Dear Tweeters:

I have a contract with the Portland Audubon Society to prepare a status
report on the WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER in Oregon and Washington. It will be
similar to others I have written: specifically on the American Marten,
Black-backed Woodpecker, Northern Goshawk and Marbled Murrelet in recent
years. These reports are widely used by land management agencies, and in
case of the murrelet, served as a basis for the petition that led to its
listing as a threatened species. As a part of the process on the subject
woodpecker, I am collecting information on the location and dates of
sightings, especially if they involve more than one bird or nests or
otherwise indicate breeding. Because of field research conducted by Rita
Dixon under contract to the Forest Service and the Oregon Dept. of Fish and
Wildlife, we have considerable information from the Metolius and other sites
on the Sisters Ranger District in the Deschutes Natl. Forest and from parts
of the Chiloquin Ranger District in the Winema Natl. Forest (both Oregon).
However, both historical and current information from other national
forests, BLM lands, DNR lands and other public ownerships, as well as
private lands, especially in Washington and southwest Oregon, is sketchy and
badly needed. Information on any consistent sightings of these birds during
winter would also be appreciated. What I am after is to identify as many
areas as possible that these birds consistently use. Information on
wandering, vagrant or otherwise out of normal range birds is not needed. I
will be checking BBS and state atlas projects for what they might offer.

Credit will be given in the report to those who provide information.

The white-headed woodpecker was selected for this report because of its
association (in Oregon and Washington) with late-successional ponderosa pine
forests and its probable declining populations.

David B. Marshall
Consulting Wildlife Biologist
4265 SW Chesapeake Ave.
Portland, OR 97201-1344
503 244-3837 - FAX 503 244-8842
dmarsh at teleport.com