckers (9 M, 8 F) were translocated to the Sabine National Forest in eastern Texas between December 1994 and March 1995. Prior to translocations, this forest contained 13 groups of red-cockaded woodpeckers. Five pairs, consisting of a subadult male and female, were released to attempt to establish new breeding pairs. Seven additional subadult woodpeckers were translocated to provide mates to solitary individuals. Nine previously unoccupied sites were occupied. Of the 17 woodpeckers translocated, 12 (71%; 6 M, 6 F) were established in territories following the 1995 or 1996 breeding seasons. The remaining 5 woodpeckers were unaccounted for. Of the 12 woodpeckers resighted, 3 (18%) established territories at their release sites. Woodpeckers that dispersed from their release site were relocated in sites an average of 2.8 km (range = 0.5-9.6 km) away. One (20%) of the 5 pairs released remained together into the 1995 breeding season. Eight (89%) of the 9 new pairs found during 1995 and 1996 included at least 1 translocated red-cockaded woodpecker and bred during 1995 or 1996. Our results demonstrate that the direct reintroduction of multiple pairs is an effective technique for reestablishing breeding units in formerly vacant habitat. Our results also suggest the reintroduction of pairs in a spatial array dense enough to allow social contact between adjacent pairs and with preexisting clusters substantially increases the formation of new pairs.
URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/3802795
Short Title:The Journal of Wildlife Management
Taxonomic name: 
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith