Hi Tweeters,

White-headed Woodpeckers (WHWO) are for the most part sedentary
throughout their range. In Washington, at least, there appears to be
some winter movement into areas where the birds do not breed. I think
that this movement is a rather recent phenomenon, as I will try to
briefly explain below.

WHWO are mostly thought to be associated with mature (old growth)
ponderosa pines. I think that many people (myself included) assumed that
WHWO needed old trees for nesting. The study that I conducted for WDFW
in 1999 on WHWO nest site selection makes me think otherwise. Some of
the 24 nest that we used in our study were in older growth pines,
however, most were not. A few of the trees I would have never thought
big enough to support a nest cavity at all.

For example, one nest was in a dead tree that had a diameter at breast
height of only about 6-8 inches (sorry, I don't have the data with me
right now, so I can't give you an exact measurement). The nest was in
the base of the tree. When the female was at the nest hole, her tail
feathers almost touched the ground! Granted, that nest site was not the
norm, but it does illustrate my point that they appear to be somewhat
adaptable as to where they will nest.

So what gives? If WHWO are not tied to old pine by nest sites, then
what? In my opinion, it is not the breeding habits that ties WHWO to
older pines, but rather, their winter habits. In winter, WHWO feed
almost exclusively on pine nuts (seeds). Ponderosa pines to not produce
cones until they be come quite large. In order to have enough pine nuts
to sustain a population of WHWO in winter, you need lots of old trees.

The belt of ponderosa pines that runs long the lower elevations of the
east slope of the Cascades has been hit pretty hard by human related
activities (i.e. logging and development,...but...mostly logging).

I believe it is the lack of pine nuts in the winter that *forces* WHWO
to move into habitats, such as oak stands, where they would not be
normally. They might have done this type of movement occasionally
historically if pine trees failed to produce a cone crop but I believe
such events were quite rare.

I hope this helps explain why there might seem to be seasonal movements
to WHWO. Feel free to ask me questions if I have not made it very clear.

Russell

Kelly Cassidy wrote:

>> During the Leavenworth CBC on 12/22, I saw two WHITE-HEADED
>> WOODPECKERS on Icicle Ridge, and a third reportedly showed up in
>> somebody's back yard.
>>
>> If anybody is interested in getting a peek, they are probably are
>> still in the area...I suspect they are wintering there.
>
>
> Don't White-headed Woodpeckers have the same winter and summer range
> in Washington?

Kelly Cassidy
Pullman



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Russell Rogers
6637 Glenwood Drive SW
Olympia WA 98512
(360) 709-9870
mailto:rrogers122 at attbi.com
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Russell Rogers
Fish and Wildlife Biologist
Point Whitney Shellfish Laboratory
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
1000 Point Whitney Road
Brinnon WA 98320
(360) 586-1498 ex 221
mailto:rogerrer at dfw.wa.gov
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