red cocked woodpecker

1. Bird Name
The English name for this bird: The Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Scientific or Latin name: Picoides borealis.

2. Appearance
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers have an overall coloration, primarily black and white barring. This bird species is identifiable by its distinctive, large white cheek patches contrasted with its black surrounding feathers. They spot a straight, chisel-like bill typical of woodpeckers, while its eyes are dark brown. Male species have small red streaks, termed as ‘cockades’, on either side of their head, which are often difficult to observe.

3. Size
On average, the length of a Red-cockaded Woodpecker ranges from 20-28 cm (or 8-11 inches). Their wingspan extends to approximately 36-41 cm (or around 14-16 inches). These birds weigh between 40-56 g (or about 1.4-2.0 oz), with slight variations between males and females.

4. Habitat & Distribution
Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, endemic to the United States, inhabit the southeastern parts, spread across 11 states, from Florida to Texas and Virginia. They prefer old-growth pine forests, particularly longleaf pines, which are characterized by their straight trunks and expansive, open canopies.

5. Interesting Facts
One interesting fact about Red-cockaded Woodpeckers is their cooperative breeding behaviour, where some offspring from previous years assist their parents in raising the new brood rather than establishing their territories. Also, these woodpeckers are extremely territorial and have been observed to use an unusual defense mechanism – excavating sap wells around their nest entrance to deter snakes, their primary predator.

6. Diet
Their diet typically consists of insects, primarily beetles, ants, and spiders, which they forage from the bark of pine trees. They occasionally feed on seeds and fruits, bark cambium, and pitch too.

7. Behavior & Sounds
These birds display a unique behavior of creating their nests in the living pine trees, excavating cavities over several years. Their flight pattern resembles a roller coaster of ascents, descents, and straightaways. Their calls are described as ‘sklit’ or ‘chip’, and their drumming sound on tree trunks is a territorial signal.

8. Conservation Status
According to the IUCN Red List, the Red-cockaded Woodpecker is categorized as ‘Vulnerable’. The main threats include habitat loss due to commercial logging, suppression of natural fires, and urban development.

9. Lifespan
Typically in the wild, these species live around 7 years, while the oldest known wild individual lived to be at least 15 years. In captivity, their lifespan exceeds 10 years.

10. Additional Notes
Also known as ‘The Carpenter of the South’ due to its preference for southern pine forests, these birds are pivotal for their ecosystem as their abandoned tree cavities often provide homes for various species, including bluebirds, nuthatches, bees, and squirrels. They have been a critical aspect of Native American folklore, and efforts by conservation bodies to preserve their habitats also contribute significantly to saving the longleaf pine ecosystems.