Written by Krista Ruppert, Texas A&M WFSC ‘16
Edited by Amanda Gobeli, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Associate
Though
perhaps not the first location that comes to mind when imagining northern
bobwhite habitat, the Piney Woods of east Texas certainly qualify! The longleaf
pine-grassland can be perfect for bobwhites, so long as the right
conditions are met. Unfortunately, bobwhite numbers are declining in the Piney
Woods just as they are in many other Texas ecoregions, but there is another bird species that
could be the saving grace of east Texas bobwhites: the red-cockaded
woodpecker. This woodpecker is federally endangered due to
human-induced ecosystem changes resulting in a lack of suitable habitat, which
has led to the implementation of court decrees requiring intense
habitat management for areas where red-cockaded woodpeckers are found. Management for the red-cockaded woodpecker does not only benefit the one
species: there is overlap between the woodpecker's needs and those of bobwhites, and quail are profiting from the changes.
A
red-cockaded woodpecker outside a cavity bored in a pine tree. Sap from the
tree flows around the cavity to keep predators away.
|
In pre-colonial times, the longleaf pine-grassland habitat of the Piney Woods was maintained through regular burns,
which were ignited naturally by lightning or by the Native Americans managing the
land. The Europeans brought with them negative opinions on fire and a desire
to exploit natural resources as they were available, initiating a change
in landscape from a fire-maintained open longleaf pine-grassland to a
fire-suppressed short-rotation pine forest managed for wood production. Over time, the old longleaf pine trees were harvested and replaced with young,
faster-growing slash and loblolly pine, which tend to grow much more densely
than longleaf: a trait desirable for the lumber industry, but are potentially
harmful to wildlife not adapted to it. Red-cockaded woodpecker numbers declined rapidly as a result. The lack of fire to control the midstory led to overabundant
hardwoods and closed canopies, changing the ecosystem and halting the cycle of plant
succession. Some native species are able to live in the dense,
closed-canopy habitat, but others--like the woodpeckers--cannot compete and must relocate or approach
extinction.
Fire is an important tool for managing Piney Woods habitat. Photo from AgriLife Today. |
Today, attempts have been made to restore the Piney Woods to their former
pine-grassland state, not only for the red-cockaded woodpecker but also to
return the entire ecosystem to what it was before human intervention. Law requires that areas with red-cockaded woodpeckers present must maintain
open pine stands with grassy understories, no hardwood midstory, and controlled
burns for regeneration at least every five years. The ideal habitat for
red-cockaded woodpeckers includes plenty of large, old pine trees spaced at least eight
meters apart and minimal hardwoods, with an open midstory and canopy. On the
ground, a grass understory and ground cover of native forbs
and bunchgrasses is preferred. The woodpeckers favor longleaf pine trees at least 16
inches in diameter, but they will utilize other pine trees if necessary. While the habitat restoration efforts are helpful, patchy habitat can create new problems such as isolation and potential genetic
drift, loss of genetic variation, and inbreeding depressions--a phenomenon
already observed and documented as occurring in the Piney Woods.
Northern bobwhites in the Piney Woods ecoregion have many of the same requirements as in other areas of the state, namely adequate food and specific types of cover. Open canopy grassland is likely the most important
factor for bobwhite in the Piney Woods. Prescribed
fire to reduce woody vegetation helps to maintain forbs and grasses and to
increase bare ground; this can also help increase insect density as well as herbaceous food and cover. Seeds from pine trees provide an
important food source for East Texas bobwhites, along with partridge pea and
clover. Though prickly pear is not likely to be present, little
bluestem--an important nesting plant for bobwhite--is essential for ideal
pine-grassland habitat. Very little historical data regarding bobwhite in
the Piney Woods has been recorded, but since the 1960s it has become evident
that they have been experiencing a steep decline and are rapidly disappearing
from the area. It has been determined that, like the woodpeckers, bobwhites prefer a habitat of old pine
without hardwood and with large amounts of open ground.
Though it may not seem like classic bobwhite habitat, quail can thrive in the Piney Woods. Photo from TPWD. |
The
similarities between habitat for northern bobwhite and red-cockaded
woodpecker are numerous: open canopy, no hardwoods, well-spaced pines, and
native forbs and bunchgrasses. The primary management strategy for their
habitats also overlaps: fire. Controlled burning is known to be the
best way to manage the Piney Woods for both bobwhite and red-cockaded
woodpecker. Not only does fire directly benefit these species, but it also helps
to restore the ecosystem to its original state, thus helping provide valuable
habitat for other species also suffering from the change, such as Bachman’s
sparrow and even white-tailed deer. Though management strategies for the two
are similar, they are not exact. Bobwhites require more careful management of the understory, keeping the
ground clear enough for chicks to traverse while maintaining sufficient cover. Red-cockaded woodpeckers instead demand greater focus on the pine
trees they nest in and may require the creation of artificial hollows. Despite
these differences, the overarching similarities enable the two to aid each other, and both
are able to benefit greatly from the use of prescribed burning in order to
persist in the Piney Woods of Texas.
Literature Cited
- Brennan, L. A. 1991. How can we reverse the northern bobwhite population decline? Wildlife Society Bulletin 19(4):544-555.
- Brennan, L. A., J. L. Cooper, K. E. Lucas, B. D. Leopold, and G. A. Hurst. 1995. Assessing the influence of red-cockaded woodpecker colony management on non-target forest vertebrates in loblolly pine forests of Mississippi: Study design and preliminary results. Red-cockaded woodpecker: Recovery, ecology, and management 1:309-319.
- Brennan, L. A. 2006. Texas Quails: Ecology and Management. Texas A&M University Press. College Station, Texas, USA.
- Burke, J. D., M. J. Chamberlain, and J. P. Geaghan. 2007. Effects of understory vegetation management on brood habitat for northern bobwhites. Journal of Wildlife Management 72(6):1361-1368.
- Chamberlain, M. J., and L. W. Burger, Jr. 2005. Landscape-level effects of red-cockaded woodpecker management on bobwhite abundance and distribution. Proceedings of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies 59:10–16.
- Cram, D. S., R. E. Masters, F. S. Guthery, D. M. Engle, and W. G. Montague. 2002. Northern bobwhite population and habitat response to pine-grassland restoration. Journal of Wildlife Management 66(4):1031-1039.
- Engstrom, R. T., and W. W. Baker. 1995. Red-cockaded woodpeckers on Red Hills hunting plantations: Inventory, management and conservation. Red-cockaded woodpecker: Recovery, ecology, and management. 1:489– 93.
- Provencher, L., N. M. Gobris, L. A. Brennan, D. R. Gordon, and J. L. Hardesty. 2002. Breeding bird response to midstory hardwood reduction in Florida Sandhill longleaf pine forests. Journal of Wildlife Management 66(3):641-661.
- Steen, D. A., L. M. Conner, L. L. Smith, L. Provencher, J. K. Hiers, S. Pokswinski, B. S. Helms, and C. Guyer. 2013. Bird assemblage response to restoration of fire-suppressed longleaf pine sandhills. Ecological Applications 23(1):134-147.
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2003. Recovery plan for the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis): second revision. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta, GA.
- Wilson, C. W., R. E. Masters, and G. A. Bukenhofer. 1995. Breeding bird response to pine-grassland community restoration for red-cockaded woodpeckers. Journal of Wildlife Management 59(1):56-67.