COLLEGE STATION, Texas—After 54 years of being classified as a federally endangered species, the red-cockaded woodpecker classification status has been downlisted to threatened as a result of decades-long conservation efforts.
This reclassification was announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after reviewing several years’ worth of data and other information from their partners and the public. Many of the populations of these woodpeckers are currently stable or increasing.
The red-cockaded woodpecker is a unique, non-migratory woodpecker species that resides across the southeastern United States. The species was originally classified as endangered in 1970 when it was estimated that there were fewer than 10,000 individuals and between 1,470 active clusters—family groups of one or more individuals. Today, it is estimated that there are 7,800 active clusters ranging from Virginia to Texas.
Over 1,800 red-cockaded woodpeckers are dwelling in East Texas. Red-cockaded woodpeckers are located at the W.G. Jones and I.D. Fairchild State Forests as well as Texas’ four National Forests and a few private lands.
Texas A&M Forest Service collaborates with state and federal agencies, as well as private landowners, to implement rigorous red-cockaded woodpecker conservation efforts. Donna Work, Texas A&M Forest Service Biologist and Red-cockaded Woodpecker Coordinator, has led these efforts for the agency since 1996.
“I’m glad to see that many of the populations are improving enough across this bird’s range for them to be downlisted,” said Work. “All the wonderful partners I have worked with have helped me tremendously with knowledge and management of these special birds. Together, we can continue to keep our Texas populations healthy and thriving.”
Work has collaborated with the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to relocate unrelated juvenile birds from other populations – Kisatchie National Forest in Louisiana and Sam Houston National Forest in Texas – to the W.G. Jones and I.D. Fairchild State Forests. This helps enhance the gene pool of these isolated populations of the red-cockaded woodpecker.
Other management activities conducted on these two state forests include habitat improvement through underbrush reduction, tree thinning and prescribed burning; adding artificial cavities where needed; and monitoring for nesting and banding the nestlings at times.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers are the only woodpecker species in North America that construct cavities in living pine trees. As a result, they face many natural challenges and stressors such as a lack of suitable dwelling and foraging habitats, natural disasters and the effects of small population sizes. Rapid urbanization surrounding forests has been identified as one of the factors that create barriers for red-cockaded woodpeckers to travel and mate.
“Red-cockaded woodpeckers, like other woodpeckers, help to keep insect populations in check, including the destructive bark beetles that also live in the Pineywoods,” said Work. “The cavities of the RCW can benefit other cavity dwellers (small birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, mammals) when these trees die, or when the RCW abandons a cavity.”
Work expressed that red-cockaded woodpecker conservation efforts will continue as she helps educate landowners and the public on the importance of good forest management.
“The good thing is, when we follow good forest management practices, we are not just helping the RCW, but also a host of other wildlife, insects and plants that are associated with the same ecosystem,” said Work.
As part of this reclassification, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is finalizing a 4(d) rule of the Endangered Species Act for the species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stated that this rule will provide flexibility to reduce regulatory burdens by exempting certain activities that do not significantly harm threatened species. More information about this rule can be found here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FWS-R4-ES-2019-0018-0001.
Work said that while the classification has changed, red-cockaded woodpeckers will still be protected, adding, “Texas A&M Forest Service, along with many other land managers with these woodpeckers, have committed to continue managing these woodpeckers in the same way.”
Learn more about Work’s efforts to promote healthy, diverse red-cockaded woodpecker genetics and habitat on Texas State Forests here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=uAA9cbLIM9w.
