Factors that influence translocation success in the red-cockaded woodpecker

Abstract

To restore a population that had declined to 4 individuals by late 1985, 54 red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) were translocated at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina between 1986 and 1995. Translocation success was evaluated by sex, age, and distance between the capture and release site. For moves involving females, the presence of a resident male and the status of the male (breeder, inexperienced, or helper) also was assessed. Of the factors evaluated, only the distance of the move was statistically significant, with increasing success associated with increasing distance. The presence of a resident male at the female's release site led to no more success than releasing the female concurrently with a male; nor did the male's status appear to play a significant role in female translocation success. Overall, 31 of 49 (excluding nestlings) translocated birds remained at or near the release site for at least 30 days, resulting in a success rate of 63.2 percent. Of the birds that were successfully translocated, 51.0 percent had reproduced by July 1996.

Citation

Franzreb, Kathleen E. 1999. Factors that influence translocation success in the red-cockaded woodpecker. Wilson Bulletin. 111(1): 38-45.