A bark-shaving technique to deter rat snakes from climbing red-cockaded woodpecker cavity trees

We developed a bark-shaving technique to deter rat snakes (Elaphe obsoleta) from climbing red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) trees as an aest hetically pleasing, more cost-effective, and safer alternative to other sna ke excluder devices. We used a drawknife to carefully shave the bark around the circumference of 4 treatment trees in a l-m-wide band to eliminate any furrows or rough surfaces, without cutting into the cambium. Four control trees were not altered. We tested our method from April 1997 to August 1997 and found that shaved trees were nearly 100% effective in preventing rat s nakes from climbing (n=40 climbing attempts), whereas control trees were su ccessfully climbed (n=20 climbing attempts) on each attempt. One shaved bar rier was crossed by one snake 14 weeks after the barrier was initially crea ted. The bark had roughened from tree growth. After we reshaved the barrier , the snake was unable to cross the barrier again. Despite loss of effectiv eness over time, the shaved barriers can provide red-cockaded woodpeckers a head-start in developing their own defenses against rat snake predation in a manner that is more natural in appearance than other snake-excluder devi ces.