Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Fall Movements in a Florida Flatwoods Community

Abstract

Four Red-cockaded Woodpeckers from three clans were radio tracked for 128 hours from October to December 1975 in a pine flatwood community in central Florida. Radio telemetry equipment proved valuable for obtaining data on daily movements, behavior, and range size over a complete dawn to dusk tracking period. The average range of 69.8 ha (172.3 acres) was larger than most previously reported ranges. Foraging was most frequent in pine flatwoods habitat; longleaf and slashed pine were the main species utilized. The roosting area itself was used as a foraging site only during rainy weather. Based on this study a minimum of 58-91 ha of suitable foraging habitat are necessary to support clans of 3-4 Red-cockaded Woodpeckers during fall in a pine flatwoods community.