INSERT MODIFICATIONS IMPROVE ACCESS TO ARTIFICIAL RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER NEST CAVITIES

A design for a modified, artificial Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) cavity insert is presented. This modification allowed eggs a nd young to be inspected easily, removed, and replaced throughout the nesting period. Modifications to cavity inserts are best done before i nstallation, but can be easily retrofitted in existing artificial cavi ties. On the basis of our success, we believe this modification offers several advantages over original artificial cavity designs: (1) eggs and young can be easily removed for measurement, banding. or other sci entific purposes, (2) debris and nesting material from other cavity us ers can be easily removed, and (3) modifications caused no apparent ch anges in adult behavior. This modification should encourage additional Red-cockaded Woodpecker research requiring access to eggs and nestlin gs.