Red-cockaded Woodpecker Male/Female Foraging Differences in Young Forest Stands

Habitat Use and Avoidance by Foraging Red-Cockaded Woodpeckers in East Texas

“…Growth of limited numbers of pyrophytic Quercus (oaks) in pine savannahs can be beneficial to the overall biodiversity of the habitat (Hiers et al 2014), including arthropods that provide forage for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (James et al 2001). Woodpeckers use mature hardwoods while foraging, especially in winter, when these trees are scattered in pine-savannah habitats (Delotelle et al 1987, Doster and James 1998, Franzreb 2010, Skorupa and McFarlane 1976.…”

“…It is a cooperative breeder that lives in extended family groups (Walters 1990, Walters et al 1988 that forage in open, pine savannahs composed of mature pines with herbaceous plants dominating the groundcover (Bradshaw 1995, Hooper and Harlow 1986, Hooper and Lennartz 1981, James et al 2001, Ligon 1968, Morse 1972, Nesbitt et al 1978, Walters et al 2002. Males typically forage on larger branches higher in pines, while females forage lower on the tree bole (Engstrom and Sanders 1997, Franzreb 2010, Hooper and Lennartz 1981, Ligon 1968. Both sexes forage primarily on larger and older living and recently dead pines, but avoid long-dead trees (Doster and James 1998, Engstrom and Sanders 1997, Franzreb 2010, Hooper and Lennartz 1981, Jones and Hunt 1996, Ligon 1968, Morse 1972, Nesbitt et al 1978, Porter and Labisky 1986, Zwicker 1999.…”

“…Males typically forage on larger branches higher in pines, while females forage lower on the tree bole (Engstrom and Sanders 1997, Franzreb 2010, Hooper and Lennartz 1981, Ligon 1968. Both sexes forage primarily on larger and older living and recently dead pines, but avoid long-dead trees (Doster and James 1998, Engstrom and Sanders 1997, Franzreb 2010, Hooper and Lennartz 1981, Jones and Hunt 1996, Ligon 1968, Morse 1972, Nesbitt et al 1978, Porter and Labisky 1986, Zwicker 1999. They occasionally forage on large hardwoods located in mature pine forests (Delotelle et al 1987, Doster and James 1998, Franzreb 2010, Skorupa and McFarlane 1976.…”

“…However 83% of the national forest land suitable for Red-cockaded Woodpeckers is comprised of pine species other than Longleaf Pine, such as the Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine forests of East Texas (James 1995). Second, previous studies examined the differences between habitat used by foraging Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and available habitat (Doster and James 1998, Franzreb 2010, Rudolph et al 2002. We make direct comparisons and quantify the distinctions between habitat patches selected for forage and those actively avoided by the group (hereafter non-foraged patches).…”

A new method for the identification of old-growth trees in National Forest Inventories: application to Pinus halepensis Mill. stands in Spain

“…The importance of old trees in the assessment of biodiversity is well recognized (Barbati et al 2012) and such trees are considered high-interest ecological niches (Smith, 2012;Franzreb 2011) as they provide important habitats for species of birds, insects, lichens, fungi and bryophytes (Brändli et al 2007). The term "ancient tree" or "old tree" may be understood as an age classification to describe the stage of maturity following the loss of apical dominance.…”