Red-cockaded Woodpecker

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a small, black-and-white barred woodpecker of the southeastern United States, with a bold black cap and nape, white cheek patches, and finely barred black-and-white back. The tiny red 'cockade' feathers on the male's head, for which the species is named, are rarely visible in the field.

This species is famous among ornithologists both for its dependence on mature, living pine trees for nesting and for its cooperative breeding system, in which offspring from previous years, usually male, remain with their parents as helpers to raise subsequent broods.

Key Field Marks

• Black cap and nape contrasting with large white cheek patches
• Finely barred black-and-white back, giving a 'ladder-backed' look
• White underparts with black spotting along the flanks
• Tiny red cockade feathers on the male's head, usually concealed and rarely seen

Similar Species

• Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers show a solid white back stripe rather than fine barring, and lack the bold white cheek patch bordered by black.
• Ladder-backed Woodpecker has a streaked, spotted breast and different range, mostly not overlapping.

Habitat

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers require mature, open pine forest, historically longleaf pine savanna, with widely spaced older trees, sparse midstory, and a grassy understory maintained by frequent fire.

Range

The species is found in fragmented populations across the southeastern United States, from Texas and Oklahoma east to Florida and North Carolina, in remaining stands of managed pine forest and a few protected preserves.

Migration

This species is entirely non-migratory and highly sedentary, with family groups remaining on the same territory year-round for generations.

Behavior

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers live in small family groups called clusters, centered on multiple active nest and roost cavities excavated in living pines. Cooperative breeding is common, with helper birds, typically male offspring from prior years, assisting in raising the current brood.

Voice

Calls include a distinctive raspy, high-pitched sklit note and various chattering calls used to maintain contact within the group.

Feeding

Diet consists mainly of insects such as beetles, ants, and their larvae gleaned from pine bark, along with some seeds and fruit.

Nesting

Uniquely among North American woodpeckers, cavities are excavated in living pine trees, usually those infected with red heart fungus that softens the heartwood; the process can take over a year. Birds drill small holes around the cavity entrance that cause sap to flow, creating a sticky barrier that deters climbing predators such as snakes.