Biologists aim to make woodpeckers lovebirds

Steve Camp drove 550 miles to set up a blind date that was three years in the making.

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Fort Gordon wildlife biologist Dallas Grimes climbs a century-old longleaf pine where specially built nesting cavities were installed for the woodpeckers.

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Fort Gordon wildlife biologists Dallas Grimes and Robert Drumm (holding bird) verify color leg bands.

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Fort Gordon wildlife biologists Dallas Grimes and Robert Drumm (holding bird) verify color leg bands on a young male red cockaded woodpecker before its transfer from Fort Bragg, N.C., to its new home at Fort Gordon.

"I have to say, it went very well," the Fort Gordon wildlife biologist said, after an all-night round-trip to Fort Bragg, N.C., where six young red-cockaded woodpeckers were captured and relocated to new homes on the Army base near Augusta.

The endangered birds, which nearly vanished as the South's once-vast longleaf pine forests fell to timbering and development, are making a gradual road to recovery in places such as Fort Gordon, where successful habitat restoration has aided their expansion.

"Yesterday afternoon, at Fort Bragg, we identified six young birds -- three males and three females -- that we had planned to bring back to Georgia and release," Mr. Camp said.

In the dead of night, the sleeping birds were carefully removed from their nests and brought back to Fort Gordon, where they were paired up and placed in three specially designed nesting cavities in tall pine trees.

"They never have seen each other before," he said. "They come from different parts of Fort Bragg."

The nesting cavities are in century-old trees where three years of habitat manipulation has helped duplicate their traditional range.

The changes include removing small trees to encourage the growth of large pines, which become surrounded by lower plants and vegetation.

The changes also benefit other species, including bobwhite quail, deer and the endangered gopher tortoise.

The woodpeckers are identifiable by their large, white cheek patch. Male birds have a red spot at the base of the head, which is visible only when the bird is agitated. Females have no red markings at all.

The birds are restricted by their preference for nesting in trees 100 to 125 years old.

"There aren't a lot of places with many of those trees left," Mr. Camp said, adding that Fort Gordon's habitat includes 100 acres or more for each "cluster" of red cockaded woodpeckers on the base.

They are also the only woodpecker species that excavates nesting cavities in live trees. The birds peck tiny "resin wells" around the nest to bleed sap down the trunk. That sticky sap prevents snakes and other predators from entering the holes. Typically, biologists build nesting cavities for them to make their lives easier.

Fort Gordon's red cockaded woodpecker program began in 1996, when a male bird from Savannah River Site moved to the base.

"We have 16 active clusters now and 12 potential breeding groups," Mr. Camp said. "They fledged 19 chicks last year."

The hope is that the birds released Wednesday will form nesting pairs.

"It seemed to be going well this morning," Mr. Camp said. "They all came out, flew around and started feeding together. We backed away to let them do their thing. And we hope they like their new home."

Reach Rob Pavey at 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.