RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER FORAGING ECOLOGY IN AN OLD-GROWTH LONGLEAF PINE FOREST

Most Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis) populations are in pi ne forests that have been harvested at least once and are relatively y oung compared to old-growth stands. We quantified foraging behavior, y ear-round home range, and woodpecker productivity for groups within an d proximal to an old-growth longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) stand from late 1992 to late 1993 in southwestern Georgia. Average year-round ho me range size for seven woodpecker groups in and adjacent to the old-g rowth stand based on minimum 95% convex polygons was 47.1 ha. Year-rou nd home range was negatively correlated with the percentage of the hom e-range located within old-growth forest. In the old-growth stand the size class distribution of trees selected by woodpeckers for foraging was different than the distribution of trees available in size classes >30 cm dbh. As in other studies, males and females differed in foragi ng height and parts of the trees used. Clutch size and fledging rates of the seven study groups were also higher than reported in other stud ies. Red-cockaded Woodpeckers preferentially forage on large (and pres umably old) trees. The small year round home range, high density, larg e group size, and high productivity indicate that this old-growth long leaf forest is high quality habitat. We suggest that forest management intended to provide an adequate number of replacement cavity trees an d quality foraging habitat for the Red-cockaded Woodpecker should have old trees across the landscape.